How 1954 Changed History

De: Michael Flamm, The Great Courses

Narrado por: Michael Flamm

Every year has its share of notable events, but some years seem to capture the essence of a decade in a handful of months. The year 1954 is one such year. It began in January with a celebrity marriage heard round the world and then progressed through a series of major political, social, and cultural milestones that would echo through the next several decades.

The years following World War II were a time of increased wealth and confidence, years that saw the rise of a solid, increasingly powerful middle class in America. With rising wages, major developments in consumer goods and entertainment, increasing opportunities for housing and education, amazing medical breakthroughs, the spread of interstate highways - it was a decade of optimism for many after the horrors of depression and war. But the 1950s were also years of increasing Cold War paranoia and unrest among the disenfranchised Americans that were not experiencing the same freedom and prosperity as their fellow citizens.

With the 10 lectures of How 1954 Changed History, you will travel back to a pivotal year in a decade that is often viewed in terms of the black-and-white simplicity of cheerful mid-century sitcoms. However, the issues of the decade were actually as vibrant and contradictory as any other period in American history. Professor Michael Flamm will take you through the battle against polio, the Red Scare that gripped the nation, the domestic impact of foreign conflicts, and the groundbreaking case of Brown v. Board of Education. As you look at these events and much more, you will see how the year 1954 showcases both some of the best and some of the worst times of 20th-century America.

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Wonderful lectures.

Loved it! I am a child of the 50's and of history. Very well presented.

Excellent

Narration is crystal clear and compels attention.

Stories are of important events and matters and memorable, important people. Lots of interesting details.

Highly recommended.

Living life

I was born in 1951 so I was a child in 1954. I asked my mother (92) how she felt at the time about these events. She said she doesn’t remember them because she was too busy living life, 2 kids, a husband and a job, nurse. I’m sure a lot of people will say the same things about today- January 6, unsubstantiated stolen election, Ukraine, inflation, etc. Hopefully the people in charge today will be as responsible as the ruling class in 1954. They weren’t perfect but as history has shown for the most part they got it right.

Fascinating history

A series of 10 lectures, each about 30 minutes long, covering some of the major events and trends in the US that first emerged in 1954. I thought I knew a lot about these events, but Michael Flamm has managed to find fascinating anecdotes and important connections which added immensely to my understanding of the era.

Throughout Flamm finds ways to connect the strands of the story to each other, and to our own time. For anyone between the ages of 30 and 75 or so, Flamm's analysis makes it easy to see how the events of 1954 helped form the world in which we grew up, and also to see how many of the models created in that year are changing rapidly in the current century. The section on the development of the polio vaccine is particularly relevant for our COVID-19 historical moment.

In addition, Flamm has a pleasant, resonant baritone that makes the lectures a pleasure to listen to.

Strongly recommended.

Excellent Course

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book/course. The writing is wonderful, the topics are thoughtfully presented, and Mr. Flamm’s narration is excellent. I highly recommend it. I can’t wait for his next Audible course!