In this engaging narrative, Bob Kealing explores the Beatles' first trips to the United States, civil rights activism, and changing political dynamics within the nation.
I was familiar with the Beatles and their trips to Miami, Florida, in February 1964 and Key West in September 1964, and this book revealed more to me about the intersections of their popularity. Kealing’s discussion of the St. Augustine Movement and the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr., which challenged segregation in Florida ahead of the passage of the Civil Rights Act, added valuable context for my love of the Beatles and teaching courses in U.S. history.
Kealing’s narrative is riveting and brought the Beatles and their fans to life with opportunities gained challenging systems of segregation and cultural division in mid-1960s America.
The musical and cultural impact of the Fab Four in Florida
In 1964, Beatlemania flooded the United States. The Beatles appeared live on the Ed Sullivan Show and embarked on their first tour of North America-and they spent more time in Florida than anywhere else. Good Day Sunshine State dives into this momentous time and place, exploring the band's seismic influence on the people and culture of the state.
Bob Kealing sets the historical stage for the band's arrival-a nation dazed after the assassination of John F. Kennedy and on the precipice of the Vietnam War; a heavily segregated, conservative…
Beth Fowler brings extensive research and first-hand accounts to dynamically compare the activism of civil rights campaigns and the emergence of popular music as integration methods after World War II.
I was drawn to Fowler’s ability to weave her vast oral interviews with prominent literature on the topics of segregation, rock ‘n’ roll, and race relations, primarily from the post-World War II era to the 21st century. The firsthand accounts were enjoyable, revealing, and honest in detailing how Americans across racial divisions encountered and engaged in popular music and social change, with admissions that emphasized the value of primary accounts.
The book is comprehensive, detailing major developments in both popular music and civil rights campaigns. Fowler impressively showcases how influential music is to social and political changes.
Serena Zabin recounts the complex relationships in late 1760s Boston as British troops occupied the colonial port and intermingled with the local population as neighbors, friends, and in marriages.
She draws extensively from primary sources and local records to demonstrate the interpersonal affairs that existed in the years leading to the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770. Zabin’s ability to weave together many strands and connections in Boston affairs sheds greater light on the impact of that single event and its aftermath on individuals and the community.
Throughout this book, Zabin’s research skills and narrative highlight the generous relationships ultimately destroyed by the Boston Massacre. The event did not simply stoke the American Revolution; it eliminated a valuable history between colonists, British soldiers, and royal authority.
“Historical accuracy and human understanding require coming down from the high ground and seeing people in all their complexity. Serena Zabin’s rich and highly enjoyable book does just that.”—Kathleen DuVal, Wall Street Journal
A dramatic, untold “people’s history” of the storied event that helped trigger the American Revolution.
The story of the Boston Massacre—when on a late winter evening in 1770, British soldiers shot five local men to death—is familiar to generations. But from the very beginning, many accounts have obscured a fascinating truth: the Massacre arose from conflicts that were as personal as they were political.
My book focuses on how Paul McCartney’s solo career was dominated by his legacy in the Beatles while also charting a singular path that integrated and represented that very same legacy.
Starting from the large influence of the Beatles in the 1960s, my book follows McCartney’s life chronologically through the early 2020s. Through discussions of his tours, new albums, and purposeful connections to his Beatles past, my book illustrates the legacy of the Beatles breakup in McCartney’s life and career and the significance of his many varied musical endeavors through the early 2020s, including Wings, solo albums, and unique collaborations.
After eight decades of performing and recording music, McCartney shows no indication of slowing down, and my book celebrates and discusses that long career.
