The Boomer Blues

For author Dick Caplan, the small town of Wallingford, Connecticut, was an idyllic place to grow up-even if he did have to practice hiding under his desk in case of a nuclear attack. His 1950s childhood was filled with birthday parties, baseball, and fantasies of becoming a superhero. But in the sixties and seventies, Caplan confronted shocking moments of political turmoil and cultural upheaval.

To illustrate the genesis of many boomers' liberal political leanings, Caplan discusses numerous horrifying events that his generation witnessed-the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Medger Evers, and Martin Luther King Jr.; the shootings at Kent State and atrocities in Vietnam; the murders of civil rights protestors and innocent black children. Against that backdrop, he expresses his concerns with modern-day media and the political process.

Besides writing about his own experiences and opinions, Caplan traces his personal history back to the late 1800s, when his father's family emigrated from Russia. He also recounts highlights from the 340-year-old history of Wallingford.

Written in short, topical chapters that are by turns meditative, heartwarming, and witty, Boomer Blues is the ideal coming-of-age tale for a generation that is still maturing and shaping our nation.