The Greening of America explained

The Greening of America is a 1970 book by Charles A. Reich. It is a paean to the counterculture of the 1960s and its values. Excerpts first appeared as an essay in the September 26, 1970 issue of The New Yorker.^[1] The book was originally published by Random House.

Overview

The book's argument rests on three separate types of world view:

• "Consciousness I" applies to the typical values and opinions of rural farmers and small businesspeople which dominated society in 19th century America.
• "Consciousness II" represents a viewpoint of "an organizational society", featuring meritocracy and improvement through various large institutions, the ethos of the New Deal, World War II and the 1950s Silent Generation.
• "Consciousness III" represents the worldview of the 1960s counterculture, focusing on personal freedom, egalitarianism, and recreational drugs.^[2]

The book mixed sociological analysis with panegyrics to rock music, cannabis, and blue jeans, arguing that these fashions embodied a fundamental social shift.

Bestseller

The book was a best-seller in 1970 and 1971, and topped the New York Times Best Seller list on December 27, 1970, and other weeks.^[3]

References

• Citron . Rodger D. . Charles Reich's Journey From the Yale Law Journal to the New York Times Best-Seller List: The Personal History of The Greening of America . New York Law School Law Review . 52 . 3 . . New York . August 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100619210758/http://www.nyls.edu/user_files/1/3/4/17/49/NLRvol52-307.pdf . 2010-06-19 . + - +^{Google Scholar}
• The Greening of America turns 40: Q&A: Charles Reich, by Daniel Schwartz, CBC News, updated: Sept. 27, 2010

External links

• book profile in Amazon.com

Notes and References

1. Reich . Charles A. . Charles A. Reich . Reflections: The Greening of America . . 42 . 1970-09-26 . 2008-07-11 .
2. Charles A. Reich, The Greening of America (25th anniversary edition, Three Rivers Press, 1995)
3. http://www.hawes.com/no1_nf_d.htm#1970's New York Times Best Seller Number Ones Listing