Hoarding is not collection development
Lifestyles of the Hippies
The Hippie Trip
Yablonsky
1968
Here is your insider guide to the mysterious world of hippies. This mostly academic work details the lifestyles of hippie culture through surveys, interviews and case studies.Yablonsky is a relatively important figure and his unorthodox research methods were part of an “immersion” philosophy as an academic. (He died in 2014 and you can read his obituary here.) Obviously, his work is important and should be included in sociology collections in the academic world. A larger public library would also probably consider including this in the collection, if community interest supported this kind of work.
I kind of chuckle since it reminds me of my undergraduate intro course in Sociology back in the day where the professor used the “hip” dialogue so he could relate to his students. Even in the late 70s, this guy sounded dated and ridiculous. I will also never forget that his opening lecture included the line: “Sociology is what sociologists do.”
Stay groovy everyone and tell it like it is,
Mary
We are the People Our Parents Warned Us Against
We Are The People Our Parents Warned Us Against
A Close-Up of the Whole Hippie Scene
Von Hoffman
1968
If you were a parent back in the day of hippies, this was your guidebook to the inside life of those crazy kids. Here are the inside stories told from some hippie children from Haight-Ashbury in 1967. You can learn groovy words like: pushing, scoring, tripping, acid, and smack. There is also lots of group sex and marijuana. Not a bad cultural profile, but a bit disorganized for reading. The author throws in ads, headlines, and other text that seem to be chapter markers, but aren’t really related. Maybe the author was trying to make a statement with his more “free form” organization.
Sample Hippie Joke:
Q – Do you know what happened to the hippy who crossed IBM with LSD?
A – He went on a business trip.
Everyone stay groovy, and feel free to contemplate the good old days with Jimmy Buffett’s song of nearly the same title.
Mary
Flower Power
The Flower People
Gross
1968
I was just a kid in 1968, but a few of those kids were at the local colleges in my town and I remember just being fascinated with the fashion, etc. 8 year old me wanted a fringe vest and boots SO BAD! Mom said no. (What a killjoy.)
Best part of this book was the hippie vocabulary. I can’t remember the last time I heard someone refer to the “fuzz”. I doubt anyone would have any trouble translating some of the sayings, but I am sure you will enjoy the explanations. Contemporary books of this time are some of my favorites. It is so funny to think that this group is now talking about Medicare and retirement. Can you dig it?
Stay groovy,
Mary
More Flower power: