Altered States: America since the Sixties (Contemporary Worlds) - Softcover

'Black tackles the formidable task of making sense out of the recent American past and succeeds in creating a framework that provides rich insights and interesting connections. The themes of unity and diversity, individualism and conformity are as old as Toqueville, but what Black does so well is to explore how far-reaching and complex these tensions remain in the American experience. The wealth of information is staggering. Black's Altered States now joins my shortlist of books that illuminate recent American history.' - Donald A. Yerxa, Editor, Historically Speaking 'Black's account of changing geographical and demographic factors in North America reminds readers of the deeper transformations affecting lived society [...] This is a valuable, thoughtful and wonderfully eccentric account of recent American history. It is filled with uncommon insights and food for thought. This book will attract a broad and interested reading audience.' - Jeremi Suri, Associate Professor in the Dept of History, University of Wisconsin

"Altered States: America since the Sixties" cover the last 45 years and the most recent developments in American environmental, cultural and political affairs. The triumph of consumerism, cultural wars, conflicts over health care, civil rights, religious values and pressures in the political system are all described in depth. Black also analyzes the USA's role abroad, from Nixon's Vietnam to Bush Junior's Iraq. His account of the USA is of a continent pretending to be a country, of the juxtaposition of unitary and divisive pressures that reflect and sustain the essential character of country, society and state. "Altered States" is a wide-ranging and cogent evaluation of recent American history, which will appeal to the general reader and also provide a concise introduction for students.