Ada Feyerick

For all of us who lived through this decade, the book is a wonderful reminder of an amazing time. But Ada Feyerick goes way beyond nostalgia by bringing us a new and very personal perspective. This is living history. For that I am grateful.

The Sixties is a reminder of a decade that many believe was a turning point for America. It is a view of America from overseas by an American, formerly a history-archaeology editor of Horizon Magazine, living first in neutral Zurich and later in Neuilly-sur-Seine, the nearest suburb to politically involved Paris. For those who remember that time, or were too young to remember, the book recalls major events during one of the most important decades in our history. They include the Bay of Pigs fiasco, the assassination of president John Kennedy and others, the tragedy of the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and astronauts conquering space. Simultaneous events in Europe are described, and their impact on each other.

Much to the disappointment of President Lyndon Johnson, our chief antagonist in America's fight
against the spread of communism was our former World War II ally, French president Charles de Gaulle, as he sought detente with Russia and recognized Red China in the ongoing cold war atmosphere. De Gaulle claimed that a nation has neither friends nor enemies, only interests. It reflected his determination to regain France's influence as a political player after being occupied by Nazi Germany for four years. One area in which he was determined to restore French prestige was in the Middle East after colonial Algeria gained its independence in 1962. His change of alliance from Israel to the Arab states in the 1967 Six-Day War was part of his strategy, which further allowed French access to oil-rich resources.

On the domestic scene, American college students were rebelling against the military draft. In France, university students at the Sorbonne were so violently tearing up the Left Bank, demanding improved conditions, that it almost brought down the Gaullist government. An Epilogue makes further parallels from the sixties to the present to see if progress has been made or if we learn from our mistakes. Today, the Vietnam War has been compared to our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, often called "unnecessary wars," or "wars of choice."

Intertwined with events is the personal story of this American adjusting to foreign cultures, having, raising, and educating children abroad, and getting to know the people on their own terms. As for the children, their world expanded, friendships were made with classmates who spoke a different language, while they were becoming bilingual in their own, uninhibited way.

The book's cover is a rare drawing by Al Hirschfeld, depicting world leaders of the decade. Illustrating the book are the best of international, political cartoons, an art described by Sir Winston Churchill as "a good way to learn history." These were chosen from the U.S., England, France, and Lebanon, Historical backgrounds past and present are included to deepen understanding.

Do we ever learn from history? Was the decade of the sixties actually America's turning point? The answers are inherent in this compelling memoir.