Surveys the events and people of the United States and Canada from 1950 through 1959.

The 1950s evoke images of prosperity, suburbia, a smiling President Eisenhower, cars with elaborate tail fins, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and the “golden age” of television—seemingly a simpler time in which the idealized family life of situation comedies had at least some basis in reality. A closer examination, however,recalls more threatening images: the hysteria of McCarthy-ism, the shadow of the atomic bomb, war in Korea, the Soviet threat manifested in the launch of Sputnik and the bombast of Nikita Khruschchev, and clashes over the integration of public buses in Montgomery, Alabama, and a high school in Little Rock, Arkansas. Andrew J. Dunar successfully shows how the issues confronting America in the late twentieth century have roots in the fifties, some apparent at the time, others only in retrospect: civil rights, environmentalism, the counterculture, and “movements” on behalf of women, Chicanos, and Native Americans. The rise of the “Beats,” the continuing development of jazz, the emergence of rock ’n’ roll, and the art of Jackson Pollock reveal the decade to be less conformist than commonly portrayed. While the cold war rivalry with the Soviet Union generated the most concern, Dunar skillfully illustrates how the rise of Nasser in Egypt, Castro in Cuba, and Communist regimes in North Korea, Vietnam, and China signaled new regional challenges to American power.

Shortly after World War II, America experienced an incredible economic and technological boom as soldiers returned home from abroad. The middle class grew, and technology such as the automobile and television found their way into more and more homes. Explore the Fifties through the eyes of artists, politicians, and ordinary people.

A Swedish novelist and ardent feminist makes her notes on America. Interesting observations on American culture (politics, race relations, manners, education, etc.), having traveled through New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the Mid-West, and the South.

No other era in automotive history is as revered as the 1950s, when Detroit was the center of the auto world and the American V-8 was king of the road. With hundreds of color photos of beautiful restorations and a collection of rare archival photos, Dennis Adler has compiled a detailed history of the emerging postwar American auto industry.

Introduction: Seeing in the dark -- Gay rights: "To be nobody but yourself" -- Feminism: "Meet Jane Crow" -- Civil rights: The war after the wars -- Ecology: Before we knew -- Epilogue: The best of us.

Introducing: America in the 1950s for KidsThe English Reading Tree Book 54 This book is aimed at children aged eight and over and is part of the English Reading Tree Series (number 54). It is a perfect tool to get young learners into the habit of reading. This nostalgic look at America in the 1950s will take children on a journey through key events, trivia, and culture. From the War in Korea to Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe, this is a must read for young and curious minds. America in the 1950s for Kids has been written to entertain and educate. It is packed with information and trivia and has images that bring the topic alive. There is a quiz at the beginning and end to test how much has been learned. What people are saying about the English Reading TreeGoodreads Excellent books that not only improve reading ability but educate. Post Online Very well presented and I particularly enjoyed the quiz at the end. Island EBooks Simple, easy to read and full of interesting facts. What more can a parent ask? Online Review With less emphasis on pictures and more emphasis on reading and developing initial reading vocabulary, this series will capture most kid's imagination and encourage them to read more. The large print makes the reading more inviting. Parental assistance will be needed to help with new words or the meaning.

Biography of Jayne Mansfield; 24 Illustrations.

Placing the era firmly within the American experience, this reference illuminates what daily life was really like in the 1950s, including for people from the "Other America"—those outside the prosperous, white middle class. 'Daily Life in 1950s America shows that the era was anything but uneventful. Apart from revolutionary changes during the decade itself, it was in the 1950s that the seeds took root for the social turmoil of the 1960s and the technological world of today. The book's interdisciplinary format looks at the domestic, economic, intellectual, material, political, recreational, and religious life of average Americans. Readers can look at sections separately according to their interests or classroom assignment, or can read them as an ongoing narrative. By entering the homes of average Americans, far from the corridors of power, we can make sense of the 1950s and see how the headlines of the era translated into their daily lives. This readable and informative book is ideal for anyone interested in this formative decade in American life. Well-researched factual material is presented in an engaging way, along with lively sidebars to humanize each section. It is unique in blending the history, popular culture, and sociology of American daily life, including those of Americans who were not white, middle class, and prosperous.