The Magical Decade

For a special decade, from 1965 (when the author was 15 years old) to ten years later in 1975, David Chudwin was at the centre of many events which have shaped American life, culture and history. Like the fictional character Forrest Gump, he happened to be in the right place and time to experience first-hand great events and changes that have had a profound impact on society. From attending the Beatles concert in Chicago in 1965 to being tear-gassed during Vietnam War protests; from reporting on site the first Moon launch in 1969 to experiencing revolutionary changes in technology thereafter; from growing up in segregated Chicago to observing liberation movements for women, African-Americans and gay Americans–these were the times the author attended high school, college and medical school in 1965-75. In this book, he synthesizes by topic his memories of the time with brief histories of the events and their backgrounds, making this a unique personal memoir of a life-changing decade for many people in America