Culture in The Free World 1945-1965

In the 2 decades following World War II, the US exploited its enormous material advantage to achieve dominance in social and cultural change and development. Remarkable personalities were in the vanguard of this transformation. It was a time when people cared, when a painting, a book or a movie mattered, when ideas mattered. Our core book, The Free World: Art and Thought in the Cold War by Louis Menand, is the acclaimed acclaimed public intellectual's personal and controversial view of the cultural milestones of the period. We will evaluate Menand's choices, his emphasis and philosophical opinions as we analyze the cultural and intellectual landscape of a transforming society. From George Kennan to John Lennon, George Orwell to Andy Warhol, this diverse, eclectic work will give us a nostalgic opportunity to remember how our world and culture came to be. Many of us lived through all or part of this remarkable period. As we revisit it and its context, we will experience discovery, discussion and fun.