Really interesting read - chock full of interesting historical information and background. Definitely entertaining read if you love 1980s pop culture and history.

A historical look back at the 1980s. The decade that included, the last of the feral children, who were also lackeyed kids, hair sprayed hair, and some pretty great concerts. The rise of the Republican Party and the end of creditable new shows. Remember Trickle Down Economics? That never happened. The decade, in my honest opinion had the best music and some very entertaining movies and TV shows. The rise of MTV and music videos. A nostalgic look at a decade that was I think was amazing. Maybe I am little bias because I grew up in the decade and I am Gen X. The author did a wonderful job telling the history and events of the 1980s. This is an awesome reference book.

Declaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Rutgers University Press for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

As someone who was not alive during the 80s, it was nice to have this look back on a history that was not my own. Probably not for everyone, though.

I enjoyed some parts of this book. Because it reminded me of my times in the 1980s. However, it was an exceptionally light written book. In other words, it seems the author was not as focused on depth of research, but instead rather giving an overview.

Additionally, the author did not prove to me that the 1980s were, in fact, a determining time in our country. It was a nice walk through the past, however.

I would not recommend this book to everyone, only those who have an in-depth knowledge of the timeframe, so they can decide for themselves what parts have strength and the others that don’t.

I received an advance review copy from Net Galley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

If you are interested in recent history, Jim Cullen’s book 1980 is jam-packed with information and insight into American culture at the dawn of the Reagan era. In well-organized chapters, Cullen discusses the evolution of music, film, television shows, books, and politics as the 1970’s closed and the 1980’s began. There was necessarily some overlap between the end of the 70’s and the beginning of the 80’s, but Cullen maintains that things changed when the 80’s began. Through Cullen’s substantial commentary I learned a lot of behind the scenes facts of what happened during those years.

That said, I was not convinced that 1980 was the pivotal year the subtitle suggests. Unless, that is, one considers the drastic turn America took from the foibles of the Carter administration. Cullen is sympathetic to Jimmy Carter, and is obviously not a supporter of either Ronald Reagan or Donald Trump. In his concluding chapter he discusses the “most notorious presidential inaugurations” of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. I respectfully disagree with his opinion, especially as it concerns the 21st century inauguration. Nonetheless, this is a book I heartily recommend.

I'm not sure I'm buying into the author's hypothesis that 1980 was a truly seminal year in all kinds of respects. I found his arguments a bit stretched, like a well-chewed piece of gum. It was a fairly entertaining read (once I made it past the very dry Dead Sea of US politics), but it also felt like someone doing their homework, and on a subject they don't have a real affinity for. The film section was okay, even if to me it seemed like the author veered all over the place with his choice of movies, but the chapter dealing with 1980's music felt like a flashback to "American Psycho", with Patrick Bateman going on at length about the cultural cachet of Huey Lewis & the News. Also, some of the information was a bit, um, basic; if you're fresh vom Venus and you need to brush up on who this "David Bowie" person was everyone seems to know about, this book might prove helpful.
I don't know, I'm not quite sure what the target audience is here, but I'm afraid it wasn't me.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an incredible look at our recent past. As a person born in the early 80s, it is something to be able to read a book that covers your life thus far. A great exploration of our history.

An in-depth look at the cultural, political, and social trends of 1980, rightly seen as a time of major transition in American society.

The author explores in depth the 1980 Presidential campaign as well as the music, the books, the television shows, and the movies which defined 1980. The author goes to great lengths to show the fading of many of the cultural and social trends which had defined the 1970s and even all the way back to the end of WWII by 1980 and the points of emergence of a new, laissez-faire conservative perspective. The author concluded with an analysis of the 1980 election and how it ushered in the Eighties as we understand it, and seeing in the events of 2001, 2008, and 2020 the final end of the age inaugurated in 1980.

The work is interesting but has a "laundry list" feel to it: the author felt compelled to discuss almost everything, and in the process the analysis and the explanation of importance got lost. In many ways it is important to make it clear how things were changing around 1980 since new generations have arisen which did not live to see it; and yet plenty of eulogies have been made for the spirit of the 1980s and yet somehow many of its platitudes and ideologies persist. Only in future generations will there be sufficient distance to be able to better assess such things. But for now this is an accessible work to explain a pretty important year in American history.

The author and I are about the same age - and what I enjoyed about this book is it felt like a walk down memory lane to a pivotal year - 1980. 1980 started with Jimmy Carter losing and Reagan winning in a landslide with the backdrop of behind the scenes negotiations and game playing with the Iran Hostage Crisis. I really enjoyed the layout of the chapters because it grounded the year in what was happening politically and culturally in the country and what it foreshadowed for the rest of the 1980's. There are separate chapters on music, television, songs and books and not only was it nostalgic for me, it also helped me look again at the foundation that was built from that pivotal year. I really enjoyed revisiting the past and reflecting on what has evolved since then. I recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Rutgers University Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I grew up in the 80's so when I saw this book I was definitely intrigued! This book definitely took me back in time. Definitely worth a read if your a fan of the 80's!

This was okay, but I feel it would have benefitted from additional editing. I think it was interesting, well-researched, and pretty well-organized, but was lengthy and too in depth at times and at others felt like it was a little all over the place.

This is a book about a very pivotal year in American history. 1980: America's Pivotal Year puts the news events of the era—everything from the Iran hostage crisis to the rise of televangelism—into conversation with the year’s popular culture. This is a different look at that year and I had a great time learning new things about this year. If you are a history buff, or just want to take a deeper look at this time.

I found this book quite fascinating!! I was born in ‘75 , I remember many of the things discussed in this book. It was interesting to read more about these events & learn more about them in a. historical aspect.

This book intrigued me because it's called 1980 which is the year I was born. I was excited to learn and revisit things from the 80s but it seemed like there was a lot of focus on the 70s. It was still an interesting read though. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

The author seems to take in inordinate amount of space, chapters, discussing the seventies and setting up the eighties. So much time is spent on seventies filmography that I began to wonder if he was ever going to address the actual main premise of the book, the eighties, and its pivotal importance. The eighties did get addressed and as a young adult during this time, I thought I would find it interesting. However, in my opinion, the author failed to make me understand how this was a pivotal, or significant year. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of this book.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Rutgers Universtity Press for an advanced copy of this cultural and political study of an important year in the in American experience.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Hair was starting to get higher and the idea of shoulder pads in ladies outfits were begining to form. Punk had crested, disco had left its mark in music. Movies began to look more to blockbusters, though art did try to get through. And American malaise began to spoken of with hopes that a cowboy could come from the West, well California and save and inspire a failing country to great heights. According to JIm Cullen in his book 1980: America's Pivotal Year the beginning of the decade highlighted all the oddness and meanness the decade would become.

The book begins with a look at well the before times. A strong look at the 1970's the drugs, the kids, the uprisinging, and the arts. The decade that began with an idea of change in the air had ended with an almost plop. Gas shortages, Iranian hostages, and a economy that just seemed stagnant made America look week. The music industry seemed to be coming off a binge of cocaine and exhaustion, with punk already played out, and disco facing more racism than acceptance. The book then looks at the year 1980 with each chapter telling a different story, about politics, music, art, books, television and moves, showing small changes that would have larger repercussions later.

The book is well written and even better well argued, with informaiton backed up by facts and opinions that make sense. Cullen covers quite a lot, and as one reads it is amazing to see all the event and art that occurred in just that one year. Cullen's writing is very good and one learns quite a bit, expecially when it comes to music. Cullens discussion of the changes just in country music, the pull of popular music, the rising strength of outlaw country, and how movie soundtracks were causing changes, was worthy of a book on just that subject. A fascinting read that covers a lot of subject matter.

A very interesting book that raises quite a lot of points, and I am sure one that will start many discussions, and arguements. There was a lot I had forgotten, even though I was around for it. A good book for people interested in the 1980's, for people interested in art and and politcs, and for people who just enjoy books that are both interesting and worth discussing.

This book starts out by saying how important a decade is, but never really makes it out of the 70's. There's so much editing that needs to be done here it was hard to read. Individual words were cut in two, and every time a picture was included the original narration was abandoned and the picture discussed. What?
The book basically delves into 80's music, TV, movies and books. Oops, I mean the late 70's which works for music (my taste). It makes the statement that politics will not be found here, then spends a lot of time discussing them. Honestly, the only section I found interesting was the music section and a little of the politics.
I thought it would be fun to try a little tip back through the 80's, but this book needs a lot of work.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I wasn’t fully sold that 1980 was a pivotal year after I read this eBook. We’re the 1980s a pivotal decade? Yes. I get the bounce back and forth between the lead-up to the 80s via the 70s and the cross-contamination of today really stretching for a reason why we should pay more attention to a single year.

This book is intense on politics. I enjoyed this being a student of the political sciences but it’s not for all.

I would have preferred “The 1980s: A pivotal decade” as our title.


ARC via NetGalley (Thank you!)

1980 by Jim Cullen is a fun '80s nostalgia trip that takes itself a bit too seriously for its own good.

As a nostalgic overview of 1980s pop-culture, this book is quite enjoyable retreat into the near (oh my goodness, it's really been 42 years!?) past, with chapters focusing on publishing, film, music, and underlined by the politics of the times. It's fun to see in hindsight how certain stars rise and fall, themes bubble up and boil and cool, and how that's all paved the way for our contemporary social/cultural/political situation.

My only criticism is how the author tries and fails to advance his thesis (that the 80s was a unique decade, and 1980 a uniquely pivotal year for American politics and society) at the expense of the flow of the book. It felt forced and a bit disingenuous, almost like he was doing it on a dare. It's easy to brush off, tho, and doesn't detract enormously from the enjoyment one might get in witnessing the broad strokes and main characters of the era.

For those who want a fun stroll down memory lane, or who are interested in an informative overview of 1980s (+/-) America, I'd recommend giving it a read.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Rutgers University Press for the digital advanced review copy of the book.

Jim Cullen's work has always impressed me. His writing style is straightforward and to the point, and he always brings a new view to a topic, helping readers see things from a more sociocultural light. If you haven't read Democratic Empire, please do so.

I was really concerned with this book, because 1980- what else is there to say besides Reagan? Cullen makes it clear a lot has been left out. His chapter about the 1970s is a great overview of the historiography of the decade and shows the importance of 1979 as to why we can say it was such a book end.

The book's strongest chapter is that one on music. It truly is the highlight of the book. He really shows how popular culture changes, and how disco develops into 80s music. The writing on country music was also fascinating.

There are other chapters, on politics of course, but also on movies and TV and other cultural topics. If you're looking for some insight into how the 1980s began and what drove the decade, look towards this book