The Mindset Lists of American History

The Mindset List began in 1998 as a project out of Beloit College to give its faculty and staff an idea of what has "always" or "never" been true for new classes of students. The List has since gained a massive following online, resulting in this book that covers ten generations beginning in 1898 and ending with projections about the class of 2026. Each chapter begins with a Mindset List, usually following the always/never format, and provides a narrative dramatizing what it was like to grow up at that time. For example, the class of 1944 "had time to bob their hair and sit on flagpoles just for the hell of it." Following pop culture developments in mediums such as film/television and baseball over the years is particularly enjoyable. Young readers might find the later chapters somewhat out of touch, and anyone might chuckle at the conjecture regarding the class of 2026, but overall the book is a charming history of the major events and scientific advancements that have affected American life. (July)