The Haight-Ashbury: A History

From the beginning to the end, all two years of it, Perry puts the Haight-Ashbury in context of the times. He also details the sub-cultures in the Haight that made it--whatever it was--all possible. Owsley's LSD, the Diggers, Hell's Angels, the Family Dog, Merry Prankster's, Timothy Leary and his followers, Bill Graham, the Mime Troupe, artists, poets, publishers, musicians, communes to the north. . .they're all here. The few pictures in this book don't amount to much and appear in other publications, but the writing is so evocative it doesn't matter. Perry's narrative is compelling and easy to read. He takes time to explain the Diggers, for example, and where they fit in as "the conscience" of the Haight. They reappear throughout the story. You'll learn about the rise and fall of light shows at rock concerts and who was creating them and where they fit in. He even manages to effortlessly detail the history of the beautiful newspaper, The San Francisco Oracle, both in form and content. Issue by issue you'll learn how they experimented and learned to publish brilliant artwork and how the purpose of the paper shifted with the scene. After Perry details all of the ingredients that went into the spontaneous cauldron of Haight-Asbury, his narrative picks up speed into a section called, "The Be-In Era", followed by seventy pages titled, "The Deluge". Now the pace quickens with events, conditions, local and national news, deaths, celebrity visitors, heroin, police crack-downs, record deals, predators. . .all begin to fly off the page in a line or short paragraph. It's an effective style to illustrate the rapid disintegration of a beautiful dream. Finally, Perry ends with 50 pages reflecting on "What Was That?" It's an impressive conclusion, interpreting the histories of the various sub-cultures in San Francisco and how they happened to be there. He follows up with a rundown of the positive lasting effects of the era, an update (as of 1984 when it was written) on the destiny of some of the key players, and an homage to the survival--against the odds--of an amazing neighborhood.

THE HAIGHT-ASHBURY: A HISTORY book by Charles Perry gives you a fly-on-the-wall experience of the turbulent epicenter of the counter-culture revolution that began in the 60s. Starting with a brief history of the area, Perry provides a detailed account of the people, places, and events that would shape a relatively obscure and dilapidated area of San Francisco into one of the most famous neighborhoods in the world. I enjoyed reading the book. Not only does the author write in detail about the major players of that time (Ken Kesey, The Diggers, Owsley, etc.), but he also provides the street addresses to many of the more famous/infamous places in the Haight(Psychedelic Shop, Free Clinic, The Drogstore Cafe, etc.). The book also has black & white photos of the people and places written about. Perry also discusses the down fall of the Haight after the 60s and what happened to most of the people and places that were fixtures during its heyday. I recommend it to anyone who's interested in the 60s-Hippie movement.

For anyone even mildly interested in the 1960's, this book is a must. What was it about the Haight during this time period that made it so very famous? Charles Perry examines those ingredients that set the Haight-Ashbury apart from every other place and generation. If you are trying to change the world now, it is helpful to look back at those in the Haight who were trying to change it then- and use the things that worked and avoid what did not.

This book is an excellent source for those seeking an unbiased, non-romanticized account of the period when San Francisco was the center of a cultural whirlwind. By the time the media caught up, it was pretty much over with. A very readable work. Beware, may bring about flashbacks. A definite candidate for another printing.

"The Haight-Ashbury: A History" has been selected for listing in "Religion and Psychoactive Sacraments: An Entheogen Chrestomathy."