{"product_id":"moment-of-grace-the-american-city-in-the-1950s-9780520234352","title":"Moment of Grace: The American City in the 1950s","description":"\u003cp\u003eMoment of Grace tells the story of the American city in its remarkable heyday. Never before or after the 1950s were downtowns so exciting  neighborhoods so settled  or suburban dwellers so optimistic. Urban culture was at its peak: it was vital  urbane  conformist  and generating rebellion all at once. Capturing the mood of the 50s in superb historical photographs and mining delightfully varied sourcesincluding urban critics  interviews with city residents  novels  songs  magazines  and newspapersMoment of Grace brings alive the downtowns  the neighborhoods  and the suburbs of the era. A rich historical reflection on a singular decade  the book also portrays the 50s as a critical turning point in American culture and economy. Michael Johns shows us exactly why city life never could or would be the same again.  Giving a vivid sense of the lived experience of the day  Johns explores the 50s in cities such as New York  San Francisco  Philadelphia  Chicago  and Oakland  writing about fashion (which demanded the highest heels and pointiest breasts in history)  nightlife  architecture  literature  business and economic trends  and teenage culture. He tells us what was for sale in the stores  who lived in the neighborhoods  what life was like for women in the brand-new suburbs  and much more. And he confronts difficult issues head-on. What did the loss of city jobs and the simultaneous success of the civil rights movement mean for black neighborhoods? What were the profound consequences of the rise of the suburbs for family life?  In contrast to the vibrant cities of the 50s  the streets of todays downtowns are often empty if not suffused with melancholy. Johns uncovers the seeds of the transformation from the 50s to today  and at the same time  he paints a memorable picture of the American past.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45648329277493,"sku":"ByrdShop_0520234359","price":45.51,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780520234352.jpg?v=1781715862","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/moment-of-grace-the-american-city-in-the-1950s-9780520234352","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}