100 Days

Some events that transform a nation are frozen in time. Others pass with little public awareness, and we only appreciate their momentous nature long after they occur. Regardless, these events are few and-almost always-far between. But in 1969, four such events took place within the span of only 100 days. In this book, cultural historian Harlan Lebo looks back at the first moon landing, the Manson family murders, Woodstock, and the birth of the Internet to tell the story of how each event shaped the nation and how we perceive ourselves. Loaded with captivating anecdotes and insights based on extensive interviews with eyewitnesses and participants, to provide historical insight and contemporary context, 100 Days will fascinate readers who seek a deeper appreciation of how four seemingly unrelated events shaped America's emergence as the nation we have become.

Cultural historian Harlan Lebo is a senior fellow at the Center for the Digital Future at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. His previous books include Citizen Kane, Casablanca: Behind the Scenes, The Godfather Legacy, and Citizen Kane: A Filmmakers Journey. He resides in Los Angeles.

Contents
Four events that shaped America, with only 100 days from first to last
Author's Note
Part I: Moon
Chapter 1: Challenging the Impossible
Chapter 2: More than Bold Predictions
Chapter 3: That Irresistible Charisma
Chapter 4: The Sight of Whizzing Flashes
Chapter 5: Beep
Chapter 6: A Dull Thud
Chapter 7: Three Steps ahead of a Pack of Hounds
Chapter 8: No Choice but to be Pioneers
Chapter 9: Go
Chapter 10: A Magnificent Sight
Chapter 11: A Sense of Possibilities
Counterculture
Part II: Manson
Chapter 12: Like Moths to a Flame
Chapter 13: Mesmerized
Chapter 14: A Carnival Ride to the Apocalypse
Part III: Woodstock
Chapter 15: Grasshoppers in the Grain Fields
Chapter 16: Overtaken by the Feeling
Chapter 17: Coming from a Dream
Part IV: Internet
Chapter 18: Color and Flash
Chapter 19: "LO"
Chapter 20: How to Move the World from the Right Place
Chapter 21: Gaining Momentum
Chapter 22: On Hold
Chapter 23: Pumpkins and Mice
Chapter 24: All the Heavy Lifting
Chapter 25: Dissolving Containers
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Resources
Bibliography
Notes
About the Author