Title
West of Eden: Communes and Utopia in Northern California,Used
Delivery time: 8-12 business days (International)
In the shadow of the Vietnam War, a significant part of an entire generation refused their assigned roles in the American century. Some took their revolutionary politics to the streets, others decided simply to turn away, seeking to build another world together, outside the state and the market. West of Eden charts the remarkable flowering of communalism in the 1960s and 70s, fueled by a radical rejection of the Cold War corporate deal, utopian visions of a peaceful green planet, the new technologies of sound and light, and the ancient arts of ecstatic release. The book focuses on the San Francisco Bay Area and its hinterlands, which have long been creative spaces for social experiment. HaightAshburys gift economyits free clinic, concerts, and street theatreand Berkeleys liberated zonesSproul Plaza, Telegraph Avenue, and Peoples Parkwere embedded in a wider network of producer and consumer coops, food conspiracies, and collective schemes.Using memoir and flashbacks, oral history and archival sources, West of Eden explores the deep historical roots and the enduring, though often disavowed, legacies of the extraordinary pulse of radical energies that generated forms of collective life beyond the nuclear family and the world of private consumption, including the contradictions evident in such figures as the guru/predator or the hippie/entrepreneur. There are vivid portraits of life on the rural communes of Mendocino and Sonoma, and essays on the Black Panther communal households in Oakland, the latterday Diggers of San Francisco, the Native American occupation of Alcatraz, the pioneers of live/work space for artists, and the Bucky dome as the iconic architectural form of the sixties.Due to the prevailing amnesiapartly imposed by official narratives, partly selfimposed in the aftermath of defeatWest of Eden is not only a necessary act of reclamation, helping to record the unwritten stories of the motley generation of communards and antinomians now passing, but is also intended as an offering to the coming generation who will find here, in the rubble of the twentieth century, a past they can useindeed one they will needin the passage from the privations of commodity capitalism to an ample life in common.
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Shipping
We ship your order within 2–3 business days for USA deliveries and 5–8 business days for international shipments. Once your package has been dispatched from our warehouse, you'll receive an email confirmation with a tracking number, allowing you to track the status of your delivery.
Returns
To facilitate a smooth return process, a Return Authorization (RA) Number is required for all returns. Returns without a valid RA number will be declined and may incur additional fees. You can request an RA number within 15 days of the original delivery date. For more details, please refer to our Return & Refund Policy page.
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Warranty
We provide a 2-year limited warranty, from the date of purchase for all our products.
If you believe you have received a defective product, or are experiencing any problems with your product, please contact us.
This warranty strictly does not cover damages that arose from negligence, misuse, wear and tear, or not in accordance with product instructions (dropping the product, etc.).
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is the main topic of 'West of Eden'? A: 'West of Eden' explores the rise of communalism in Northern California during the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on the cultural and social experiments that emerged in response to the socio-political climate of the time.
- Q: Who is the author of 'West of Eden'? A: The book is authored by Iain Boal, who provides insights into the communal movements and their historical significance.
- Q: What type of binding does this book have? A: 'West of Eden' is available in paperback binding, making it accessible and easy to handle for reading.
- Q: How many pages are in 'West of Eden'? A: 'West of Eden' consists of 304 pages, offering an in-depth exploration of its themes and subjects.
- Q: When was 'West of Eden' published? A: 'West of Eden' was published on April 1, 2012, providing a contemporary perspective on historical events.
- Q: Is 'West of Eden' suitable for academic study? A: Yes, 'West of Eden' is suitable for academic study, particularly in fields such as sociology, history, and cultural studies, due to its research-based narrative and historical context.
- Q: What themes are explored in 'West of Eden'? A: The book explores themes such as communal living, social experimentation, anti-consumerism, and the legacies of 1960s counterculture.
- Q: Does 'West of Eden' include personal stories or testimonials? A: Yes, 'West of Eden' incorporates memoirs, oral histories, and archival sources to provide personal insights into the lives of those involved in the communal movements.
- Q: What regions does 'West of Eden' focus on? A: 'West of Eden' primarily focuses on the San Francisco Bay Area and its surrounding regions, known for their historical role in social experimentation.
- Q: What is the significance of the title 'West of Eden'? A: The title 'West of Eden' reflects the idea of seeking an idealized, utopian existence, contrasting with conventional societal norms and the concept of the American Dream.