1968: The Year That Rocked the World

KPBS | By KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published April 17, 2007 at 8:19 AM PDT

This story was published more than 17 years ago.

If you had to select a year of truly remarkable news, out of the past 50, it would be 1968. And that's exactly what author Mark Kurlansky has done. His book, "1968: The Year That Rocked the World,"

Originally aired 01/28/04
Tom Fudge
: The year is 1968…in the United States, the domestic political scene is in turmoil: Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy are assassinated, the national debt is skyrocketing, social programs are languishing, and riots brake out at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The country is involved in the Vietnam War, newspapers report mounting casualties, and the president-to-be insists a “silent majority” will help him win a term. For the first time, television caught every bit of it --live. We’ll sit down with Mark Kurlansky and talk about his new book, 1968: The Year that Rocked the World . He’ll talk about why 1968 was the first truly global year, and why he thinks that year shaped us into who we are today.

Guest

Mark Kurlansky , author of 1968: The Year That Rocked the World .