Moment of Grace : The American City in the 1950s

"Moment of Grace" tells the story of the American city in its heyday, arguing that downtowns were never so exciting, neighbourhoods 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 historical photographs and mining varied sources - including urban critics, interviews with city residents, novels, songs, magazines, and newspapers - "Moment of Grace" aims to brings alive the downtowns, the neighbourhoods, and the suburbs of the era.

A 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 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. In contrast to the vibrant cities of the '50s, the streets of today's 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.