Davidson, Sara

Loose Change: Three Women of the Sixties

Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1997. First Edition Thus. Softcover. “Sara Davidson tells the tumultuous story of the sixties through the lives of three women who meet in 1961 when they pledge the same sorority at the University of California, Berkeley. She follows Susie, Tasha, and Sara as they experience many of the defining events and movements of the decade. Davidson sets the private lives of the three women against the public background of the time: the Free Speech Movement, antiwar protests, Woodstock, drugs, the sexual revolution, Eastern spirituality, the avant-garde art worlds of New York and Paris, communes, and the first moments of the women’s movement. Figures such as Timothy Leary, Mario Savio, Tom Hayden, and Joan Baez appear throughout the book” (from Back Cover). Sara Davidson’s “Three Women of the Sixties” is unique in a number of ways. Firstly, as far as memoir goes—and especially era-contingent memoir, such as this—it’s typically bolstered (or buoyed) by the mere presence of more-famous names. The big, bold lettering on the marquis is what brings us in, although they only feature in passing…brief interludes that bear greater resemblance to mirage than meaningful anecdote. “Three Women of the Sixties,” however, doesn’t have that problem. This is because Davidson writes so compellingly about the lives of these three women (of which she is one) that the appearance of more famous, vociferously heroized people-&-characters seems the sideshow in comparison. “More than a million copies sold,” says the subtitling on the work’s front cover; a more affective (& authoritative) a testament than Your Devoted Managing Curator can here provide. [ISBN: 0-520-20910-9]. Trade-format Softcover First Edition Thus, as intimated on copyright page: First Printing, as indicated by number sequence thereon. In fine condition with minor-to-moderate bumping, rubbing to fine-edges & corners of front, back covers & spine; since-flattened bump-creasing to/near same, esp. near bottom right-hand corner of front cover & top left-hand corner of back cover; moderate, nonuniform rubbing to/at same, else commendably clean. Fine. [Item #5371]

Price: $20.00