Aquarian Revolution: Back to the Land reveals the guts, glory, and grief of 1960s social upheaval and documents the real accomplishments wrought when dreams are forged into reality. In turn funny, heart-rending, and inspiring, these thirty-two interviews reflect not only the flavor of those times but also the continuing ethic so deeply embedded in the generation’s consciousness.More than four decades have passed since hippies heralded the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, a New Age promising peace, love, and personal fulfillment. In the intervening decades, disillusionment and spin have molded our understanding of the Aquarian dream and in the process, the meaning of the Sixties “revolution” has been variously reinterpreted. Was it all just a self-indulgent romp by spoiled Baby Boomers?Truth lies not in the words of politicians, pundits or scholars, but in the personal experiences of those who helped bring about this social revolution. In the vision of those who embraced the “dawning of the Age of Aquarius,” these stories serve as testaments to the new age. Let the sun shine in.“Denele Campbell’s informative ‘Aquarian Revolution: Back to the Land’ fills a much-needed niche in the history of the Counter-Culture movement. Unlike in more crowded Europe, America’s rural expanse offered an escape, a new beginning in the 1960s, from a social cancer spreading through the dominant culture. The dream of finding land to till and an alternative life style had been an American dream since its founding. America’s cities, mired in racism, sexism, poverty, and riots, seemed doomed. The ‘baby boomers’ sought escape by going to the land, many for the first time. Denele Campbell has carefully chronicled the personal stories of thirty-two pioneers who opted to create their utopian vision in the Ozarks. As such, their quest is at times fascinating, amusing, and often painful. Yet, it is a good read for those who lived through this era as well as today’s young.”—-T. Zane Reeves, Regents’ Professor Emeritus, University of New Mexico and author of Shoes along the Danube.
