13th Gen: Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail? | 
|  | | | Title: | 13th Gen: Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail? | | Author: | Neil Howe
William Strauss
R.J. Matson (Illustrator)
Ian Williams (Illustrator) | | Publisher: | Vintage | | Type: | Book / Paperback | | Publication Date: | 23 March, 1993 | | ISBN / ISBN-13: | 0679743650 / 9780679743651 | | List Price: | $13.00 | | You Save: | $6.08 | | Amazon Price: | $6.92 (via Amazon marketplace seller) | | | |
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Product Description
In commentary and quotations, computer dumps and cartoons, 13TH GEN is a multimedia anthem to the American post-boomer generation,our country's thirteenth generation since the founding fathers.
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Customer Reviews:
• I Finally Understand Myself! 05 January, 2004
After long being accused by writers as being "slackers" and "apathetic," finally a book comes along that explores Generation X in the historical context of being the 13th Generation - an exploration that forces the reader to reconsider their opinion of our misunderstood generation. Mr. Strauss explains that no generation can be defined in a vaccuum. Instead one must understand the preceeding generations as well as the social, political, and economic forces in place during the growth of a generation. Furthermore, generational characteristics and the social, political, and economic environment is cyclical, a theme which he explores in a later work, The 4th Turning. As a member of the 13th Generation, I knew I was different than my parents and much different than my younger siblings (all members of the Millenium Generation). I went to an elementary school where the classrooms had no walls and students were asked how they "felt" and facts were discouraged. The free-swinging 70's found Playboy and Penthouse in parent's bedrooms, available for the neighborhood kids to sneak and explore. I have been through 2 family divorces and now have 3 half siblings and 3 step siblings - 2 of whom are named Jeff. I have always felt a little lost and very much alone. Reading this book helped me to understand more about myself, without giving me too many "outs" to excuse my life choices. Instead, Mr. Strauss provides facts (and yes, a little opinion)so that myself and other 13ers may rethink our role in society (we're not all slackers) and begin to make our mark in history.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A16JFZHY0V9QLF
• A Great Book 10 June, 2005
In 1992, Messrs Strauss and Howe published their groundbreaking book, Generations: The History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069, and I was immediately captivated. In 1993, the authors brought out this book, which is pointed directly at Gen X, or The Thirteenth Generation as they call it. Designed with Gen X in mind, with lots of illustrations and sidebars, the book examines their life experiences (up to that point), showing where they came from and where they are going.
Overall, as a Gen Xer, I found this to be a great book, and a worthwhile extension of my Strauss and Howe library. I was enthralled with the book when it first came out, and still find it to be a great read. I must admit that my favorite part is the myriad quotes that run down the sides of just about each page. If you are interested in Gen X, and want to read a bit of a history book on it (albeit a now somewhat out-of-date one), then you simply must get this book. I highly recommend it!
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1CDZM5YMB61PD
• Interesting, But Too Topical To Be A Good Reference. 16 October, 2004
I read this book when it was new -- I'm a younger 13er, and it was a gift from my brother, a much older 13er. I think it describes his classmates a lot more accurately than mine, which makes the book seem shortsighted now. Howe & Strauss have some interesting things to say about how Boomers viewed parenthood (the wave of demon-child movies they list is a surprising statistic that I still remember years later) but their examples are too specific to the time-period they wrote in. It talks a lot about the 90's recession and the Gulf War -- the book practically hums with pre-millenial tension. Many of their economic predictions for 13ers seem based on an instictive pessimism about the economy (the internet boom was years away from full power,) and they draw grand conclusions about the 13er psyche based on some sparse observations about controversial elements in pop culture. I believe it is also geared toward an older and white audience, people who were leery of gansta rap and grunge rock, and confused the quick judgements of the younger folk with thoughtlessness. (As I remember, they spend a little too much time on Nike's "Just Do It" slogan.)
The style of the book is interesting, especially when read as a companion piece to Douglas Coupland's books "Generation X" and (more relevantly,) "Microserfs." They invent a 13er gadfly who hacks into their book to post his comments (or maybe he's real, I don't know, but I doubt it) and the commentary becomes a sort of occasional parallel narrative, sometimes with arguments that undercut the points made in the main book. One can see a sort of fascination with the post-modern possibilities of the internet, which is even more dated than their references, but in a kind of cheering way. As I grow older, I agree with the "hacker" more than the authors' own voices; the 13ers are more difficult to define than they would have you believe.
This book would be a good read for anyone interested in how the 90's saw itself, or for a person born before 1961 who has *never* thought about the next-younger generation. The statistics are interesting, but their conclusions are so unsupported that I wouldn't consider this a serious reference work.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A37DTGH3KJDK1G
• Better Than Most, Still Pretty Judgemental... 23 May, 2006
This book was written over 10 years ago, when Gen X bashing was a cottage industry for Fortysomething Baby Boomers, who seemed to be grumpy that they could in NO WAY be considered "Young and Hip" anymore, and had to take it out on those who WERE. While the book's authors are fairer than most, they still insist on depicting my generation in stereotypical terms. And if they're better than most of their peers, it is ONLY because they attempt to explain what motivates these stereotypes. Pity they don't ever feel compelled to question why THEIR generation feels the need to be SO critical of every other generation under the sun, be it their parents, us, and/or their precious little Gen Y brats. THERE's a book I'd pay $13.95 or whatever to read. Then again, I understand from friends who've read it, that their book on Gen Y is nothing but overly optimistic wishful thinking, so maybe they're just idiots. Here's a little free advice to any Boomers reading this reveiw: Wanna know what's up with younger generations? Quit assuming you know ANYTHING about us, put away that critical eye of yours, and talk with us, NOT at us... Then you might actually learn something. Then again, maybe not.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A2ZLWYYTA7RIFV
• A Good Insight To A Generation 06 July, 2005
I have read and recommended this book to a lot of friends over the years. It is a unique insight into the 13th Generation.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A3692RFA3I6V98
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