Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff chronicles the creation of the American space program, and the difficult paths of those involved. With its unique wit, character construction and knowledge of the events surrounding the Space Race, The Right Stuff offers a stellar window into the lives of the men involved in the project to take man to the final frontier. From Chuck Yeager to John Glenn, this book paints amazing pictures of amazing men, capturing the awe that they brought in their time.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club is an amazing and detailed historical fiction novel set in 1950s San Francisco, during the Red Scare, when there was a lot of cultural conservatism in America. The book is about 17-year-old Lily Hu, a Chinese American girl living in Chinatown, who is dealing with the struggles of her identity, family expectations and love. Lily is a very smart student who dreams of working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The Death of Stalin is a darkly comedic masterpiece that hilariously chronicles the chaotic power vacuum following Joseph Stalin's demise. This action-packed film, though rooted in historical events, unfolds with a frenetic energy as high-ranking Soviet officials scramble for control, engaging in backstabbing, betrayals and farcical power plays.
The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno- Garcia is a historical fiction book set in Hollywood that tells the story of a newly discovered actor in the 1950s and the character she's playing in a big film. Through her breakout role she learns all about Hollywood and some of the people in Hollywood. As her fame grows she meets people who are jealous of her role. This book follows the perspective of Vera and her character Salome while also following the story of Nancy, an actor who is jealous of Vera and her role.
Cordelia Mai Yin and four other women with the middle name “Mai” find an apartment with the help of a mysterious man. As a second generation Vietnamese immigrant in 1959 Los Angeles, Cordi struggles to find a job and earn enough money to live off. So when the man who helped the Mais, as the roommates dub themselves, offers them a way to make all their dreams come true through magic, they jump on the chance. But, “nothing good comes for free" (pg. 69) and as the Mais dreams and wishes come true, so does the price they must pay for them.
A Raisin in the Sun is a 1959 play by Lorraine Hansberry that focuses on an embattled family in south Chicago as they attempt and discuss ways to improve their lives financially after an insurance payout following the death of the patriarch in the family. In this quick but compelling play, Hansberry thoughtfully focuses heavily on racism, housing discrimination, and assimilation.
Set in the 1950’s, Josie lives in New Orleans above a bookshop. What sets her apart from regular girls is that her mother works as a prostitute, and Josie cleans the house her mother works from. However, this is not the life that Josie wants for herself. She wishes to go to college and have a happier future than she would if she stayed in New Orleans. Unfortunately, this all changes when a wealthy man is murdered and Josie’s mother is involved with the case.
