What Really Happened to the Class of '65?

What Really Happened to the Class of '65? chronicles the lives of 32 graduates from Palisades High School in Los Angeles, a group initially featured in a 1965 Time magazine cover story. Authors Michael Medved and David Wallechinsky, themselves members of the class, conducted interviews with their former classmates to document their experiences during and after high school. The book alternates between individual profiles and broader thematic chapters covering major events and social movements of the era, including the Kennedy assassination, the Vietnam War draft, and the Sexual Revolution. The narrative culminates with coverage of the class's 10-year reunion in 1975, providing a snapshot of how these individuals navigated the transformative decade of 1965-1975. This bestselling work stands as one of the first comprehensive examinations of the Baby Boomer generation, capturing both personal stories and larger cultural shifts. The book presents a window into how members of an affluent suburban high school class experienced and responded to the social upheavals of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Readers found this book offered an honest look at how 1960s idealism collided with real life for one California high school class. Many comments note the book captures both hopeful and tragic outcomes without sensationalizing. Liked: - Raw, unvarnished profiles that avoid judgment - Shows diverse paths people took after graduation - Balanced mix of success stories and cautionary tales - Reveals how Vietnam War impacted young lives Disliked: - Some profiles feel superficial or rushed - Focus mainly on middle/upper class white students - California-centric perspective - Update chapters in later editions feel tacked on Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (237 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (41 ratings) "Really makes you think about your own high school class and where everyone ended up," wrote one Amazon reviewer. Another noted: "The stories stay with you - both the triumphs and the tragedies."

Our Class by Daniel Torday A portrait of the Pikesville High School class of 1986, following multiple students through 40 years of life changes, career paths, and evolving relationships.

The Big Picture by Anne Dillard The story tracks twelve members of Evanston Township High School's class of 1970 through their divergent paths over three decades.

Promises to Keep by George Bernstein A longitudinal study following twenty graduates from New York's Bronx High School of Science from 1961 through their achievements, failures, and life transformations across forty years.

The Way We Were by Robert Coleman Chronicles the lives of fifteen graduates from Berkeley High's class of 1960, documenting their experiences through the social upheavals of the 1960s and beyond.

Time and Change by Sarah Richardson A detailed examination of Cleveland Heights High School's class of 1968, tracking the intersecting lives of eight classmates through marriage, career changes, and social movements.

🔸 The book originated from a 1965 Time magazine cover story titled "Today's Teenagers: A Generation of Seekers," which featured students from Palisades High School in Pacific Palisades, California. 🔸 Co-author David Wallechinsky was himself a member of the Class of '65 at Palisades High School, giving him unique insider access and perspective for the book's interviews. 🔸 The book became a hit TV series in 1977-78 on NBC, starring Tony Bill and featuring episodes based on individual stories from the book. 🔸 Palisades High School, the focus of the book, was one of the most economically privileged public schools in America at the time, with many students being children of Hollywood executives and celebrities. 🔸 The book's success sparked a wave of similar retrospective class studies in journalism and sociology, establishing a new genre of social documentation examining the long-term impact of the 1960s on American youth.