Amidst about 25 friends and fellow activists, author and historian Paul Lyons rekindled past memories of turbulent political times in Philadelphia during the '60s.
The book signing and discussion at Mark's Cafe in the basement of Van Pelt Library opened with library spokesman Adam Corson-Finnerty introducing the author as a friend and one-time Mount Airy neighbor.
"This is the first and only book I ever read about the '60s," Corson-Finnerty said of Lyon's newly published book, The People of This Generation: The Rise and Fall of the New Left in Philadelphia. "I always avoided books about the '60s because it was actually a very painful time."
Lyons started off his discussion of his book -- which focuses on Penn activism in the 1960s -- by explaining that "Philadelphia is my adopted city."
"Because I was New York-oriented, Philadelphia was distinctive, different, more pacifist, more Quaker-oriented. It took me a while to get used to that," Lyons said.
He went on to say that when he began researching his book, he started off studying eight local colleges, but ended up focusing on Penn.
"I didn't anticipate that the University would come out at the end of the story as admirable or attractive as it did," Lyons said. "But it was fascinating to me to trace the transformation of Penn."
Lyons highlighted many key aspects from his book, pointing out that in the '60s, "the New Left really begins with the connection to the Civil Rights Movement."
"The Civil Rights revolution was what drove the '60s more than anything," Lyons said. "It was what inspired many people to believe that there was excitement and meaning in joining a movement. There were people you admired and responded to."
Lyons ended the night by disagreeing with the popular idea that all members of the '60s New Left movement had sold out. In fact, he emphasized how he felt many people from the revolution were doing something today that is consistent with the principles of the movement.
Friends in attendance were moved by memories Lyons brought back to life.
"There were a lot of names I hadn't heard for a long time," said Charles Thrall, a 1963 Haverford graduate. "It made me think about things I hadn't thought about for a while."
Robert Brand, a friend of Lyons as well as photographer for the book, expressed the importance of the time period. "It's a very useful history," Brand said. "I think the importance is that a process of resisting a rightward drift in society is possible and necessary, and actually is essential if we are going to maintain any decency in this society."
The evening was topped off by former University President Martin Meyerson, who recommended that all read this "wonderful piece."
