“The Hippie Dictionary is a valuable contribution to countercultural history. John McCleary balances skillfully along the tightrope between objectivity and subjectivity. His compilation of people and events provides information and insight into an explosive era that—underlying the sex, drugs and rock'n'roll—was a sense of community, a spiritual revolution and an evolutionary jump in consciousness.”
—Paul Krassner, author of Murder At the Conspiracy Convention and Other American Absurdities
“This is much more than a groovy (p. 214) dictionary. It is a time capsule and a travel guide (see “trip” p. 496) plus a social and political history of an era whose influence is pervasive and ongoing. Inside are high heeled sneakers (p. 234), your main man (p. 302), the Chicago Seven (p. 93) and a decent description of Zen Buddhism (p. 541). Orange sunshine is also in here (p. 355) as well as capsule biographies of everyone from Edward Abbey (p.12) to Frank Zappa (p. 542) and the Zig Zag Man (p. 541). Check it out (p. 91)! It’s outasight (p.357)!”
—Wes “Scoop” Nisker, Buddhist meditation teacher, journalist, and author of Crazy Wisdom
“Don’t be misled by its title: The Hippie Dictionary is not only cool, it’s a unique and valuable sourcebook about all of the diverse projects, probes, movements and moments that made the '60s a key turning point in our history and culture. It may even be indispensable.”
—Professor Richard Flacks, University of California, Santa Barbara, author of Beyond the Barricades: The Liberated Generation Grows Up