Set the Night on Fire

L.A. in the Sixties

By Jon Wiener, Mike Davis | Publisher: Verso Books

About the book

Los Angeles Times Bestseller

This riveting tour through 1960s Los Angeles is a “history from below, in the very best sense” as it celebrates the “grassroots heroes and struggles” of the social movements of the era (Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Natural Causes).

“Authoritative and impressive.” —Los Angeles Times
“Monumental.” —Guardian


Los Angeles in the sixties was a hotbed of political and social upheaval. The city was a launchpad for Black Power—where Malcolm X and Angela Davis first came to prominence and the Watts uprising shook the nation. The city was home to the Chicano Blowouts and Chicano Moratorium, as well as being the birthplace of “Asian American” as a political identity. It was a locus of the antiwar movement, gay liberation movement, and women’s movement, and, of course, the capital of California counterculture.

Mike Davis and Jon Wiener provide the first comprehensive movement history of L.A. in the sixties, drawing on extensive archival research and dozens of interviews with principal figures, as well as the authors’ storied personal histories as activists. Following on from Davis’s award-winning L.A. history, City of Quartz, Set the Night on Fire is a historical tour de force, delivered in scintillating and fiercely beautiful prose.

Editions of Set the Night on Fire

Hardcover
ISBN 9781784780227
Paperback
ISBN 9781839761225
EBook
ISBN 9781784780234

Read an Excerpt

Los Angeles Times Bestseller

This riveting tour through 1960s Los Angeles is a “history from below, in the very best sense” as it celebrates the “grassroots heroes and struggles” of the social movements of the era (Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Natural Causes).

“Authoritative and impressive.” —Los Angeles Times
“Monumental.” —Guardian


Los Angeles in the sixties was a hotbed of political and social upheaval. The city was a launchpad for Black Power—where Malcolm X and Angela Davis first came to prominence and the Watts uprising shook the nation. The city was home to the Chicano Blowouts and Chicano Moratorium, as well as being the birthplace of “Asian American” as a political identity. It was a locus of the antiwar movement, gay liberation movement, and women’s movement, and, of course, the capital of California counterculture.

Mike Davis and Jon Wiener provide the first comprehensive movement history of L.A. in the sixties, drawing on extensive archival research and dozens of interviews with principal figures, as well as the authors’ storied personal histories as activists. Following on from Davis’s award-winning L.A. history, City of Quartz, Set the Night on Fire is a historical tour de force, delivered in scintillating and fiercely beautiful prose.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Set the Night on Fire about?

Los Angeles Times Bestseller

This riveting tour through 1960s Los Angeles is a “history from below, in the very best sense” as it celebrates the “grassroots heroes and struggles” of the social movements of the era (Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Natural Causes).

“Authoritative and impressive.” —Los Angeles Times
“Monumental.” —Guardian


Los Angeles in the sixties was a hotbed of political and social upheaval. The city was a launchpad for Black Power—where Malcolm X and Angela Davis first came to prominence and the Watts uprising shook the nation. The city was home to the Chicano Blowouts and Chicano Moratorium, as well as being the birthplace of “Asian American” as a political identity. It was a locus of the antiwar movement, gay liberation movement, and women’s movement, and, of course, the capital of California counterculture.

Mike Davis and Jon Wiener provide the first comprehensive movement history of L.A. in the sixties, drawing on extensive archival research and dozens of interviews with principal figures, as well as the authors’ storied personal histories as activists. Following on from Davis’s award-winning L.A. history, City of Quartz, Set the Night on Fire is a historical tour de force, delivered in scintillating and fiercely beautiful prose.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Set the Night on Fire?

Society and Social Sciences > Politics and government > Political activism / Political engagement

Where can I read a sample of Set the Night on Fire?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781784780227

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Set the Night on Fire?

Jon Wiener, Mike Davis

Who is the Publisher of the book Set the Night on Fire?

Verso Books

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Set the Night on Fire is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781784780227) and paperback(ISBN 9781839761225) and ebook(ISBN 9781784780234)

Where can I buy Set the Night on Fire online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy Set the Night on Fire from below

Where can I buy Set the Night on Fire?