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(More customer reviews)"Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation," by Neil Howe and William Strauss, attempts to explain the generation of people born between 1982 and 2002. The authors label this group the Millennials; according to the authors' model, the Millennials follow Generation X (born between 1961 and 1981), the Boomers (1943-60), the Silent Generation (1925-42), and others in a chain of definable generations that stretches back for centuries.
The authors look at some of the cultural forces that have shaped (and, increasingly, are being shaped by) the Millennials. They consider the increasing emphasis on multiculturalism; the impact of "Kinderpolitics," or child-centered politics, on Millennial lives; the school uniform movement; Millennial pop-culture favorites like Harry Potter and Pokemon; the "boy band" surge; the impact of the Columbine massacre; and more.
Ultimately, the authors make some bold predictions. They claim that the Millennials will likely become the latest in a series of "hero generations" that occur every few generations (the last hero generation, according to the authors, was the G.I. Generation, born 1901-1924). They also predict a "Millennial makeover" of American popular culture in the first decade of the 21st century.
The book is fascinating and informative. But the authors' essential conceptual model and conclusions are problematic. It seems to me that the whole "generational" model is an artificial (and, at worst, stereotype-driven) way to break people into easily-labeled groups. In fact, I think things are a lot more complex than the authors seem to believe.
Still, the book is engrossing reading. It was actually recommended to me by a distinguished U.S. Army officer who suggested that the book could give military leaders insights into the wave of young people currently entering the armed services. I believe that many other professionals could also benefit from a critical reading of this book.
The book is full of fascinating sidebar quotes from many sources: periodicals ("U.S. News and World Report," "Spin," etc.); government officials and politicians (Donna Shalala, Bob Dole, etc.); film dialogue ("Cruel Intentions," "Rushmore," etc.); song lyrics (Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle," Hanson's "MMMBop," etc,); TV show dialogue ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Malcolm in the Middle," etc.); cultural critics and commentators (Camille Paglia, Bill Maher, etc.); and other sources.
Throughout the book are funny and incisive cartoons by R.J. Matson. Charts and poll data also add to the book's appeal. Unfortunately, the lack of an index is a negative point. "Millennials Rising" is not without its problems, but it's definitely worth reading.
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