Do you remember what it was like when you were 18 years old? Just graduated from high school and on my way to college, I’m afraid I was a little arrogant. I thought I knew all that life had to teach me. I was fearless because it felt I would live forever and so I was unafraid to do things like live abroad, speed down the freeway and head out to the club (or disco for some of you) after a full day’s work without consideration for what time I needed to get up the next morning. I was also opinionated. I had opinions about raising children, getting married and what it should take to climb the corporate ladder.

And then I grew up. The things I saw as absolute in my early twenties and late teens are now the grayest areas in my life. A consideration to head across the country now takes a 5 year plan and lots of research. A change in career feels like an uphill battle.

In the late 60’s the city of San Francisco was overrun with young people. These young people had absolute opinions on how society should work, how the government should run and how they should be living. They risked their safety, security and even their freedom to stand up for those rights. While the movement, known as the Hippie Movement, eventually became corrupted and collapsed, the impact these young people have had our societies around the world are still felt today.

Tracey Madeley, author of Peaceful Meadows, brings us the colorful, enriching and naïve story of Solomon and how he came to build and run the commune Peaceful Meadows in Whales, England, in Love & Haight.

Solomon, a capitalism-loving, conservative Catholic from Ireland, heads to San Francisco in the late 60’s after winning a scholarship in architecture. Solomon takes advantage of his school allowance and decides to live off-campus with Tom, a man who rents out rooms in his grandmother’s house. The decision to live with Tom, a hippie Buddhist who believes in alternative living, will change the course of Solomon’s life.

Solomon hangs out with Tom and his hippie friends and ends up meeting Petula. Through dating Petula and experiencing the profit-hungry corporate life that exists in the US Solomon is drawn into the alternative lifestyle of his friends. Gradually he becomes more and more a part of community, attending festivals and meetings, taking advantage of the amenities and frequenting the places that cater to these youths.

In the meantime, the Ashbury and Haight are getting completely overcrowded with more and more youths showing up to take in the scene and take advantage of the loose women and ample drug experimentation. At this point, the system is becoming corrupt. People are using the movement to trumpet their own causes and others are there not to support the lifestyle, but to take advantage of the people.

When Solomon’s scholarship comes to a close he flies back to the UK with a pregnant Petula to build and start a hippie commune in Whales, England as proposed by a friend. But Solomon’s story isn’t completed with the end of this book. As much as it seems a finite ending, it’s only the beginning to what will become the story of this man and his vision as influenced by his time in the US.

This is a great story. Madeley is an excellent story-teller and I love how halfway through the book she changes perspectives from Solomon to Petula. Of course, ultimately this is Solomon’s story. This book is a great prequel to Peaceful Meadows, but it can stand alone as long as you are OK with leaving the ending as is.

I will say that at times I found it hard to know who was actually talking as often we just see dialogue with no visual tie to one particular character. Also, some of the characters could have been developed more as I’m a little unclear as to what they would actually look like should they be standing in front of me.

A 4 star read for sure! I can’t wait to see what Madeley will bring us next.

What opinions did you have as a youth that have changed over time?