Review
"This novel is excruciatingly accurate and totally outrageous. Justison has captured the extravagance of the time: the interplay of sexual liberation, psychedelic experiences and coming of age that made the community so intense and inviting. Was drug use so extensive and casual? You bet. Was casual sexual connecting so extensive and easy? Oh my, yes. The 60s, including its dark, scary, lonely, confused reality is all here, as well as the ecstasy, the kindness, and the sharing. If you weren't there, this is as close as you're going to get to knowing what you missed. The stories, the people, the vision- enjoy the trip."
James Fadiman, microdose researcher and Author, The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic and Sacred Journeys
"This lively and engaging novel chronicles the adventures of a high school drop-out who leaves Arizona for the Haight Ashbury in the 1960's where the credo was "Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out." The narrator, a bright, observant young man, quickly becomes part of Hippie culture of free love, tripping on marijuana and LSD, Be-Ins, Viet Nam War protests, and anti-draft demonstrations, which is captured in nuanced and textured detail.
Central to this novel is the protagonist's deep respect for women as friends and lovers who are his equals in their shared explorations as well as existential lessons learned.
For those who were there, this novel will bring it all back, for those who weren't, this novel is a vivid portrait of the 60's."
Wendy Martin, Professor of American Literature and American Studies, Founder and Editor, Women's Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal
"This was such an incredibly powerful and captivating historical fiction meets genre fiction read. The author does an amazing job of building the atmosphere and setting through some stunning uses of imagery in the writing. The way the author was able to layer in these deep themes of accountability, finding one's place in the world, and the anti-war sentiments of the 60s, made this narrative feel alive on the page and did an incredible job of making the story capture the era so effortlessly.
Yet for me, the novel itself was the perfect character study that truly did embrace the Holden Caulfield vibe of J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye. The breathtaking and emotional journey that Mark goes on in this novel showcases the highs and lows of the psychedelic era. The atmosphere of the decade and the setting itself (San Francisco) made the story perfectly set up the protagonist's rise and fall and mirrored the events of the era seamlessly.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, captivating, and engaging, author Paul Justison's "Lost and Found in the 60s" is a must-read historical fiction and genre fiction read. The twists and turns in the character's arc and the profoundly moving experiences the protagonist underwent that defined his character evolution kept me invested until the book's final pages. If you haven't yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10"
Review from Anthony Avina'a Blog
reviews | Author Anthony Avina's Blog (authoranthonyavinablog.com)
"What a wonderful story in Lost and Found in the 60s by Paul Justison. Justison picks up where Salinger left off in Catcher in the Rye. If you haven't read that, it's a classic, and it should be read. However, Justison, reintroduces the reader to Holden Caulfield, where he comes to life as Mark Stenrud. It's an interestingly written story, and of course, takes place in the 60's LSD-era. It's not all psychedelic and rainbows, but it shows the danger of making bad decisions just to "feel good." I like to admit that I wasn't born until after this era, not because of the era, but because I'm not that old, but this was a really great story. You learn about the side of the 60's that's not just about politics, hippies, and free love, but about adventure, tragedy, and loss. This author brings the story to life. The characters had a lot of depth and were very realistic. The story brings the reader on a superb journey. The author's technique of raw, magnetic characters and great plotlines is a gift. It's a great story to follow and try to figure out what will happen next. I hope to read more books by this author. Lost and Found in the 60s is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book, to also write a review."
Amys Bookshelf Reviews (absr) - Ballston Spa, NY (645 books) | Goodreads
"Writing a book about the 1960s is a sure gamble: Everyone who survived those raucous times has a story and probably wouldn't mind hearing another. Betting he can get an audience, former Tucsonan Paul Justison has penned an intriguing '60s tale, "Lost and Found in the '60s." Tucson should embrace Justison's book, as it provides an accurate description of life back then.
As the story begins, teenager Mark Stenrud, in a broken relationship with his mother, has problems at school for his Vietnam War protesting and troubles juggling girlfriends. His solution is to get high across the border, gleefully prank the John Birch Society, and drop out of Javelina High to escape to California.
Justison spent 10 years in Tucson, where he did drop out of high school and made his way to the California Bay Area. After retiring from a career in hospital and research facility management, Justison took up writing and published short stories in several magazines. "Lost and Found in the '60s" is his first novel.
"It was an iconic time in American history, and it was a crucible for me," Justison said about the time. "So, I had a lot of drama to draw on. I wanted to show the joy of Haight-Ashbury, along with its descent. I wanted to expiate my own sins of those days."
In the book, Stenrud heads for the free love and psychedelic capital of the universe, Haight-Ashbury. Justison gets the tempo, the jargon, the food, drugs, sex and rock 'n' roll of the times just right. In this excerpt from his novel, protagonist Stenrud describes his first take on the famous street: "I was too awestruck to touch or feel anything, as if it were all behind glass. ... Hipsters, unaffiliated revolutionaries, heads, and freaks leaned on cars, walls, and each other all along the street. I smelled pot every half block and saw smoke a few times but never spotted a joint. ... Fliers posted on a telephone pole caught my eye. 'Julie, please come home. We love you. Your sister misses you. Call us.' Two more like that. One had a lot of white space, and I wrote, "Oh, Mother, Mother. Wish I'd had another."
Justison said he and Stenrud escaped to Haight-Ashbury.
"I struggled a lot at first, but I found my footing and got a job with the post office," Justison commented. "I filled my free time with sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. Eventually I realized that this was not what I should be doing, and I tried to get out. That didn't go quite as planned, but I survived to tell the tale."
Stenrud takes chances with his life, in the same way Justison takes chances with his readers. Justison doesn't spare readers the embarrassingly accurate, cringeworthy treatment of seemingly plentiful "chicks," nor the dangerous possible outcomes involved in turning on, tuning in and dropping out. The book is an unlikely hero's journey. The pace matches the beat of the times and there are plenty of odd twists to keep the reader engaged."
Former Tucsonan studies the 1960s in debut novel | Arts: Feature | Tucson Weekly
"Tune in, turn on, and delve into the psychedelic sixties with Lost and Found in the 60s by Paul Justison. This is a delightfully fun and unique novel that explores the exciting and tumultuous times of 1960's San Francisco."
Alix | The Bookish Alix (@thebookishalix_) * Instagram photos and videos
"This book was definitely a step in time back in the 60's. It was quite the trip. If you are a fan of the decade and psychedelic times, you'll enjoy this one."
Stacy Smith - Bookstareviewer (@stacy40pages) * Instagram photos and videos
About the Author
Paul Justison fled a toxic home, and a conservative Arizona high school in 1966 and spent most of the next two years in Haight-Ashbury and Marin County, engaging in all the pleasures and follies that magical time had to offer. His novel Lost and Found in the 60s is based on his experiences there and, with its fast pace and vivid scenes, recreates the incredible energy and activity of that time and place.
Justison later earned a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Arizona and launched a career in planning and consulting. He honed a crisp 'to the point' writing style conducive to short executive attention spans. In retirement he's gone a little literary and has been published in The Rumpus, The Gambler Mag, Flash Fiction Magazine, and Fiction on the Web. Lost and Found in the 60s is his first novel.
