The Magic Bus Is Back

Dust off those tie-dyes and love beads -- Volkswagen has announced the return of their beloved Microbus!

The VW Bus originally began production during the early 1950s, but widespread popularity eluded the vehicle until the 1960s, when it was enthusiastically embraced by families and hippies alike. Its cute, friendly shape, durability, and all-around convenience helped it gain a similar iconic status to that of its smaller cousin: the VW Beetle. Production halted on the VW Bus a number of years ago, but with the overwhelming success of the new Beetle, a modern version of the Microbus seemed imminent.

The new VW Bus is only in the concept stage now, but is slated to go into production sometime in 2005. Conceived as the missing link between an SUV and a minivan, the prototype is something of a technical design marvel. Once inside, you'll never want to get out: It contains goodies such as an onboard movie theater, DVD/game screens that turn into snack trays, swivel bucket seats, powered sliding doors, retractable door handles, Internet access, and an audio warning system.

What's missing from the new VW Bus? It's not full of books! We're here to help, though: check out this list to relive the 1960s, dredge up memories of your parents' old Bug, and discover some great titles to add to your personal collection!

VW Bus: The First 50 Years
By Keith Seume
How many kids did your parents pack into the family VW Bus?! Noted Volkswagen historian Seume uses a combination of photographs, text, old advertising, and memorabilia to produce a loving and informative history of the legendary Volkswagen Bus. This is anything and everything you've ever wanted to know about the car: from manufacturing to promotion to sales, custom VW Buses, funny VW Buses, famous VW Buses, epic journeys involving VW Buses, VW Buses around the world, and more.

My Bug: For Everyone Who Owned, Loved, Or Shared A VW Beetle...True Tales of the Car That Defined a Generation
By Michael J. Rosen
The first Volkswagen Beetle is one of the most popular cars ever manufactured. Millions of people once owned a VW Beetle, and those millions of people no doubt loved that VW Beetle like it was a family member. Any fan and/or past owner would do well to take a look at My Bug, a large and reverential collection of photographs, illustrations, stories, and anecdotes about the cute little economy car that became a phenomenon. Take a nostalgic ride, or find out why the Bug continues to be so popular. Punch-buggy blue!

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
By Tom Wolfe
It's the original Magical Mystery Tour! Literary journalist Tom Wolfe joins and observes One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest author Ken Kesey and his gang of hippies The Merry Pranksters as they drop LSD and cut a drug-addled swath across the United States in a traveling psychedelic bus named "Further." Memorable moments include an alliance with the Hell's Angels, and an acid freak-out at the biggest anti-Vietnam rally of all time. At the same time a critique and classic of 1960s counter-culture, Wolfe leaves final judgment of Kesey's experiments to the reader. Far out.

A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History Of The Grateful Dead
By Dennis McNally
Currently on the Book Sense Bestseller List!
Even after the untimely death of hippie guru Jerry Garcia, the legacy of the Grateful Dead lives on. Official Dead historian and publicist McNally had close contact with the group for over 20 years, and his exhaustive history provides a unique insider's view into the inner workings of the most popular cult band of all time. From their late-1960s formation in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district to their later status as arena-touring Americana icons, A Long Strange Trip is a heady musical ride that includes surprisingly vivid descriptions of the band's concerts. It's sure to satisfy the Dead's worshipful legions of fans.

Positively 4th Street: The Lives And Times Of Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Mimi Baez Farina, And Richard Farina
By David Hajdu
A BookSense Summer Paperback 2002 Pick!
"Hajdu takes the reader through the early days of folk music (Guthrie, Leadbelly, Seeger) right up through the birth of rock. This is the stuff of modern music myth made fresh for all of us today." - Corey Mesler, Burke's Book Store, Memphis, TN