Letter from America: From Nixon to Carter (1969-1980)

By BBC Radio 4Society & Culture

Letter from America: From Nixon to Carter (1969-1980) episodes

December 26, 1980 Chrysler financial crisis deepens
Auto workers call on Reagan's help as jobs are threatened by Chrysler cash crisis.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
15 min
December 19, 1980 Haig joins Cabinet
Nixon's top aide is offered senior post - but the hearings on his fitness to serve could be damaging. The sound quality on this recording is variable/poor.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
15 min
December 12, 1980 John Lennon’s assassination
The shooting of John Lennon on the 8th December 1980 sparks a debate over the need for national gun control law in America.
14 min
December 05, 1980 The waiting game
Hostages and the growing Polish crisis will prove to be among Reagan's first presidential headaches.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
14 min
November 28, 1980 Reagan's charm offensive
President-elect Reagan wins over Washington with his charm offensive. The sound quality on this recording is variable/poor.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
15 min
November 21, 1980 Reagan's political honeymoon
President-elect Reagan turns his honeymoon period into a Washington courtship ritual.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
14 min
November 14, 1980 Why the pollsters got it wrong
Humiliation for pollsters who made completely wrong call on the presidential election.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
14 min
November 07, 1980 Ronald Reagan’s victory, 1980
As Ronald Reagan wins the 1980 US presidential election, Alistair Cooke reflects on the causes of Jimmy Carter's downfall.
14 min
October 17, 1980 The World Series gets the vote, 1980
The World Series gets the popular vote while the presidential candidates get mean with each other.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
15 min
October 10, 1980 The book-selling business
How the book-selling business creates a bestseller from a book which isn't selling.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
14 min

About Letter from America: From Nixon to Carter (1969-1980)

From the publisher's feed

From America’s great hope after Nixon’s election victory, to disillusionment after Watergate through to President Carter’s election. A fascinating social, cultural and political history of American…