FROM THE PUBLISHER

Put on your platform shoes, pump up the disco beat and join PEOPLE for an unforgettable visit to an unbelievable galaxy far far away: America in the 1970s.

Rediscover the "Me Decade," when gas tanks went dry but everybody filled up on self-fulfillment. In a decade of self-discovery, Liz Taylor divorced Richard Burton to marry a U.S. Senator, Jackie O. became a working woman and Cher launched the first of many comebacks. Jane Fonda helped us look better and Julia Child helped us cook better while Erica Jong helped us... well, let's just zip past that one.

In the '70s, hemlines rose as all kinds of barriers fell. Alex Haley led African Americans on a thrilling voyage to their Roots. Richard Pryor made stand-up comedy scalding and subversive again. David Bowie glitterized rock while Bruce Springsteen mesmerized fans with his marathon sets.

Things were different in the '70s. The perfect kitchen had a toaster oven, not a microwave. Cars had CB radios and 8-track tape players. Michael Jackson had a nose.