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Zero Hour for Gen X: How the Last Adult Generation Can Save America from Millennials Hardcover – August 14, 2018

by Matthew Hennessey (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 120 ratings
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In Zero Hour for Gen X, Matthew Hennessey calls on his generation, Generation X, to take a stand against tech-obsessed millennials, apathetic baby boomers, utopian Silicon Valley “visionaries,” and the menace to top them all: the soft totalitarian conspiracy known as the Internet of Things. Soon Gen Xers will be the only cohort of Americans who remember life as it was lived before the arrival of the Internet. They are, as Hennessey dubs them, “the last adult generation,” the sole remaining link to a time when childhood was still a bit dangerous but produced adults who were naturally resilient.

More than a decade into the social media revolution, the American public is waking up to the idea that the tech sector’s intentions might not be as pure as advertised. The mountains of money being made off our browsing habits and purchase histories are used to fund ever-more extravagant and utopian projects that, by their very natures, will corrode the foundations of free society, leaving us all helpless and digitally enslaved to an elite crew of ultra-sophisticated tech geniuses. But it’s not too late to turn the tide. There’s still time for Gen X to write its own future.

A spirited defense of free speech, eye contact, and the virtues of patience, Zero Hour for Gen X is a cultural history of the last 35 years, an analysis of the current social and historical moment, and a generational call to arms.
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  1. Print length
    184 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Encounter Books
  4. Publication date
    August 14, 2018
  5. Reading age
    18 years and up
  6. Dimensions
    6.25 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1594039941
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1594039942
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“As the baby boomers fade from the scene, and as the millennials take their place as the largest and most influential generation, who will speak for the slackers? Matthew Hennessey’s Zero Hour for Gen X is a spirited defense of the last cohort of Americans to have been raised in an analog age, and a call to arms against today’s technomania. Whether you are a digital native or a dyed-in-the-wool Luddite, this lively book will keep you on your toes.”

―Reihan Salam, executive editor, National Review


“Generation X invented the modern commercial Internet, social media, and the 24-hour news cycle, which together amounted to a sociopolitical weapon of mass destruction that Generation X then handed off to the millennials, the feral children of Facebook and Snapchat whose bottomless sense of entitlement and contemptible general mopery were thereby amplified and weaponized. The baby boomers came close to destroying the country, and the millennials are ready, willing, and―thanks in no small part to the entrepreneurs and innovators of Generation X―now able to finish the job. All that stands in their way is Generation X and their own irrational fear of making telephone calls. Matthew Hennessey contemplates the dawn of this grim new day with as much good cheer as a Generation Xer can muster―and with a great deal of good sense and wit, too.”

―Kevin Williamson, author, The Case Against Trump


“Most generational stereotyping is a mush of platitudes (ironically, it’s a fad we largely inherited from the baby boomers). But generational analysis, when done seriously and thoughtfully, as Matthew Hennessey does in Zero Hour for Gen X, can be a vital clarion for awakening people to the obligations required of all citizens. This is an important and eloquent call to arms to the men and women about to take control of the commanding heights of our culture.”

―Jonah Goldberg, Cliff Asness Chair in Applied Liberty at the American Enterprise Institute, author of Suicide of the West


“Generation X, as the label suggests, has long been viewed as an indefinable cohort. A more charitable way of looking at it is that our generation deliberately prized individualism over group identity, rather than let the self-righteous baby boomers dominating corporate America extract a pound of our flesh. Now we’re sandwiched between the boomers and millennials, a generation that’s been so digitized and commodified from birth, they don’t even recognize their own entitlement. In Zero Hour for Gen X, Matthew Hennessey marshals everything from economic data to unique pop culture insights to make a powerful case that the individualistic Generation X better find a way to collectively assert themselves socially, economically, and politically. Otherwise, an America that prizes things such as free speech and the ability to avoid staring at a screen for more than five minutes will become a distant memory.”

―Mark Hemingway, senior writer, Weekly Standard

About the Author

Matthew Hennessey is an associate editorial features editor at the Wall Street Journal.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Encounter Books
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 14, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 184 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1594039941
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1594039942
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 120 ratings

About the author

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Matthew Hennessey

Matthew Hennessey

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Matthew Hennessey is the Wall Street Journal's deputy op-ed editor. He is the author of "Visible Hand" (2022) and "Zero Hour for Gen X" (2018). He lives in the New York City area.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
120 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and consider it a must-read for Gen Xers. They appreciate its unexpected insights, with one customer noting it provides a much-needed nudge for their generation. The book receives positive feedback for its humor, with one customer describing the author as amusing.

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6 customers mention "Insight"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book unexpectedly insightful, with one mentioning it provides a much-needed nudge for their generation.

"...That became an interesting exercise as I read. This is a Gen-X book from a Gen-X perspective...." Read more

"I throughly enjoyed this book as it is full of humor and insights as to where we are as a country of generational cohorts...." Read more

"...Matthew Hennessey’s Zero Hour for Gen X is a much-needed nudge for our generation...." Read more

"...There are plenty of insights here and Hennessey is spot on with most of his take on the Baby Boomers and Millenials...." Read more

6 customers mention "Readability"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well written and easy to read, with several noting it is a must-read for all Gen Xers.

"...Common 1 year wear outside, but the Pages were Fine. Was Readable & that's all I wanted." Read more

"...Through a compelling, easy-to-read narrative on the events and cultural trends that shaped our cohort, Hennessey urges us to speak up about our..." Read more

"...Simply put, Hennessey had a very good essay here which was spread too thin as a book...." Read more

"Well written, and mostly spot on. Will post a more thorough review later." Read more

4 customers mention "Humor"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, with one describing it as clever and another noting its entertaining style.

"I throughly enjoyed this book as it is full of humor and insights as to where we are as a country of generational cohorts...." Read more

"With wit, humility, and piercing perception, Matthew Hennessey’s Zero Hour for Gen X is a much-needed nudge for our generation...." Read more

"...While he is a fine and often amusing writer, Hennessey should have left this as an essay or expanded his book...." Read more

"A well written and conceived social commentary that is delivered with humor and flair. It is both thought provoking and entertaining." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Vintage Geek
    5.0 out of 5 stars It's all in here except the "how" part
    Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    At first I was angry. How dare this punk blame us boomers for wrecking society to make life hard for them, the Gen-X'ers? In just a short time I realized that, as the author points out, the people of the 3 generations discussed in this book are the products of not just their upbringing but also of the times they experienced growing up. Each generation will see the others through their own filter. That became an interesting exercise as I read. This is a Gen-X book from a Gen-X perspective. I tried to see how I would restate the points discussed as if I (yes, Boomer) were speaking with the author. Then I tried having empathy for the maligned Millennial.
    Matthew Hennessey has done a proper job on his book. I declare him an author. He cites statistics and has insights. You just have to evaluate the "facts" as presented since we all know they were selected for this book. He is an urbanite so he has that filter too. Still he has given me food for thought and I learned some things. Thanks.
    What I would really like to see is a virtual cage battle between Matthew Hennessey from the New York City Public Library and Caitlin Fisher with her iPhone from her couch at home. That oughta be good! (I'm reading her next and will try to be open minded)
    When I say Matthew has come up short with the "how" part it seems like he has given up. As in "We're doomed, but we can try these things". A bit more cause-affect-solution analysis would have been helpful. I think the problem is reversible, after all there will be another generation after the Millennials.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Aaron Danforth
    4.0 out of 5 stars Satisfactory
    Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    The Used Book was as expected. Common 1 year wear outside, but the Pages were Fine. Was Readable & that's all I wanted.
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  • Books n' music fan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpectedly insightful, highly recommended.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I throughly enjoyed this book as it is full of humor and insights as to where we are as a country of generational cohorts. If you are an X’er, you will feel entirely affirmed in your role as the last generation with any pull around here that remembers what it was like to struggle through the process of reaching maturity in an analog world. The author clearly has little faith in the utterly enfeebled millennials who have failed to thrive, nor in the baby boomers who’s self-centereness pretty much trashed the sweetest deal in history; middle class post WWII America. The book ends in an unexpected place, a certain dystopian future where technology cripples everyone in to dependency.
    20 people found this helpful
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  • Kerry McDonald
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for all Gen Xers!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    With wit, humility, and piercing perception, Matthew Hennessey’s Zero Hour for Gen X is a much-needed nudge for our generation. Through a compelling, easy-to-read narrative on the events and cultural trends that shaped our cohort, Hennessey urges us to speak up about our societal direction and to be mindful that technology is no substitute for real human connection. A must-read for all Gen Xers!
    19 people found this helpful
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  • Dr. Kevin M. Derby
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Points But Too Short to Offer Much Depth and Too Long for a Memorable Essay
    Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Having read a number of interviews and articles from Matthew Hennessey about Generation X and its odd place in American culture, history and society, I was expecting him to hit a home run with this book. While Hennessey got on base, he didn’t hit the ball over the fence. To use the Gen X musical benchmarks that Hennessey uses well throughout the book, this is more the Spin Doctors than Pearl Jam or Nirvana. Pleasant enough to be sure but not exactly memorable.

    Simply put, Hennessey had a very good essay here which was spread too thin as a book. He makes some excellent points about Baby Boomers and Millenials and he does raise some valid concerns about social media and technology. Based on the interviews and articles, I was expecting a little more insight on the history of Gen X itself. Hennessey does well enough when it comes to MTV, the LA riots that took place after the Rodney King verdict and even the OJ Simpson case. After reviewing Bill Clinton’s rise and the Lewinsky scandals, Hennessey simply says Gen Xers learned not to put too much faith in politics and rushes through 9/11 to turn to social media and technology.

    That won’t do and I get why some of the reviewers think Hennessey is a little too partisan for the GOP. Yes, Gen Xers lost faith in politics after the Clinton scandals. George W. Bush didn’t help matters with Iraq--something Hennessey gives a single sentence to at the end of his 9/11 chapter. Quite a bit else is left out of the equation: the environment and concerns about climate change, the national debt, seemingly endless wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan, worries about retirement, the scandals that have hit several churches, the Great Recession and Bush and Barack Obama bailing out corporations, I can go on here. These are important matters in explaining how Generation X got here and are major problems left by the Baby Boomers. Hennessey barely touches them as he tries to tackle major generational, political and technological issues in less than 150 pages. It simply can’t be done in such a short space.

    It’s all well and good to take aim at Millenials for being more open to aspects of socialism than any generation in American history and that Gen X is willing to defend American exceptionalism and the free market--but ignoring some of the most important political and economic events of this century isn’t the way to do it. I was reminded of the messages that Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and most of the massive field of Republican presidential candidates in 2016 embraced on their way to getting routed by Donald Trump. They were stuck in 2005 and there were plenty of moments when I suspect Hennessey is there as well. Another “Never Trump” conservative? Very possible and he would have plenty of company with his NY based colleagues in right of center think tanks and media outlets. But, as the past three years have shown, this group is often divorced from reality outside the Acela corridor.

    While he is a fine and often amusing writer, Hennessey should have left this as an essay or expanded his book. It’s true that 9/11 was a major tipping point for Generation X but there were other ones as well which Hennessey did not touch or barely mentions. Think about this a moment. Let’s say in the late 1870s William Dean Howells or Henry Adams wrote a book on their generation of Americans who were born in the 1830s and “touched by fire” to use Oliver Wendell Holmes’ memorable phrase about how the Civil War influenced his peers. Our mythical writer would be correct in calling the Dred Scott decision, John Brown’s raid, Fort Sumter and First Bull Run as turning points for his generation. But so were Shiloh, Antietam, the Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg, Atlanta, the Overland Campaign, Appomattox, the Lincoln assassination, Reconstruction, I can go on here. Our mythical writer would be taken to task if he focused on events that took place before the start of 1862. The same standard should apply to Hennessey, especially as he fails to really define what makes Gen X stand out outside of some brief but solid points about growing up in the 70s, 80s and 90s. I wish he had focused more on this.

    There are plenty of insights here and Hennessey is spot on with most of his take on the Baby Boomers and Millenials. When it comes to how smart phones, the Internet and social media have shaped contemperary America and those of us who live in it, Hennessey is usually over the target. Despite my criticism, this is not a bad book by any means but it is a frustrating one. I finished the book with the rare thought that Hennessey should have either cut 100 pages or added 200. 3.25 stars.
    43 people found this helpful
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  • Chris Renada
    5.0 out of 5 stars Generation X's Call to Action
    Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    As Gen-Xers, my husband and I could not put this book down. Hennessey has put to print many of the concerns we've shared for years - and issued a clear call to action on what we can do about them. What's more, even though he probably leans a bit right of my views politically, I could still agree with all of his basic points. This illustrates one other virtue we Gen Xers deserve to reclaim: civil political discourse and productive disagreement. So I would encourage Xer's of all political stripes, get this book, read it, and take it to heart! And be proud if some twenty-something calls you a Luddite!
    25 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Fabio V. Barreto
    5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!
    Reviewed in Brazil on January 11, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I was researching generations when I found this book and decided to buy it. It makes a very interesting and complete portrait of Generation X and what it can offer to the future of the United States.

    Although I'm Brazilian and technically a millennial (born in 1982), the book was very helpful to me. And I noticed that, in the Brazilian reality, I am closer to GenXers than Millennials. I also realized that the stereotype of American Millennials is more common in my country among GenZ.

    And anyone who says that the author just describes a situation and doesn't say what to do to change it might not have paid attention to the last chapter, which is all about what to do in the face of the Internet of Things.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting read - especially for Gen X'ers.......
    Reviewed in Australia on August 16, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Thanks Matt for your book. I enjoyed the read. I am glad you found a way of making your commute useful productive time.
    However, the main preface of your argument I feel is a bit like 'pissing into the wind'. (Not likely to achieve much other than have negative consequences for yourself)! I have personally felt the full force of the Millenials coming through, having been 'let go' after training up two new keen Millenials at my old work.
    I feel Strauss and Howe have accurately described how our generation is going to be sandwiched by the never retiring boomers and the upcoming (want it now) Millennials. Thanks for the perspective on all this............
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