In this book, we will take a leisurely stroll through one of the most astonishing decades of all time.

The '80s in America and the rest of the world were two very different things. For the Land of the Free, it seemed to be all arcade games, movie stars, parties and glamour. Of course, much like everywhere else, America had its problems, too, and even as the decade began, the Cold War raged, and homelessness and crime were at an all-time high.

In Britain, unemployment, football hooliganism, the Yorkshire Ripper, and riots in the streets threatened to overwhelm the nation and its leader, Margaret Thatcher. But both held strong, and this book will be a testament to the people of the '80s who not only fought through hard times but came out the other side dancing.

In a decade that gave us the glamour and intrigue of Madonna, Tom Cruise, Eddie Murphy, Back to the Future, Nintendo, and MTV, we also saw IRA bombings, Chernobyl, the crack cocaine epidemic, and the Hillsborough disaster.

But like all decades before and after, the indomitable spirit of the human race prevailed, and art, culture, and charity shone through the darkness. Even though the people were down at times, they seemed always to find a way to help those less fortunate, as seen in the astonishing feats of Live Aid and Hands Across America.

So sit back and relive the '80s. You will smile, you will laugh, and you may even cry. But one thing is for certain; it will be bitchin’, righteous, and totally rad.