“‘I suppose out of all the characters I interviewed,’ journalist Tom Brokaw told a packed audience at First Parish Church on Monday, “my favorite line may have come from Arlo Guthrie: ‘It’s a good thing that the ‘60s are still controversial­—that means nobody’s lost yet.”

Brokaw, best known as the managing editor and anchor of ‘NBC Nightly News’ for 21 years, is also the author of four best-selling books, most notably “The Greatest Generation.” At the event, which was sponsored by the Harvard Book Store, he presented his latest, ‘BOOM!: Voices of the Sixties,’ combining anecdotes from his life, a brief retelling of the major events of the 1960s, and a reflection on what our nation has gained and how we should best proceed.

‘What I hope will happen as a result of ‘BOOM! is that it will be a catalyst for national dialogue,’ Brokaw said. ‘What should we keep from the ‘60s and what should we leave behind? What should be the national tasks?’”