The 1970s is a recent enough period that many people from that time are still around and in sound mental health. And most of them would love to sit around and talk your ear off about their lives.

Which is wonderful because you’ll get a real feel for that time.

And is terrible because you’ll only get a feel for their tiny part of that era.

So do your research and talk to people from that era and then take a mental step back and put it all in perspective.

Then look at the story you’re telling and use whatever helps. And ONLY what helps because it’s so easy — and literary death — to include too much detail. The background is only important to the extent that it helps tell the story.