Life & Times 1962
Indicators
| Average annual income | $5,600 |
| New House | $30,000 |
| New Car | $2,275 |
| Minimum Wage | $1.25 |
| Gallon of Gas | $.26 |
| Gallon of Milk | $1.05 |
| Dozen Eggs | $.91 |
| Loaf of Bread | $.21 |
| Postage Stamp (ground) | $.04 |
Events
Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro
John Glenn is the first American to orbit Earth, completes 3 orbits
New York City introduces a train that operates without a crew on-board
Ranger 3 is launched to study the moon, misses the moon by 22,000 miles
U2 spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers is exchanged for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel
Ranger 4 spacecraft crashes into the Moon
The Supreme Court rules prayers in public schools are unconstitutional
Telstar, the world's first TV and radio communications satellite, is launched
Film actress Marilyn Monroe is found dead in her Los Angeles home, apparent suicide
The first black student James Meredith registers in University of Mississippi
Cuban Missile Crisis begins, putting the world on the brink of nuclear war
Cuban Missile Crisis ends, Khrushchev orders the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba
Israeli government executes Adolf Eichmann
Sam Walton opens his first Wal-Mart store for business
K Mart opens
First fibre-tipped pens
Hula hoop craze
Books
Silent Spring - Rachel Carson (begins modern environmentalist movement)
King Rat - James Clavell
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey
The Spy Who Loved Me - Ian Fleming
The Thin Red Line - James Jones
Travels With Charley - John Steinbeck
Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe? - Edward Albee
Sex and the Single Girl - Helen Gurley Brown
Movies
Lawrence Of Arabia (Best Picture)
The Miracle Worker (Best actress, Anne Bancroft)
To Kill a Mockingbird (Best actor, Gregory Peck)
Dr. No
The Birdman of Alcatraz
Hatari
Bye Bye Birdie
How the West Was Won
The Longest Day
Mutiny on the Bounty
The Manchurian Candidate
Cape Fear
Lolita
Carnival of Souls
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Music
1 Stranger on the Shore - Acker Bilk
2 Can't Stop Loving You - Ray Charles
3 Mashed Potato Time - Dee Dee Sharp
4 Roses Are Red - Bobby Vinton
5 The Stripper - David Rose
6 Johnny Angel - Shelley Fabares
7 Loco-Motion - Little Eva
8 Let Me In - Sensations
9 The Twist - Chubby Checker
10 Soldier Boy - Shirelles
11 Hey, Baby - Bruce Channel
12 The Wanderer - Dion
13 Duke of Earl - Gene Chandler
14 Palisades Park - Freddy Cannon
15 Breaking Up Is Heard to Do - Neil Sedaka
16 Wolverton Mountain - Claude King
17 Slow Twistin' - Chubby Checker
18 It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin' - Johnny Tillotson
19 The One Who Really Loves You - Mary Wells
20 Good Luck Charm - Elvis Presley
21 Midnight in Moscow - Kenny Ball
22 Sheila - Tommy Roe
23 Twistin' the Night Away - Sam Cooke
24 Wah-Watusi - Orlons
25 Peppermint Twist - Joey Dee & The Starlighters
26 Break It To Me Gentley - Brenda Lee
27 Playboy - Marvelettes
28 Ramblin' Rose - Nat King Cole
29 Sealed with a Kiss - Brian Hyland
30 She Cried - Jay & The Americans
31 Don't Break the Heart That Loves You - Connie Francis
32 Dear Lady Twist - Gary U.S. Bonds
33 Norman - Sue Thompson
34 Love Letters - Kitty Lester
35 Party Lights - Claudine Clark
36 Cotton Fields - Highwaymen
37 Alley Cat - Bent Fabric
38 Twist and Shout - Isley Brothers
39 Theme from Dr. Kildare - Richard Chamberlain
40 Tuff - Ace Cannon