Remembrances of Times Past
by Marta Hiatt
Published by Northern Star Press
Click on book
cover to order
at Amazon.com
Reviewed by Connie Anderson
Subtitled: Stories and photos recalling life in the 20th Century
Here in Minnesota, Southdale Mall is 50--one of the oldest enclosed shopping centers. This was one of the hundreds of modern conveniences that changed our life in the 20th century--this one changed the way we shopped.
Not all conveniences ended up necessarily being "good things." Example is the credit card. Prior to credit cards, if you wanted to buy something but didn't have the full amount, you'd put it on "lay away," paying an amount each payday until it was yours, paid in full. This was "delayed gratification," unheard of today.
After WWII, advertisers learned that "sex sells." In early 1960, "the pill" was introduced for birth control. Its biggest "side effect" was the sexual revolution, fueled by the Hippies and Beat Generation. Until then, there was a stigma for unmarried women to have sex. However, everything changed again when AIDS and genital herpes appeared.
The author has melded together historical facts with letters and telltale photos from people born in the 1930-40-50s about these changes and how it affected them. These letters were so honest and true.
Until 1969, gay people were deemed "mentally ill" by psychiatrists. This was deleted from the list and now it has become an alternative lifestyle."
The Civil Rights movement saw desegregation, increased rights for African Americans--but at the same time, in 1960, we saw the assassination of President Kennedy, his bother bobby and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., along with riots at the 1968 Democratic convention. Times were a-changin'!
This book focuses on the 1940-1970 era mostly--and this was quite a time after WWII. The country changed and so did the family values.
The book includes sections like: Lifestyle; Sex and Social Mores; Household/homemakers; That's Entertainment; Fashion; Work; Health, and Science. Then there was technology and transportation and...and...and...
Armchair Interviews says: WOW! The memories this book brings backs are worth hours of talking with those who share these memories. It would be a great gift for Mother's or Father's Day as well.