Friday, May 5, 2017

Review: SEVENTIES CHILD by David P. Anderson

"In the 1970s, when we were sent to our rooms, we didn’t have video games, the internet, or iPhones. We were left alone with just our imaginations, which meant worrying about the ninety-nine ways dad could punish you when he came home." (9)

These are the snarky, witty tales of a seventies child. It's about a boy relaying his Wonder Years. I mean, only young boys would land in some crazy adventure getting lost on the way to Jack in the Box. And only boys would devise a Card Heist for the coveted baseball card.

"Telling a kid to play without getting dirty is like telling someone they can swim but don’t get wet." (76)

"My dream back then was to one day strike it rich so I could come back to a drive-in and order every snack they sold: cheeseburgers, hotdogs, popcorn, soft pretzels, candy, slush, soda... Dream Big!" (82)

Quirky, these stories unravel a sense of nostalgia for an era that's come and gone, even though I wouldn't consider the 70's a favorite past time. Actually, I'm quite partial to the 1920's, the 50's, the 80's, and 90's. Still, the author brings these memories to such a vivid life as if they happened yesterday. I'll be he reads these and smiles to himself as he relives these cherished moments. Of course, I couldn't understand every reference and a few of them were a tad mundane. But I'd say these stories definitely shed a bright light on the 70's and what it was like to grow up in it. I liked the boy's perception of these memories and how relatable he made them. I mean, you don't have to be a 70's child to feel and experience all that this kid felt. And it's sometimes nice to dive back into your childhood self again just to relive some of these funny, embarrassing moments. What I liked best was how the narrator indicated the differences between growing up today and growing up in the 70's.

 

My rating: 3 stars

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