1968

1968

YA nonfiction
"Nineteen sixty-eight was a year of seismic shifts and splits.
In this collection of nonfiction stories, you'll read about this
pivotal year, when generations clashed and the world seemed to wobble,
trembling on the edge of some vast change--violent confrontation,
assasinations, people power, scientific discovery, and triumph."
The tantelizing format of 1968, edited by Marc Aronson and Susan
Campbell Bartoletti, is the recollections/impressions of sixteen
children's book authors of a year half a century in the rear view
mirror. As you can imagine, they wrote their pieces from very
different perspectives. It was the year that:
*Paul Fleishman took the first of his cross country road trips as a
boy on a Schwin ten speed,
*Laban Carrick Hill was mortified by familial bigoted responses to the
assasination of Martin Luther King Jr.,
and *Mark Kurlansky became a conscientious objector when drafted to
fight in Vietnam.
Pieces cover topics ranging from politics to sports and comedy.
Together they provide a fascinating look at a turbulent year in
American and world history. I can't help wondering what it would look
like if 50 years in the future authors reflected on 2019.
On a purrrsonal note, other than the oppressive heat and humidity,
Eugene and I had a purrrfect 30th wedding anniversary. I made a
special supper of steak cooked in olive oil, local organic beet
greens, and fries topped off with mollasses cake with cool whip and
tropical wine coolers. I'm sure the gift I gave him, a gift card to
his favorite store, did not surprise Eugene. But I had one trick up
my sleeve. I told him that I am going to transfer enough money from
my savings to our checking so he can write a check for the rest of my
old student loan. We'll have one less bill to worry about. And I'll
still have enough for fall term tuition, fees, and textbooks. That
act may not be up there with flowers, candy, and jewelery. But I
think it's pretty darn romantic.
Great big shout outs go out to the partner I'm still madly in love
with and the best little cat in the world who celebrated with us.
jules hathaway


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