I was curious to see if it would be as interesting to me now as it was then. And it was. Evidently a well-written book can be for all ages. I tried to go to sleep last night and finish it the next day but I had to keep turning it on until I was finished. It was so very nostalgic to me. So much like my high school life. However, I had read it before my 17th summer. And strangely enough my 17th summer was the most fun of my high school days so this book was even more nostalgic now than it was at 14. It is a story of first love and I could very well relate to all those new feelings and shyness and concern for the future.
My family was not as formal as this family but many other things were similar. My 17th summer was the summer before I was a senior and my boyfriend would be heading for college in the fall. In the book the girl was headed for college and the boy was moving to another state.
From a blogger I read that the book was originally written in 1942 by Maureen Daly before she was 20 years old. I read it in 1947-48. It was made into an audiobook last year and the book was reprinted in 2010. I don't know that teenagers of today would really wade through the book. It was such a different time and circumstances, I doubt they could relate at all. This particular blogger was a teacher of 7-8 graders and quite enjoyed it herself but also wondered if her students would feel the same. The only thing I thought was a little strange is that it was written in 1942 during WWII and that was not a part of the book at all. I assume the author did not want to date the book by that fact or muddy the theme of the book.
It reminded me so much of my hometown and my sister just sent me a poem written by a classmate of the class of 1950 about our hometown Glendive, Montana. He was the brother of my friend Carla and Hubert had written it for the '49-'52 years class reunion last year (which I did not attend). I hope he won't mind if I put it in my blog as a good memory.
Glendive-2011
Sandwiched between the Yellowstone and "Hungry Joe"
Our town bears witness:
To those who lived here long ago
To those who live here still
To those of us who were nurtured here and thus can call it our childhood home.
Our town provides a legacy:
For strong, resilient folks
Surviving in a tough, demanding land
Where heat in summer has reached 110 degrees,
Where days have reached to 40 below in a crisp, snowy, winter freeze.
Before us, the Indians called this land "Makoshika"
Yet, for those of us who call it home
The "badlands" has a beauty of its own.
We who are privileged to come together in this place
To renew our spirits, can say:
We have been here and shared our love and laughter
And will strive to leave it better
For those who come here after.
Hubert Carl Huebl,MD 7-9-2011 Class of 1950
Girl only house party at 17 in Glendive. As I say we were not as formal as the family in the book.
I told Melissa today that I was surprised the author had the characters doing so much smoking in high school and one even a pipe!!! In our school it was not so prevalent, at least until they went to college or started working.l
1 comment:
I read that book when I was 13 or 14 I think and I really enjoyed it, I don't know if you told me about it or gave it to me but I hardly remember it now. Maybe I should give it another read.
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