I've always loved cultural studies, folklore, and history. And I've always been fascinated by artifacts of different eras. Of course, I love the sixties, but I love lots of different decades, centuries, and historical periods.
Some people like reading historical fiction--like the Philippa Gregory books based on the life of Elizabeth I and her court, with intriguing titles such as The Other Boleyn Girl and The Virgin's Lover. These are compelling novels but, as always happens when I read fiction, as soon as there is a lull in the action, my mind wanders and part of me says "This is not real. Somebody sat at a computer and made this up." I am embarrassed to articulate that, but there you go. I so wish I could get into that type of writing--and I do love well-crafted fiction--but sometimes I much prefer to cut to the chase: I like the real thing. I mean, I am somebody who actually enjoys reading the dictionary; I don't just love words, I love etymology and I can get lost in a dictionary for hours.
In terms of pop culture and zeitgeists of different eras, I've always loved written "time capsules"--things like Sears catalogues from various eras, decorating books, fashion guides, etc., and I have quite a few original books from different decades. I enjoy the "as-it-happened" feeling I get from books written or compiled during a particular time, or collections and compilations of actual artifacts, as opposed to a person's musings or recollections. For that, I read memoir and biography.
Taschen has a wonderful series called All American Ads and each phone book-sized volume features a different decade. They are heavy, hard to hold paperbacks--behemoths--but they are completely engrossing. I bought a few of them when they first were published (and, of course, they were later released in abriged versions) and I just don't get tired of them. I have every decade from the twenties through the seventies.
Check them out if you get a chance. They contain original newspaper and print ads for everything from soap and lingerie to cars and furniture.
Some people like reading historical fiction--like the Philippa Gregory books based on the life of Elizabeth I and her court, with intriguing titles such as The Other Boleyn Girl and The Virgin's Lover. These are compelling novels but, as always happens when I read fiction, as soon as there is a lull in the action, my mind wanders and part of me says "This is not real. Somebody sat at a computer and made this up." I am embarrassed to articulate that, but there you go. I so wish I could get into that type of writing--and I do love well-crafted fiction--but sometimes I much prefer to cut to the chase: I like the real thing. I mean, I am somebody who actually enjoys reading the dictionary; I don't just love words, I love etymology and I can get lost in a dictionary for hours.
In terms of pop culture and zeitgeists of different eras, I've always loved written "time capsules"--things like Sears catalogues from various eras, decorating books, fashion guides, etc., and I have quite a few original books from different decades. I enjoy the "as-it-happened" feeling I get from books written or compiled during a particular time, or collections and compilations of actual artifacts, as opposed to a person's musings or recollections. For that, I read memoir and biography.
Taschen has a wonderful series called All American Ads and each phone book-sized volume features a different decade. They are heavy, hard to hold paperbacks--behemoths--but they are completely engrossing. I bought a few of them when they first were published (and, of course, they were later released in abriged versions) and I just don't get tired of them. I have every decade from the twenties through the seventies.
Check them out if you get a chance. They contain original newspaper and print ads for everything from soap and lingerie to cars and furniture.
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