The decade of the fifties is considered to be “The Age of Innocence” by historians. Television was in its infancy and those who could afford one watched The Ed Sullivan Show, Howdy Doody and Alfred Hitchcock Presents in black and white. Radio stations still boasted such programs as Sky King, The Lone Ranger, Ellery Queen, Inner Sanctum and Gang Busters, and all with enormous audiences. Women wore dresses; girls wore cardigans buttoned up the back over pinecone bras, and only boys wore jeans. Spanking a child was not considered child abuse, and even the tougher teenagers addressed their elders as “sir” or “mam.” A girl may have smoked cigarettes but she never did it on a public street, and a man always held a door open for a lady. It’s true; times were simpler back then, but not nearly as innocent as historians would lead us to believe.

This is not a history book. Instead this story takes us back to that time and dispels the myth that has been perpetuated by those who were not there to witness the events. Through the eyes of teenagers, typical of those who lived in any of the small cities and towns across America during that time, the reader will find themselves with memories resurrected that they can personally relate to. Though fictionalized, all of the characters depicted in the book are “real,” and with whatever one you may empathize, you will feel very comfortable wearing their crinolines or motorcycle jackets.