About Flynn and Russell's When I Was Just Your Age

Historians tell us that history is gathered from documents, artifacts and memory. Of these three elements, memory is the one that serves best when the subject is childhood. When I Was Just Your Age gathers the memories of thirteen oldtimers of various racial backgrounds and occupations, to chronicle what it was like to grow up in a profoundly different era.

This reconstruction of the childhood lives of the famous and the not-so-famous reveals not only everyday life but also the beliefs of the time, the responses to the land, the sense of community, and the impact of these things over a lifetime.

These stories speak eloquently for a value structure that has all but vanished throughout this country. They reflect both the landscape and the “mindscape” prevalent during the early part of this century. For children, these remembrances will build bridges to understanding and set models of service and commitment. For adults, they will be of interest and guidance to reassess contemporary values.

Includes a how-to guide for collecting oral history and an activity section for use in the classroom.

“I fell in love with this book at first sight… I wish I had recorded all the stories told to me by… older, wiser folks about how it used to be when they were young.” —Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“This collection of oral histories is intimate, authentic, and filled with arresting details.” —Booklist

“Illustrated with family photographs and quick biographical sketches… the book reads like a cornucopia of bittersweet recollections of hard times, inspiration and personal development. There is much here that is instructive to children of all ages.” —Dallas Morning News