Marbles, Marella Jubes and Milk Bottles

Ever imagine what it would be like as a child living in an era where time had stopped and prices rarely changed? Where for a few cents of your meagre pocket money, you could purchase a veritable feast of assorted lollies, a chocolate-coated ice-cream or maybe a bottle of fizzy soft drink. Everyone read newspapers, books, magazines or comics, listened to a radio and few owned a television or even a car. Where computers and mobile telephones were yet to be invented, you enjoyed virtually unrestricted childhood freedoms, and walked between home and primary school because it was great fun.

Then you should read about my childhood experiences being raised in the 1950s and early 1960s in a small semi-rural community in Australia. There are many humorous encounters and novel adventures to enjoy; from the fireworks and bonfires of Cracker night, the Friday night picture shows in town, extended holidays at the beach and exploring the local district, to the many unusual family experiences, struggles and rewards of life as Australia entered a new age of unprecedented economic growth following the Second World War.

This personal journey shares the considerable changes that occurred in Australian society through a child's perspective into the early 1960s as the Space Age dawned, and many new modern domestic appliances and toys were invented whilst television dominated entertainment. It contrasts the simpler, abundant pleasures enjoyed by children that were to change dramatically as I entered my teenage years and commenced secondary schooling, effectively ending my beloved golden years of childhood.

If you are looking to appreciate a distinctly unique era of Australian culture long since gone, where families improvised with limited physical resources yet children still lived a relatively carefree life, then this book is definitely for you.