BLURB: MAKE LOVE NOT WAR
Make love, not war was the catch cry of the
1960’s. Against a background of anti-war demonstrations, hippies and free love,
Caroline’s life is in turmoil. Her soldier brother is on his way to the jungles
of 
At the risk of revealing my age, I have to say the 1960’s
was my time. Mini skirts, stilettos (I’ve bunions to prove it), beehive hair
dos, I couldn’t quite manage that, although I did tease the life out of my hair
and regularly put in coloured rinses, French Plum or Rich Burgundy, were the
colours I favoured. I can remember when the Beatles made their first visit out
to Australia
We used manual typewriters in those days. One original and
four copies of everything we typed. I don’t know how many blouses I ruined
because I got ink on the sleeves from changing the typewriter ribbon or the
black stuff off the carbon paper.
During this time the Vietnam War loomed in the background.
The Australian government introduced conscription. It was in the form of a
ballot, or the death lottery as many called it. All twenty year old males had
to register, their birth dates were put into a barrel and a certain number were
drawn out, and those young men had to report to the army and subsequently many
of them were sent to Vietnam
I only had one brother, and I can clearly remember my father
(a World War 2 veteran) vowing, that if his son got called up, he would protest
on the steps of the parliament with a placard on his back.
There were protests marches, anti-war demonstrations, and
things often turned violent. Not that I went to any of the protest marches, but
a cousin of mine did and got trampled by a police horse. A very turbulent time
in our history and I was right in the middle of it.
Boy do I ever remember the 60s. Of course I was busy being a mom since two of my girls were born in the 60s. Loved your story Margaret.
ReplyDeleteHi Jude,
DeleteThanks for dropping by. Ooh, you are older than me then, I was a working girl in the sixties, but I did get married in 1968.
Cheers
Margaret
Margaret, I can certainly relate! These were turbulent times, but nostalgic times as well.
ReplyDeleteHi Sydell
DeleteGlad you can relate. I know, the nostalgia really kicked in when I was writing this blog.
Thanks for commenting.
Cheers
Margaret
Ah, Margaret! I remember the 60's, but from a little different perspective. I was a bit younger, I was in the fourth grade when the Beatles debuted on Ed Sullivan and had an older cousin in love with all of them, though I really didn't quite get the attraction right then. I had a brother-in-law in the service, and being a comic book junkie, his care packages were cradled with older Superman and Batman comic books (which I wouldn't have given up for anybody else, let me tell you!) and his letters home said grown men fought over those comic books. It was the day of the flipped up ends hairstyles, which my hair wouldn't do, and the day of the white go-go boots, which I adored. Paul Revere and the Raiders. Dick Clark. The casualties for that day in Viet Nam were listed in the top of the newscasts. Unless Laugh-In was looking at the news. Memories, girl. Were times better then? Yes. And No. Wonderful blog, Margaret. Thanks for the nostalgia.
ReplyDeleteHi Gail.
DeleteThanks for dropping by. The white go-go boots. I had a pair of them and combined with my mini-skirt, (had good legs in those days), I thought I looked gorgeous.
Cheers
Margaret
Love the nostalgia~ you describe it all so perfectly. well. The 60's were my time too; Also the 50's. lol Good blog, Margaret.
ReplyDeleteHi Joan,
DeleteThanks for dropping by and sharing in my trip down memory lane. I don't remember much of the fifties, well the tail end of it I do.
Cheers
Margaret
I loved the perspective of your Aussie point of view. The 60's were my coming of age era here in the States. Funny how we've tended to think of Vietnam as "our war" when other country's young men fought and died there as well. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteHi Kathy,
DeleteSounds like there are a few of us belonging to the sixties era. There were other countries there including Australia and New Zealand, but your guys bore the brunt of it.
Cheers
Margaret
I wasn't very old in the sixties (not quite a teenager yet) but I still remember my sister's boyfriend being called up. My sister was distraught, but he got knocked back on medical reasons. He wasn't happy, she was delighted!
ReplyDeleteLove your cover, the book sounds great!
The sixties were my decade, too. I remember those wretched typewriter ribbons, and soggy wet mimeograph machines. In college, I was an anti-war demonstrator, although, fortunately, was never the target of violence, especially as I attended sometimes with my baby on my hip. I had friends who went to the war and friends who didn't, and never disrespected any returning soldiers. I remember the Beatles coming to America and how exciting those days were. Must have seen their movie about 10 x's.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your book, Margaret!