"LOOKING BACK" NOW BEING EDITED

My new book is titled, Looking Back: Boomers remember history from the '40s to the present. The book recalls history as seen through the eyes of those who lived it and is now in the process of being edited. Finally, it is moving on its way to readers' hands and bookshelves. Sixteen talented individuals contributed a total of 19 stories about their memories of past events, from World War II to Hurricane Katrina.

Every story is different. One retired military sergeant tells about going to the Philippines to meet the Prisoners of War returning from Vietnam in April, 1973. He tells how he met the plane with the POWs who had been held longest in Vietnam--including now Senator from Arizona, John McCain. Some of the prisoners of war were on stretchers and all needed immediate medical attention to ensure that they were well enough to continue on to the United States to be reunited with their families.

Three people write about World War II, but one tells about the war as viewed through the eyes of a child, which she was at the time. Another talks about her parents manning the lookout tower in their town along the coast of Oregon, where they watched to make sure we weren't invaded by the Japanese. Still another recalls the return of soldiers after WWII, and how the G. I. Bill helped her family pay for their college educations and purchase a new home.

Just as I thought when I started writing the book, many Americans have amazing stories to share about the way their families were affected by events that have taken place since 1940. There are stories of loss of innocence, such as when assassinations and an unpopular war rocked our world during the '60s. There are also moments of triumph that were shared by all of us, like the day an American first landed and walked on the moon. I'm thrilled that these remarkable people chose to share their stories in this book.

The book Looking Back: Boomers remember history from the '40s to the present should be available for sale in June or July. The book would make a wonderful gift to friends and family members who lived through the same period in history and want to reminisce about those times. The book should also be a must read for history students so they can learn about the past from a personal perspective instead of as dry, boring facts in a textbook.

Make sure you get your copy! Watch for further release information at this blog, or check out my Web site at www.kennedyk.com.

NEW BOOK COMING SOON -- "LOOKING BACK"

LOOKING BACK:

Boomers remember history from the '40s to the present

History as seen through the eyes of those who lived it!

History was the most boring subject I studied in school because I couldn’t understand how it related to me. I hadn’t been to any of the places history books spoke about, and memorization of dates and names was meaningless to me.

Then I realized one day that my generation had lived through some of the most exciting, and at times appalling and frightening moments in history. I also came to realize that the one important element missing in all history and civics lessons is the personal perspective of those who actually witnessed those historic events. Were they bothered by a specific moment in time? What was its emotional impact? Did it change their life in any way?

To document their view of history since World War II, a group of writers and extraordinary Americans recount their memories of pivotal moments since 1940 along with their personal thoughts about what happened. And I attempt to provide an overview of events along with a basic timeline, and offer my own comments about the incidents that I witnessed firsthand, or that most affected me. My personal recollections include the integration of Little Rock Central High, 1957, where I was a student at the time.

We were there. We witnessed history as it happened, and we sometimes suffered anxiety over tragedies like assassinations, wars, political wrongdoing, riots, and civil unrest that, at times, threatened our democracy. We also shared moments of sheer joy as we watched the first man walk on the moon. We were witness to (and some of us participated in) the counter-culture that rocked our safe, orderly existence. Then on 9/11, we were shattered by a terrorist attack on our own soil that revealed our nation’s weaknesses and vulnerability.

History is anything but boring. It is an exciting, living document! We Americans are in danger of forgetting our past if we don’t all take responsibility for passing on the legacy of this country's wonderful history and our shared heritage of courage, honor, and bravery.

My new book, titled: Looking Back: Boomers remember history from the '40s to the present - History as seen through the eyes of those who lived it! will be available this summer. Look for information on its release and availability on this blog, or contact me at portable.writer@yahoo.com.

This book will be an important contribution to our nation's collection of historical documents because it will be told from a personal perspective, emphasizing human emotions and consequences for every historic moment that we’ve survived. I hope everyone will buy a copy for your family and share it with your children, grandchildren, and schools.

Sincerely,

Kay Kennedy