Brown and White: A Different Time

Brown and White

The late 60s were a wake up call for Americans.  Civil rights, the war in Vietnam, the generation gap, changing moral values, civil disobedience, drug abuse and so much more.  But for the kids in my book, the brown and white school bus was their transport between the big changing world and their home turf. At the time, although many neighborhoods were changing radically, ours seemed secure.

About the time my story takes place, John Powers books on Catholic life in Chicago were best sellers.  Powers was able to take that life and hold up a mirror for us to see ourselves.  Powers world was pre-Vatican II.  He weaved ridiculously funny stories that boldly cast his characters.  Powers gave the community a sense of value as many things we valued seemed to be coming apart at the seams.

When I began writing my story over 40 years ago, I was very young and had an exaggerated sense of my understanding of life. Time has made me humble and in the Brown and White I stepped back and described what I knew. I hope people will appreciate it for what it is, and also understand it for what it is not.