Nineteen Seventy-Five: A Year in the Life of a College Sophomore, Putting It Back Together, But Differently (Part 2)

Rating:
Summary: Nineteen-Seventy-five
Review: After reading Nineteen-Seventy-four I could't wait to read the next book. Who would have thought it could have even been better. I felt even more connected to the main character in the second book and found myself hoping he'd get it together. Please keep on writing Mr. Small.

Rating:
Summary: Memories
Review: Having gone to a small midwestern college during the same period I found this book all too familar. For me, the 70's were an interesting time of both exploration and rebellion. I thought this novel explored both the pain and the joy of the times bringing back memories and feelings I had not visited in many years. I would reccommend this book to anyone but the most right wing. I loved it.

Rating:
Summary: Fear and Loathing in Indiana
Review: In a literary era of tales of survival under physical extremes, 1975 is a Dickensian tale of psychic survival. Unlike Dickens however, Small's account is realistic, and some may find this hard to face. Ask yourself, what would have happened if I had been raised by people who were unable to love me but merely treated me as boarder, and who treated my accomplishments as threats or insults to their own biological offspring, who tried to drag me down to mollify their own egos? Would I become a well-adjusted young man respectful of authority and without a trace of bitterness like David Copperfield, or would I laugh at social convention, take drugs, and learn to make authority cringe?

On a different level, this story will appeal primarily to all those who harbor contempt for authority; those who lived in nonconformist frat houses in the 70s; anyone who has hitchhiked very much around America; those who attended "DeForrest" or similar small colleges and are familiar with the sociopolitics; and those familiar with the cultural desert of small town Indiana and the wacky things that intelligent people do there to preserve their sanity.

From a nostalgic viewpoint, it's an excuse to remember what it was like to be alive then, to walk down the halls of your old frat house or dorm and revisit the strange assortment of characters you knew there, remember what it was like to get high for the first time and how good all the music sounded, and the awkwardness and then euphoria of your first sexual fumblings. You know, the fun parts of growing up.

On the down side, while the author's savant-like recall of infinitesimal detail is amazing, it sometimes detracts from the flow of the narrative. Nevertheless, the story will leave you with unforgettable images, some hilarious (that second floor toilet), others disturbing (the fight on the roof, goodbye Eva). I look forward to the next installment.


Rating:
Summary: Nineteen-Seventy-four
Review: This book is a great read. The characters really come to life . I felt like they were my friends. Anyone who came of age in the seventies can truly relate to the situations the main character encounters in those strange times. The book made me want to relive those days again. I can't wait for Mr. Smalls next novel.

Rating:
Summary: Great synopsis of twisted journey through 1975 college life
Review: This book is essential to understanding the academic environment of the mid 1970's. Mr. Small's description of the times and characters is so realistic, it is almost as if you'd been there. Mr Small's expose' is to academic life in the 1970s as Dr Thompson's 'Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail' was to the American political system. He shows how the cogs within the larger system turned; lubricated by sex, drugs, and rock and roll. And as with most in life, the journey is greater than the destination. I highly recommend this book, and suggest you join Mr. Small in his journey of intellectual hedonism.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Horrible!!
Review: This book was the absolute worst book I have ever read. The author is so negative about life & especially his family. To see life from his point of view was very disturbing. I also found it very alarming that he referred to his own uncle and aunt as Adolf & Eva. What a sad existence Mr. Small must have to feel such hate for his own family!

Rating:
Summary: A great blast from the '70's
Review: THis is a fantastic voyage back to the sex, drugs and rock and roll '70's experience on a small college campus. Mr. Small has nailed the experience, and I felt transported back to that time by the book. If you've forgotten what it was like, or if you're just curious, I strongly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: A great blast from the '70's
Review: When I started to read this book, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I didn't know if it was just going to be another hippie chronicle or something with more depth. I was pleasantly surprised with my find. Not only is Mr. Small an obviously very intelligent man, he is also very articulate. He took me on an amazing ride through 1975 and I suggest you hop on. It's apparent that with his wit and creativity that if you don't get on Mr. Small's bus now - you're going to be waiting in a very long line! I just hope there will be a Part 3 soon.