An American Childhood
In their memoir, An American Childhood, David Contosta and Philip Hazelton, cousins who grew up in the same hometown, recount both the joys and pains of growing up in the mid-twentieth century. Experiencing the comforts of middle-class family life, they recall bonfires and marching bands, hikes through woods ablaze with autumn foliage, and an amusement park by the lake. They also remember the racism, sexism, homophobia, class discrimination, religious prejudice, and conspiracy theories that marred those childhood years. The authors set the stage with a description of how complex geologies in and around town shape both the history and social contours of their community. Most obvious is the di