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Duck and Cover: Growing Up in the Atomic Age by [William Philips ]

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William C. Philips

Duck and Cover: Growing Up in the Atomic Age Kindle Edition

by William Philips (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Advance praise for Duck and Cover, Growing Up in the Atomic Age--

If you're in your 70s like me, you'll love this book and all of the memories it will spark in your mind. If you're young, it will give you better understanding what it was like for us older folks to grow up in America during the Cold War decades. You'll also enjoy it if you simply like well-written autobiographies penned by people who are intelligent observers of American pop culture and history. Philips also has a witty sense of humor...Highly recommended!--Robert Deis, cultural historian and editor of the popular "Men's Adventure Quarterly"

This engaging and touching narrative of the trials and tribulations, wonders and joys, and adventures of Philips through the 1950s and onwards, [accurately reflects] the lives of many Baby Boomers.--Bruce Marsh, Johns Hopkins University, author of the upcoming book, At the Pole with Scott, Amundsen, and Shackleton.

Despite the subtitle, 'Growing up in the Atomic Age,' Philips assures his readers that the experimental radium doses he received as a child did not contribute to his growth or endow him with any superpowers…yet. This often hilarious memoir should delight fans of Dave Barry and Keillor's Lake Wobegone stories (“where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average”). Without downplaying the seriousness of an atomic attack in the '50s and '60s, William Philips manages to find humor in the possibility of nuclear annihilation in the titular story "Duck and Cover." Raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Philips' childhood memories take readers on a nostalgic journey through the Atomic Age--the Golden Age of TV, the love of a dog, the family's first new car, a once-in-a-lifetime family trip, and even the thrill of cereal box prizes. The latter part of Duck and Cover includes an encounter with the KKK, travel, his time as a legislative assistant in Washington, DC, and concludes with a chance meeting with one of his boyhood heroes while working in Antarctica.

Print length

233 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publication date

September 16, 2022
File size

5490 KB
Page Flip

Enabled
Word Wise

Enabled
Enhanced typesetting

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Editorial Reviews

Review

This is a marvelous book, wonderfully written, touching, and also hilarious...[A]s a fellow boomer, it brought back many memories of the era and helped me recall some of my personal recollections as well. I was hooked by the first three pages and found it a pure delight to read all the way through--Historian Daniel Pritchett, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

This engaging and touching narrative of the trials and tribulations, wonders and joys, and adventures of Philips through the 1950s and onwards, [accurately reflects] the lives of many Baby Boomers.--Bruce Marsh, Johns Hopkins University, author of the upcoming book, At the Pole with Scott, Amundsen, and Shackleton.

As...a pop culture historian who focuses on men's adventure magazines published in the '50s, '60s, and '70s, I really enjoyed reading Philips' reminiscences in Duck and Cover.--Robert Deis, Editor of The Men's Adventure Library book series

Jump in your go-cart and strap yourself in for this wild ride through the '50s and beyond!--Amazon review

Excellent! A fun and thoughtful memoir of the Atomic Age.--Goodreads review

Richly observed...Duck and Cover is an amusing and poignant glimpse into a life well-lived...Philips weaves together tales that are filled with equal amounts of humor and heart.--Robert Rector, Chair of English/Communications Department, Delaware Technical & Community College

Wit, style, humor, fun! You will love how this author expresses himself. --Amazon review

From the Author

From the Introduction:

Of the thirty-three chapters in this memoir, twenty-one of them have at least one boot firmly cemented in the 1950s, so, for the most part, Duck and Cover stands as a personal history of that era. While this admission may alarm younger readers, let me put your mind at rest by saying that I never start a single sentence with, "Kids today don't..." or, "Young people today should..." or any sentence that blames the young for not being old. I have no animosity toward your generation; in fact, at the age of seventy-four, I wish I could throw off the aches and pains of an old man and join your ranks--even if it means wearing my baseball hat backward. If I have any gripes, they're against my generation. Specifically, the ones who say, "Kids today don't..." and "Young people today should..."

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BFM32V2Q
Publisher ‏ : ‎ NM Nathaniel/Maya (September 16, 2022)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 16, 2022
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 5490 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 233 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #793,713 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #4,139 in Historical Biographies (Kindle Store)
- #9,493 in Memoirs (Kindle Store)
- #14,654 in Historical Biographies (Books)

Customer Reviews:
32 ratings

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William C. Philips

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William C. Philips was born just two years after the first atomic bomb test and spent quite a bit of his elementary school time hiding under desks, anticipating the nuclear war that was sure to come. After the "all clear" was sounded, so to speak, and the fear of an atomic war ended, Philips moved on to higher education and received two degrees from the University of Delaware and a doctorate from the University of Maryland. Although teaching was his primary profession, he also worked as a farmhand, adventure tour guide, legislative assistant, and researcher in Antarctica. Some readers may recognize him as the founder and administrator of several Facebook groups, including "Golden Age of Travel 1830-1955" and "Duck and Cover, Growing Up in the Atomic Age."

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

32 global ratings

5 star		77%
4 star		14%
3 star		5%
2 star		5%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

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William G.

Fantastic read!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 3, 2023

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This was a wonderfully well written book by an explorer that has traveled to parts of this world one can only dream of. I could not put this book down! The storytelling is fantastic and the humor in the writing had me laughing so hard I had to start reading the book out loud so my wife didn’t think I had gone mad. It was an honest, sometimes poignant, heartfelt story of life growing up in a time USA was going through much change. I applaud the writer for his courage on covering some of these topics and encourage everyone to not only read themselves, but share with their children to remind them of how far we’ve come in society from just about half a century ago. Cheers to the author! I hope this book is given as reading curriculum for school children one day.

2 people found this helpful

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patrick mckenzie

Great Read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 1, 2023

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Very entertaining! Lots of laughs and episodes of life that we all can relate to.
pm

One person found this helpful

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Debbie Smith

Engaging from beginning to end!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 22, 2022

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I didn’t grow up in Delaware, but I have been here since 1979 and recognize most of the places referred to in the book. The TV shows from “back in the day” were ones I remembered from growing up or hearing about and the family life described kept me laughing throughout and made me feel a part of the adventures. A pleasurable experience from first page to last!

2 people found this helpful

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Jude

Van Buren Street and 711 West 26th Street With the Philips' (The 5th Sister and Best Cousin Ever)!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 17, 2022

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A must read! What a fun and sometimes poignant romp through the 60's onward. I was welcomed into the Philips' family and home just as my brother had been some seven years earlier. Thanks to their kindness and generosity, I attended Wilmington's Goldey Beacom College as well which led to a long-term career in Education. Bill Philips paints a wonderful collage of my time spent in that crazy, wonderful and eclectic household. It is a must read for all ages and especially those who have lived through the sometimes frightening period known as "The Atomic Age". Bill's generosity continues the Philips' legacy by donating early book sales to Doctors Without Borders.

2 people found this helpful

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D. Pritchett

A delightful book!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 1, 2022

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This is a marvelous book, wonderfully written, touching, and also hilarious. I laughed out loud so many times that I stopped counting. But as a fellow boomer, it brought back many memories of the era and helped me recall some of my personal recollections as well. I was hooked by the first three pages and found it a pure delight to read all the way through. A terrific read.

One person found this helpful

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Sharon

Bill’s story is well written, introspective, and entertaining. What a meaningful life!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 8, 2022

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Easy and very interesting read.

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Joe

Hilarious and Poignant

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 23, 2022

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Hilarious, nostalgic, poignant. This book is an absolute page turner. Some chapters cause you to laugh out loud, others cause you to pine for the simpler times and bring a tear to the eye. I absolutely loved it.

Carol P Stoyack

One person found this helpful

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chemsherm

Very entertaining reading

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 16, 2022

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This was a fun book to read. It took you the life of the author from childhood to his later years, including the times in his life which were pleasant to some not so much. This story will make you laugh and possibly cry at certain times, but you will enjoy your time spent reading it.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Kindle Customer

Fun memoir

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 29, 2022

Verified Purchase

Fun memoir of the atomic age, and includes dogs. 10/10 would recommend. Extra words to reach the twenty word requirement

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