I had trouble putting down William P. Robertson’s book Stories From the Olden Days. From the very first page, my interest was captured by how he grew up in the 50’s and 60’s. The book is made up of short stories that are obviously told with love and is an easy read.

Stories from the Olden Days makes me wish I grew up in that time. It is nice to see how some things have stayed the same since Robertson was in school, yet many things are very different. I found it funny that the kids sang the same “naughty jokes” when I was in grammar school in the 80’s as they did in the 50’s. The differences I noticed are that nowadays I do not know of any school that still has a rifle team and I am glad teachers are not allowed to paddle their students anymore. I love how Robertson shared actual photos with his readers. I like to put a face on the characters I read about; it makes me feel as if I know them. It also makes the book look sort of like a scrapbook, which I really like.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Robertson’s fond memories in Stories From the Olden Days. It gave me a glimpse of the past when things seemed to be simpler. It also made me see that kids seemed to have more fun back then compared with today. I recommend this book to anyone who needs to be reminded how the “olden days” were.

The 1950s - the era of the baby-boomers, or so we've been labeled. It's hard to imagine that the 1950s is now considered the 'Olden Days'. But, then again, that's part of William P. Robertson's charm and sense of humor. Stories from the Olden Days is a collection of Robertson's memories from his growing up years in the 1950s and 1960s. He starts with a quirky chapter on political correctness in this era. Actually, as he points out, it didn't exist and that's why he titles the chapter "Politically What?" As the author points out, in this era, "People spoke their minds, plain and simple."

The next few chapters introduce the reader to the author's childhood neighborhood, his friends, his parents and his sister. No one was spared the author's attention to detail and his sense of humor, but all of his descriptions are stories given in good fun with no insult intended. Most of the stories center around Robertson's early childhood, but the latter part of the book introduces us to the teenage Robertson as we meet his first love in "Love-Itis."

William P. Robertson is quite the character and, through his collection of memoirs, it becomes clear to the reader that he has always been a character, just like his father, whose humorous pranks lightened the mood all around and made for lots of fun for children and adults alike. This is a book of anecdotes that provides a humorous look at growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. Fascinating read and an interesting trip down Memory Lane.