Back to the Future!

For those young people who are searching for substance in their lives and are somewhat disenchanted with the messages they are receiving from the media (in all its forms), confused parents, educators, political activists et al, may I suggest a trip to the past as maybe a step to a more rational future.

Growing up in wartime England was a grim and spartan life. Very little fuel, very little food, and entertainment limited to going to the cinema once or twice a month. The radio was the in-home companion for children and adults alike. What was available was the library. Books were the entrance to every kind of imaginable world and, for myself I was, and still am, a voracious reader.

The technological world of today is a world of wonderment. Its depth of information and speed of access is overwhelming, and difficult to comprehend in the unlimited value to all and sundry. Have no doubt about it, any rational person can educate themselves to levels formally undreamed of. Educators today, in general, are motivated by personal or political objectives which are not always in the best interest of the student.

It's a complicated world today, and for some, more than a little confusing in many ways. I'm reminded of a phrase I've come across quite often..."back to the future". I think it's appropriate to what I'm going to suggest. Go back as a learning experience to understand the basics about character and values. They will shape your life forever.

There is a lot of excellent reading material available from years gone by. You might try Zane Grey (simply written stories of people in the old west). Zanesville. Ohio, is named in his honor. Nevil Shute (people stories set in England and Australia, and a later one "On The Beach" about an American nuclear submarine which survived an atomic war). Shute was known in America under the pseudonym surname "Norway." He was an aircraft designer and an author. He wrote twenty three books and there isn't a dud among the lot. C.S. Forester wrote the Hornblower series from midshipman to admiral. These writers had much in common: (a) they wrote about character; (b) their writing styles were deceptively simple and straightforward; and (c) they were prolific. Youth of my day learned an awful lot from these books and it shaped our lives. If you try them and like them, you'll have enough reading for many a month.

One of the first books I read (and absorbed) was "Anthony Adverse" by Hervey Allen. Yes, it's about overcoming adversity and would be a valuable lesson for modern day youth. Another book about survival and self-preservation is "The Power of One" by Bryce Courtenay.

It's possible that much of this is available on Kindle - and nearly all of their work has been made into movies.