Wanda Tamberly, based in 1990, has spent two years of personal lifespan working in the fourteenth millennium BC with vacations back home or elsewhen and now reports to Ralph Corwin in 1965 before returning home:
"...she was newly back from wilderness, tossed into a period whose likeness and unlikeness to home were equally disturbing." (p. 169)
Society and technology changed rapidly during the lifetimes of twentieth centurians. "The past is another country." (See here.) Traveling from 1990 to 1965 would be exactly like visiting another country. The master of nostalgic time travel to past decades within the US is Jack Finney.
2 comments:
Probably a lot of small things would jarr the most. Eg., a la Finney, if you went back to the Edwardian period, you'd be startled by the strong body odor of most people. Personal hygiene of our sort wouldn't be available to them before hot and cold running water and cheap soap became generalized; prior to the 1920's, even in the US those weren't very widespread. Most respectable people bathed about once a week.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
And I had been wondering how I would do if I was somehow sent back to the 1960's! I know darn well I was bathing or showering every day when I was a boy in those days. But I'm sure many things would strike me as odd or jarring NOW that I either had not noticed or took for granted in those times.
Ad astra! Sean
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