The Good Old Days--They Were Terrible!

Rating:
Summary: Illuminating overview of life at the turn of the century.
Review: "The Good Old Days-They Were Terrible!" is a sharp and unflinching overview of day-to-day living from the end of the American Civil War to the turn of the century, which employs contemporary sketches, cartoons and photos to make its point that these years were not the idyllic times we think them. Otto L. Bettmann uses his vast archive of illustrations to not just show us just how hard and fraught with danger this period of time really was, but also to give us a fascinating look into a vanished time. While his main purpose is to show us that these times weren't peaceful and carefree, Bettmann also illustrates the mundane aspects of any period of time, IE health, work, education, crime, housing, etc. All aspects of a routine day are covered here, which makes this social history at its best. We discover that the inhabitants of this period had the same concerns and problems that we do today. It's all here: garbage in the streets, dirty drinking water, prostitutes protected by cops, child-beating, etc. Definitely not a simple, beautiful time. It's life like any other period, and it's captured here. Bettmann's commentary is concise and mainly supports this book's real strength: it's expressive, contemporary illustrations. As journalism is the first draft of history, these illustrations serve the same purpose in telling us how things really were and how the inhabitants of these times saw their lives. Excellent social commentary.

Rating:
Summary: Illuminating overview of life at the turn of the century.
Review: "The Good Old Days-They Were Terrible!" is a sharp and unflinching overview of day-to-day living from the end of the American Civil War to the turn of the century, which employs contemporary sketches, cartoons and photos to make its point that these years were not the idyllic times we think them. Otto L. Bettmann uses his vast archive of illustrations to not just show us just how hard and fraught with danger this period of time really was, but also to give us a fascinating look into a vanished time. While his main purpose is to show us that these times weren't peaceful and carefree, Bettmann also illustrates the mundane aspects of any period of time, IE health, work, education, crime, housing, etc. All aspects of a routine day are covered here, which makes this social history at its best. We discover that the inhabitants of this period had the same concerns and problems that we do today. It's all here: garbage in the streets, dirty drinking water, prostitutes protected by cops, child-beating, etc. Definitely not a simple, beautiful time. It's life like any other period, and it's captured here. Bettmann's commentary is concise and mainly supports this book's real strength: it's expressive, contemporary illustrations. As journalism is the first draft of history, these illustrations serve the same purpose in telling us how things really were and how the inhabitants of these times saw their lives. Excellent social commentary.

Rating:
Summary: ...and you thought life was grand!
Review: A thoroughly researched, very entertaining view of the side of Victorian life that no one thinks about. Sure, the well-to-do trotted around town in gleaming carriages and exquisite clothing -- but who did they run over on the way? And, what did they do with their garbage? A must-read for anyone interested in Victorian or turn-of-the-century America.

Rating:
Summary: Too much use of drawings
Review: And not enough photographs hinder the book's accuracy.Drawings are someone's coception of a place,person, or event. The comparisons of ameica to Europe`are all unecessary. I feel the police sections are faulty as by 1880 (or even sooner) the police began having alarm boxes on streets in cities. They only spent 15 years (tops) being without communication to the police station hough Bettman conveys the illusion it was a lot longer than that. Bettman generalizes way too much when it comes to city corruption. There had to be some people more honest working in these city governments than he shows it to be. Also, it's worthless to say the police were "believed" to have been in on a big Manhatten bank heist in the 1870's. Was there solid proof of their involvement?And who can prove that all that many clergy actually gambled? Many clergy were very fine stalwart non-gambling citizens.

Rating:
Summary: I remember back in the good ole days........
Review: As a student many of my friends were required to read this book for History class, I myself enjoyed the book so much I bought a copy to keep even though I didn't take the class. Much of the book focuses on letting readers understand what society was like over a hundred years ago and how things we complain about today were just as much a problem in the past. The book features chapters on immigration, health, food, medical care and many other issues of the day.

Many of the chapters will make you cringe as you learn that horses created much more pollution then cars ever did or that meat packing companies often used diseased or sickly cows and pigs. The chapters on education bring light to modern viewers that delinquency and school violence were not unknown and in one instance a young teacher was killed by her on students.

The book features wonderfully drawn illustartions that bring life to the world of our grandparents and how we should be glad to have clean roads, safe food and laws to protect consumers from fraud and deceit. A great book that all students should read and enjoy

Rating:
Summary: Why your grandparents aren't as nostalgic as you.
Review: Dangerous merchandise. Unhealthful food. Insensitive corporations. Why, it's not even safe to cross the street.

It's enough to make you nostalgic for simpler times. Just don't believe the hype about turn-of-the-century America, reminds Dr. L. Otto Bettmann in "The Good Old Days--They Were Terrible!"

In a breezy yet thorough book crammed with illustrations from the period, the author looks at the era with 20/20 hindsight. Convincing without harping, Bettmann created a compelling, accessible book.

"The Good Old Days--They Were Terrible!" underscores the adage that simpler is not necessarily better.

Rating:
Summary: Why your grandparents aren't as nostalgic as you.
Review: Dangerous merchandise. Unhealthful food. Insensitive corporations. Why, it's not even safe to cross the street.

It's enough to make you nostalgic for simpler times. Just don't believe the hype about turn-of-the-century America, reminds Dr. L. Otto Bettmann in "The Good Old Days--They Were Terrible!"

In a breezy yet thorough book crammed with illustrations from the period, the author looks at the era with 20/20 hindsight. Convincing without harping, Bettmann created a compelling, accessible book.

"The Good Old Days--They Were Terrible!" underscores the adage that simpler is not necessarily better.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable and much-needed reality check
Review: Dr. Otto Bettmann assorted this collection of anecdotes, statistics, graphics and illustrations to remind us of just how hard life was for the every day guy in 19th century. This is a much-needed reality check in these days when everyone has this misconception that our times are the most difficult ever. Remember, today will be the good old days in a not-too-distant future. While other history books have tried to make this very point, I think Dr. Bettmann's achievement, and what makes this book more effective in a way, is that he presents his thesis in a style that is enjoyable and humorous. It's a great little book for everyone's history shelves.

Note:
Dr. Bettmann wrote about America in American English for Americans: he knows which side his bread is buttered on. Would anyone buy a book about how terrible living conditions were in 19th Century Turkistan? Let's not take ourselves too seriously, people. This book is NOT America-bashing.

Rating:
Summary: Great History
Review: Gives you an idea of what it was like to live in Victorian Times. And we all think life is so hard on us today, ha.

Rating:
Summary: Owning This Book Is Like Owning Your Own Time Machine
Review: I am addicted to stories about time travel and I have a collection of them. This book is wonderful in that, instead of sentimental twaddle, conjecture, and picturesque rose-colored-glasses stories of the past, you really get to know what times were like in "The Good Old Days' - and - you'll thank your lucky stars that you are living now and not then. I was fascinated and horrified at the details of everyday life a century ago. I don't know how the people of that era survived and I now know why a lot of them didn't. A real eye-opener!!