Growing up in Adelaide in the 1950's

Growing up in Adelaide in the 1950's captures a time of isolation and innocence. Max Lees, in his reminiscence "Freedom", writes, "Growing up in the fifties was a time of isolation and innocence. We didn't know what was going on in the rest of the world. We could only compare ourselves with those around us."

This is one of 13 contributions to this delightful evocation of childhood, edited by Susan Blackburn. Blackburn, an associate professor at Monash University and a specialist in Southeast Asian politics, grew up in suburban Adelaide. She invited friends and acquaintances to join her in recreating the experience of childhood in that place and time.

Most of the memories in Growing up in Adelaide in the 1950's recall happy, sunlit childhoods, though there are also shadows. Polio was a constant fear, and unwanted children were often neglected in orphanages. On the whole, however, the contributors' experiences were positive. They look back on the fifties with enjoyment, inviting us into their childhood and teenage worlds.