Where Did It All Go Right?: Growing Up Normal in the 70s

Andrew Collins was born 37 years ago in Northampton. His parents never split up, in fact they rarely exchanged a cross word. No-one abused him. Nobody died .
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I'm going to get my son to read it before his teenage years, just so he can appreciate the importance of not overreacting too much to those perceived slights and injustices. I'm looking forward to the next installment: Mar 03, Catherine rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: As someone a mere few months younger than the author who also had to go to Solihull to fall over on ice this was a real nostalgia fest.

While there were some fairly substantial differences in our personal circumstances, not least that of gender, this book evoked the culture and feel of a childhood and adolescence that I'd remembered with different although no less happy emphases and so was continually reminding me of things I'd not quite forgotten: Who says biographies of ordinary people only become fascinating with the passage of hundreds of years? I think this book proves that everyone's tale has value if it is well and honestly told. May 30, Cecily rated it liked it Shelves: Amusing autobiography, supplemented by diary entries, of a lower?

Good, but publishing a second volume Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now is probably milking the idea too much. It's interesting to compare this with two other memoir-ish books by relatively normal male Brits of the same generation: Aug 06, Juliana Graham rated it really liked it. Even though I'm a bit younger than Andrew and really grew up in the 80s rather than the 70s, I was still able to find quite a few familiar references in this book which I found quite amusing. I liked the fact that Andrew kept a diary from such a young age and so had a good basis to start from in his autobiography and I think he's captured the drama of life as a child or teenager quite well.

I'll probably read Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now at some point as I think I'll be able to relate to that Even though I'm a bit younger than Andrew and really grew up in the 80s rather than the 70s, I was still able to find quite a few familiar references in this book which I found quite amusing. May 02, Lara rated it really liked it Recommends it for: People who were once children. I absolutely bloody loved this book but I do have something of a weakness for male authors writing about their provincial upbringings.

I particularly liked the premise that that not all books about growing up need to be 'Angela's Ashes'. It was also a relief that Andrew Collins' speaking voice did not echo in my ears as I read. Jun 05, Richard rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Children of the 70s. Nowadays Andrew Collins is a journalist who writes about films and music, but when he was growing up he wanted to be an artist.

One of the vehicles for his artistic aspirations was a diary that he kept from the age of 6 to This book is a memoir of a child growing up in a middle class family in the East Midlands, the eldest of three children. It sets out very deliberately to be an antidote to the 'Misery Memoirs' which have been inexplicably popular in the past.

The back cover misquotes the Ph Nowadays Andrew Collins is a journalist who writes about films and music, but when he was growing up he wanted to be an artist. The back cover misquotes the Phillip Larkin poem: I'm three years younger than the author and I grew up in a provincial town in the West Midlands, so I shared many of of the same formative experiences.

Anyone of a similar age probably from who grew up in the UK would probably appreciate many of the stories told. The structure of the book is simple, fluctuating between extracts from diaries, each covering a year. Obviously the style changes as the years pass, initially simple and endearing, passing through breathless excitable prose, and then moving into a sometimes irritating teen angst.

The rest of the book is a series of musings related to the diary. These include thoughts on the slight insanity of having most of the important exams that a child sits so that they coincide with the age when they are developing an interest in the opposite sex, learning to drive and discovering alcohol. This is a very enjoyable book, and it really is an enjoyable alternative to those memoirs that tell of abusive childhoods. Jan 05, Tim Worthington rated it it was amazing. As you'll no doubt be aware if you've ever seen any clip show ever, Andrew Collins has a phenomenal recall of the 'seventies'.

Not just for details like fads and theme songs, but the surrounding ambience - the sights, sounds and sometimes even smells that swirled around street parties, seaside jaunts and rainy Bank Holiday visits to MFI. It's hardly surprising that he had the mental capacity to take all of this in as, well, nothing much remarkable happened to him.

Until a fox stole him through a As you'll no doubt be aware if you've ever seen any clip show ever, Andrew Collins has a phenomenal recall of the 'seventies'. Until a fox stole him through a window, but that's another story. There are classmates with hilariously bland nicknames, unintentionally comic attempts at 'making your own entertainment', and an endless procession of all-consuming obsessions with the latest blockbusting films and, towards the end of the decade, TV series. It's also laudably upfront and undefensive about childhood flirtations with homophobia and what were at best racially dubious gags, accepting they were made in childhood innocence and ignorance but refusing to hide behind that, and the astonishingly confused diary entries about Roots "ma favourite programme" are worth the price of admission alone.

Especially if you Paid A Pound. Hang on, what was that in 'old money' again? Aug 02, Julie rated it liked it. Funny how we all had a field that we used to play in and how we could stay out all day without any one worrying about us! At the time Northampton was a sleepy, shoe making town where nothing much happened it suddenly became designated as an overflow town for a growing London population and all our fields and play areas disappeared under housing sites, factories and other industries moved here along with a large amount of cockneys!

Where Did it All Go Right?: Growing Up Normal in the 70s | leondumoulin.nl

Then it was out with Punk and we all became New Romantics! The truth also that we had to travel to Birmingham and Leicester to see any decent groups, and going ice skating each week meant travelling either to silver blades in Birmingham or Solihull. The book then began to wear a bit as it just seemed to be the authors diary published day after day with copious foot notes to explain everything. Dec 05, Jemma rated it it was ok. Sadly, it is quite dull and repetitive.

To be fair, this is flagged up by Collins' repeated admission that nothing really bad happened to him. The other reason this is weak is that Collins' has split his story into three volumes. Something which is done a lot in both the Victorian eras and now with e-books, but which seems a little mercenary in a book from the early n As a fan of Collins and Maconie and having enjoyed Maconie's "Cider with Roadies", I looked forward to this book. Something which is done a lot in both the Victorian eras and now with e-books, but which seems a little mercenary in a book from the early noughties.

That is odd though, it doesn't fit with what is clearly a relaxed personality. Nevertheless, this is a pleasant enough read and could well be invaluable for social historians of this era. There is much to recognise in his assessments of contemporary culture, which you'll probably like if you're around his age and which the historian could find useful.


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What makes this different is his frankness, for instance about the casual racism of the playground. More of that kind of thing would be wonderful, it's the amount of inconsequential and repetitious detail that surrounds this worthwhile kernel which lets this memoir down. Jan 13, Nick Davies rated it really liked it Shelves: This book makes a lot of its ordinariness, its lack of pretention, its lack of 'obvious' drama a slightly uncomfortable contrast with the likes of Dave Pelzer's 'A Child Called It' is made early on, unnecessarily and at times it does read a little too comfortably and banal, but I enjoyed it.


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    8. This autobiography of journalist and broadcaster Andrew Collins's first nineteen years was warm and amusing, with plenty that would resonate with numerous British kids growing up in the s and even the This book makes a lot of its ordinariness, its lack of pretention, its lack of 'obvious' drama a slightly uncomfortable contrast with the likes of Dave Pelzer's 'A Child Called It' is made early on, unnecessarily and at times it does read a little too comfortably and banal, but I enjoyed it. This autobiography of journalist and broadcaster Andrew Collins's first nineteen years was warm and amusing, with plenty that would resonate with numerous British kids growing up in the s and even the s - I am thirteen years younger than him and was brought up a few hundred miles away from him, but still found a lot of common ground.

    Of the autobiographies I have read before, I generally enjoy the pre-adult reminisces more than the name-droppy grown-up stuff, so this book stopping when he left home was perfect for my tastes. Collins is not the most A-list of celebrities and I know him more for what he has been involved with in the media than the few 'talking heads' appearance he's made on clip shows, but he writes well and this was a witty and endearing memoir.

    Feb 06, Mancman rated it really liked it Shelves: Re-reading this has taken me down that nostalgia trip again. As interesting premise for a book: Andrew Colin's is a few years older than me, but I could relate to this very easily. I too grew up in a small town, with parents who didn't abuse me, or get divorced, and I coasted through academia.

    I'm not sure how exciting or relevant people who don't have this background will find the book. It could act as a social Re-reading this has taken me down that nostalgia trip again. It could act as a social summary for growing up in the 70s and 80s. I'm sure my kids would find it interesting to see what life was like for me back in those days.

    The book is very self deprecating and makes no attempt to glamourise the times. This is written factually with the benefit of a little hindsight, and provides a little view into the mindset of the British youth at the time. Well it resonated with me anyway. Aug 21, CuteBadger rated it really liked it.

    I love this book and have read it a few times since it first came out in It's one I save for times when I need a lot of cheering up and it never fails to do the trick. I'm a couple of years older than Andrew Collins, but all the references to life in the s really take me back to my own childhood - pop-a-point pencils anyone? What strikes me most when reading it now is the freedom we had as kids in the 70s, you could be out all day during the summer holidays, but as long as you were home I love this book and have read it a few times since it first came out in What strikes me most when reading it now is the freedom we had as kids in the 70s, you could be out all day during the summer holidays, but as long as you were home in time for tea and not too filthy when you got back all was well.

    I've read both Andrew Collins' follow-ups to this book and quite enjoyed them, but this is the one I keep coming back to. Feb 05, Barbara VA rated it liked it Shelves: Well when I saw this book for the first time I thought that it would be right for me, I think of myself as having grown up in the 70's but I guess I really am more of a 60's girl.

    Andrew starts then years after me and in England. I really enjoyed the writing even though there was so much I could not relate to! I should have read this a few months from now at my friend's house in Portishead, to translate so much. I cannot believe how all of his diaries survived as well as drawings to set down his Well when I saw this book for the first time I thought that it would be right for me, I think of myself as having grown up in the 70's but I guess I really am more of a 60's girl.

    I cannot believe how all of his diaries survived as well as drawings to set down his life so well. Dec 29, Jim rated it it was ok. Incredibly slight memoir about what it was to grow up in the Seventies in a warm and loving environment, where you sat with your folks and happily watched "Ask the Family" together and you played in a field with your mates after school.

    The author states he was motivated to write this as a backlash against the angst and abuse riddled autobiographies of Dave Peltzer and his ilk, which is to be applauded, but I was somewhat disappointed that a "normal" upbringing was portrayed as mind-numbingly no Incredibly slight memoir about what it was to grow up in the Seventies in a warm and loving environment, where you sat with your folks and happily watched "Ask the Family" together and you played in a field with your mates after school.

    The author states he was motivated to write this as a backlash against the angst and abuse riddled autobiographies of Dave Peltzer and his ilk, which is to be applauded, but I was somewhat disappointed that a "normal" upbringing was portrayed as mind-numbingly normal, really! Nov 03, Harry rated it really liked it Shelves: I'm 3 years older than Andrew Collins and also grew up in a provincial town so have a very similar background.

    This made the book a real nostalgia trip for me with the toys I grew up with, the films I watched at the cinema, the tv programmes, the music and most of all the Action Men see my avatar. Not much of a read if you're not of a certain age though as the references will be meaningless. I however really enjoyed it. Jul 29, Andrew added it Shelves: I was told this book was exteremely funny, a witty look at a "normal" upbringing.

    I read the book because I listen to the Collings and Herrin podcast. In fact, I bought all three books in the series. Sadly, this just came across as very dull. The diary extracts went on for too long, and nothing really happened. I will read the other two - I expect that the next one will be much more interesting. I bloody hope so, anyway! Jul 30, Rachel added it. Other people's diary accounts are never really as interesting as they are to the writer; unless they happen to have had an extraordinary life.

    The case is definitely true for Mr. It was an interesting read in some ways as it prompted lots of memories and discussion about food eaten during the decade. However, I can completely understand other readers who found the book tedious and dull. Feb 16, Margaux rated it it was ok Shelves: The idea behind the book was commendable - yes there are people out there whose parents stayed together, who never ate vegetables as a child and played in a field with imaginary toys who have turned out quite well, dare I say it normal even.

    Taking this along to tonights meet up as I believe some one else wanted to read it. Picked up at tonight's meetup. I love the idea of someone writing the story of an entirely ordinary life. Bris-Con Thank you FutureCat! Journal Entry 8 by Bris-Con at M.

    Where Did It All Go Right?: Growing Up Normal in the 70s by Andrew Collins (Paperback, 2004)

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      6. Well, Andrew Collins thought that, and then decided to write about his childhood anyway. It was funny actually how much of his life I recognised - I'm a child of the 70s too, and my childhood was remarkably similar albeit on the other side of the planet. Some of the names of processed foods and TV programmes were different here but still familiar because I've heard MrPloppy talking about all of them , but otherwise, the 70s were the 70s everywhere. I agree with non-fiction, the author does come across as a bit smug at times, but I think that's a necessary side-effect of writing an autobiography - after all, you have to start writing with the attitude "I'm interesting enough for you to want to read about me".