Everybody’s talking about the World Series today, and i’m no
exception. Despite the fact that I usually don’t watch sports on TV, I was
glued to the screen last night from the eighth inning on. And when I finally
went to bed, the thought in my mind was: “All is right in the world, at least
for this moment.” This morning, as Facebook is overrun with
congratulatory messages and reminders
that the Cubs had not won a World Series for 108 years, several people have
commented that last night’s win was a “return to the good old days.” My
historian’s mindset, however, has been reminding me to think about what the
world was really like 108 years ago. Now, as it happens, the book proof I sent off to the
publisher this morning deals with exactly that question. My upcoming “Yankee
Daughters,” due out in early December, covers the years from 1886 to 1920. And,
with an apologetic shrug to the nine real women who inspired the story, it does
not paint a pretty picture. Here’s the blurb that appears on the back cover:  How do you raise old-fashioned 19-century girls
who must face the challenges of an
unstable world: -- natural disasters such as
earthquakes and hurricanes -- institutional failures that cause
economic panic and bank closures -- the unthinkable disasters of assassination
and the sinking of an unsinkable ship -- worldwide conflict and the
horrors of trench warfare And how do you prepare them for the changes they will face
in the 20 century: --from dirt roads and horse-drawn wagons
to highways, airplanes, and automobiles --from political bosses to women’s
suffrage and prohibition --from one-room school houses to
state-controlled public education --from family farms to assembly
lines and labor unions --from geographic isolation to worldwide
communications As for the year 1908 itself, here’s what my story has to
say about it:
Of course, the Grenville sisters would not have been
following the 1908 World Series. If they had known about it at all, they would probably
have been rooting for Detroit. Still, looking back, I can imagine that many baseball
fans—then as now—really needed something to make them feel good about
themselves for a little while. So, thank you, Chicago Cubs, for once again providing the smiles on our
faces. |
