Thumbs Up, V for Victory, I Love You is about growing up in a small Midwest college town in the 40’s and 50’s. The story begins when a child is having his tonsils removed, then follows him as he responds to life’s experiences, some common, some rare. It ends when as a young adult he and his three closest friends leave the love and safety of home to attend college in other states. The 14-year period in between reflects the melodrama that is life, as the boy moves from the uncertain world of the 40’s into the glory days of the 50’s. It’s an oral history that tells how the wonders of discovery, communication, education and the opposite sex changes a malleable boy into a well-formed young man. Covering a period that has not been afforded the coverage it deserves, Thumbs Up, V for Victory, I Love You reveals a softer time, but one no less significant or singular than any other.
Norm Benedict
Norm Benedict