Valley Girl: Childhood in the 80's

by Amy Asbury

Overview

Pop some pink bubblegum and turn up the boom box: It's time to visit the 1980's. Crazy cartoons, wacky food, crackhead-like candy and the most important decision of a pre-teen's life: new wave or heavy metal? Jelly shoes or checkerboard Vans?

Growing up in California's San Fernando Valley in the 80's was chock full of sunshine and skateboards, but author Amy Asbury takes us through the lesser known issues such as creepy pervs in cars and overly sultry sixth graders. Amongst these lively essays are the questions of 80's pop culture: Why did Simon LeBon's sexy stare work straight through the TV? Why did Cabbage Patch Kids start to run out of good names like Jennifer and start coming out with names like Bertha and Edna? Why did we love camel-toe inducing designer jeans? Why did the bass of "Billie Jean" make us stop in our tracks like a dog hearing a silent whistle? Why did a boy's entire social life depend solely on his kickball skills?

Read about fights with neighborhood kids, taking down bullies and trying to fit in with the cool chicks. Slumber party games, crushes, scary teachers, rivals, finding one's talent (double joints, rolling tongue or wonky eye tricks), looking at boobs in the Sears catalog and forays into capitalism by way of lopsided homemade carnivals and melty sno-cone stands.

Jump into the salty waves at Zuma beach, eat your 30-scooped zoo sundae at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor, and get yourself down to the Northridge mall: It's time to dive into the world of the Valley Girl.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940015686548
Publisher:	Estep & Fitzgerald
Publication date:	09/13/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	198
File size:	92 KB

About the Author

Amy Asbury is the author of two memoirs, both of which have garnered an international following. The Sunset Strip Diaries tells of her teen years on Hollywood's most famous street, a place where musical history is made and the party never ends. The follow up book, Confetti Covered Quicksand, tells of the stark fallout from those wild years, and of her struggle to reinvent herself. Her third book is a collection of short stories called Valley Girl: Childhood in the 80's, and her fourth, Smells Like: Music, Drugs and Life in the 90's, was co-written with her younger sister, Becky. Ms. Asbury lives in Southern California with her husband and son.

Editorial Reviews

"Okay, I read this in one sitting - That�s how good it was! A totally laugh out loud funny memoir about a young girl growing up in the valley in the 80's. What surprised me the most is how I, a small town Canadian girl, could still go omigosh I totally remember that. Asbury riffs on all kinds of 80's goodies, from toys and junk food, to the way children were. Lively and well worth the read!"

Goodreads - Peacha Lulu

"It's hard to put a price on something that can jolt memories you never thought were still in your head. Maybe it's just me who loves to escape from my adulthood and think about the simpler times of elementary school and play, but I'll always be grateful for being placed on this earth in such a time to grow up in the 80s. I often wish I had kept a journal that documented some of my days. Luckily, there are books like this to help. you find yourself experiencing several "I remember that" moments.

Facebook - Rediscover The 80s