An 18 year old chronicles her daily life in 1918 Philadelphia. Friendships, family, young love, church, work, silent movies, vaudeville, humor, self-doubts, fears and unfulfilled ambitions fill her days. Overlay the momentous events of 1918, particularly World War I and the influenza pandemic, and life's challenges reveal themselves over the course of this most delicate time in a person's life and most intriguing time in the history of the world. Informative and entertaining for both adult and young adult readers, "And Then I Went to Bed: A 1918 Philadelphia Diary" also lends itself well to energetic discussion by book clubs and for instructors in the development of creative writing, social studies and women's studies lesson plans. Topics to consider include the challenges of the transition from adolescence to adulthood; young adult love vs. infatuation; World War I; rationing and other domestic sacrifices and challenges during war time; the role of the government, media and entertainment industry in war time propaganda; the course and impact of the 1918 influenza pandemic on America and the world; viral pandemic management and effects; the golden age of silent movies; the role of religious devotion in times of social turmoil; communication and information gathering in the pre-television, pre-radio and pre-social media days; vaudeville in early 20th century America. A companion blog can be found at AndThenIWenttoBed.blogspot.com.
About the Author: Mary O'Neill was born in 1899 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to an Irish Catholic family. She was the seventh of eight children. During her teen and preteen years Mary endured the death of her mother and eldest sister, later experiencing the domestic turmoil brought about the United States' involvement in World War I as well as the tragic 1918 influenza epidemic. She would later marry and have two sons while pursuing her lifelong passion for the dance. Kirk Gulden was introduced to the original diary by Mary's grandniece, Kathleen McQuaide. He felt compelled to share Mary's experience with a broader audience and accepted the challenge to bring Mary's diary to life. As a now retired family physician interested in history and intrigued by Mary's first-hand account of the devastating 1918 influenza pandemic, Kirk recognized the potential broad appeal of Mary's life in 1918 Philadelphia to readers of all backgrounds.