Monday, September 20, 2021

It's My Birthday! - - Birthday Giveaway #20

 



No, it really is my birthday. Finally! Many (many, many) years ago on this date, a baby girl entered the world. Me! 😊 She was the first child born to her parents and, as it turned out, their only daughter. She would grow up loving animals, sports, water, travel, photography, music, and, of course, books. As I celebrate my birthday today, I thought it would be fun to take a stroll back in time to look at what was happening in the world the year I burst onto the scene. 

Soon after I was born, the first live sporting event seen coast-to-coast (a college football game) was televised on NBC. Hmmm...could football have been imprinted on me at only 9 days old? 




The first episode of I Love Lucy aired on CBS. Did I mention we only had four, fuzzy, black and white television stations at that time? And that they all went off the air at 11:00 PM? Other popular shows of my childhood that debuted the same year I did were Dragnet, Sky King (a Saturday morning favorite), The Roy Rogers Show, The Dinah Shore Show, and What's My Line.






Direct-dial, coast-to-coast telephone service began in the United States. In our small town, calls were still made through a switchboard.

An experimental nuclear power plant in Idaho became the first nuclear power plant to generate electricity. It powered four light bulbs.




Some popular movies released the month I was born were An American in Paris (still a favorite), The Red Badge of Courage (which I would have to read when I reached high school), A Streetcar Named Desire (young Brando was hot!), The Day the Earth Stood Still (a sci-fi classic), and Wild Women (kind of sorry this one didn't stand the test of time). 







S&H Green Stamps were introduced. I pretty much furnished my first apartment with Green Stamps. 




Popular songs were Because of You by Tony Bennett (that man has staying power!), Come On-a My House by Rosemary Clooney, and Unforgettable by Nat King Cole (such a beautiful voice).





The King and I opened on Broadway and won Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Actress (Gertrude Lawrence), and Best Featured Actor (Yul Brynner).  

 





Some of the bestselling books the week I was born were The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk, From Here to Eternity by James Jones, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and Return to Paradise by James A. Michener. In a list of 147 Harlequin romance novels published the year I was born, I found only one woman author, or at least only one who was writing under a woman's name: Jean Plaidy. Plaidy would also go on to publish gothic romance novels as Victoria Holt. Holt was my gateway to romance in my early teens. 





That's a bit of what was going on in the world the year I made my entrance. What was happening the year you were born?


Birthday Giveaway #20:

All giveaways end at 11:00 PM, September 22. 

*U.S. only unless otherwise indicated

*Must be 18

*Void where prohibited

Two randomly chosen people will each receive two books from my home collection.

One randomly chosen person will receive a $10 Amazon US e-gift card. (open to anyone with Amazon US access)

Because I share my birthday with the lovely and amazingly talented Julie Anne Long and because she is one of my favorite authors... One randomly chosen person will receive their choice of a print or e-book copy of I'm Only Wicked With You by Julie Anne Long. 

(If U.S., the book will be sent from Amazon. If international, the book will be sent from bookdepository.com)



38 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday! The year I was born a fire damaged the top part of the Eiffel Tower. And Elvis made his first US television appearance.

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    1. I don't think I knew about the Eiffel Tower fire. I'll have to check that out.

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  2. Happy Birthday, PJ!!! I am thinking we are close to the same age and that you are less than a year younger than me lol.

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    1. We've seen a lot in our lifetime, haven't we? ;-)

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  3. Happy Happy Birthday!!! You are just a little bit older than me so I remember some of the things you mentioned here.
    When I was born White Christmas debuted. It is actually one of my favorite Christmas movies. Elvis Presley (another of my favorites) began his musical career. Father Knows Best and The Lone Ranger were popular tv shows. The novel Lord of the Rings was published.
    It was fun to take a look back!

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    1. Father Knows Best and The Lone Ranger were popular in my house. We never missed an episode!

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  4. Happy REAL Bday. Hope it is a good one. Let us know what you do and what desserts you have. LOL.

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    1. Thanks! Well, I started the day visiting my local indie bookstore to buy a birthday present for a friend. Next up is a pedicure which, for me, is the ultimate pampering. Not sure about the dessert yet.

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  5. Happy Birthday! I enjoyed learning about the different movies, music and tv programs. I am older than you so the things are similar. Love that era.

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  6. Happy Birthday! Have a wonderful day and beautiful celebration. The King and I was a winning Broadway play. Howdy Doody on t.v.

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    1. Did you watch Howdy Doody? He always creeped me out. lol

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  7. Happy birthday! I never thought to look what was popular the year I was born, but it's fun :D

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  8. Happy Birthday!!! Have a fantastic day.
    The year I was born the first scientific pocket calculator the HP-35 is introduced and ABC's Afterschool Special debuted.

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  9. Happiest of birthdays to you!
    Peanut M&M’s were introduced
    Polio vaccine distributed to children
    First electric drip brewed coffeemaker
    TV-Father Knows Best
    Movie- On the Waterfront
    Music-Elvis cut his first record

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    1. Mmmm...Peanut M&M's. Now that's a year worth celebrating! :)

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  10. The first Time I saw Your Face by Roberta Flack was the song
    A tv cost $98
    Godfather was the movie

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  11. Happy birthday!! I hope you have a wonderful birthday (and that you’ve been having an enjoyable birthday month so far)! The year I was born, NHL players went on strike for the first time ever.

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  12. Happy Birthday! The Milwaukee Braves won the World Series, Dwight Eisenhower was President, and I watched I Love Lucy the year I was born!

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  13. Happy Birthday me Dear. The year I was born, WWII started when Poland was invaded. Gone With the Wind, Stagecoach and The Wizard of Oz were all released the year I was born. It was a great year for movies, but I did not see any of them that year. The music was Big Band and I know the words to most of the hits from then and all through the War. I did not start reading for 4 years, so have no idea what books were published that year. But, when I was in kindergarten and first grade, I read a good portion of the non-fiction books about the War. (my father was a member of book of the month club) They Were Expendable, 30 Seconds Over Tokyo were two books that made big impressions on me. I also won a book from my kindergarten teacher. Do not remember the title but it was about a kitten caught in the rain.

    PJ, I hope that your day is filled with joy.

    Take care and God Bless.

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  14. Happy Actual Birthday! It's my great=nephew Sammy's 7th Birthday today so we had a family zoom while he blew his candles out. Hope you had a special treat today. Just looked up my birth year - Polio vaccine was approved, Mickey Mouse Club & Gunsmoke debuted, and Disneyland opened - sounds like a good year.

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  15. Have a wonderful birthday!!! I was born in 1958. Lego patented its bricks and the peace symbol made its debut. The trademark 'Velcro' was registered. The Billboard Hot 100 or 'Billboard' Hot 100 was published for the first time. NASA was created. The Smurfs, a fictional race of blue dwarves, appear for the first time. 'The Chipmunk Song' by The Chipmunks was #1 on the music charts. The first IHOP (International House of Pancakes) opened. The Frisbee was patented. Friskies introduced the first dry cat food. Rice-A-Roni, Cocoa Puffs, Cocoa Krispies, Jif peanut butter, and Sweet n' Low are introduced. The first Pizza Hut is opened in Wichita, Kansas and McDonald's sold its 100 millionth hamburger. Jiffy Pop was invented. The Ford Thunderbird took home Motor Trend’s prestigious Car of the Year award. The winning film of the Academy Awards for Best Picture 1958 was 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'. 'Breakfast at Tiffany's', by Truman Capote, was one of the bestselling novels of the year. The Number One song of 1958 was Tommy Edwards’ tune 'It’s All in the Game'.

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  16. Happy Birthday!!!

    The Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

    Elvis married Priscilla

    Kathy Switzer ran the Boston Marathon


    denise

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  17. Happy, Happy Birthday PJ!!!!! Brown v Board of Education was decided, deciding race-based segregation in schools was unconstitutional, on THE day I was born. I figured that might have been why I was such a passionate teacher. The first electric drip coffeemaker was patented. The Vietnam War began; North Vietnam v South Vietnam. Peanut M&Ms came out. Secret Love by Doris Day was the #1 hit. Dr. Jonas Salk began inoculating schoolchildren with his polio vaccine. Movies out that year were: On the Waterfront, Rear Window (one of my favorites), The Seven Samauri. The first annual Newport Jazz Festival was held; Bill Haley and the Comets recorded "Rock Around Clock". The phrase "under God" added to the Pledge of Allegiance. Books published were: Lord of the Flies by William Golding (which I read in High School and greatly disliked!!), Under the Net by Iris Murdoch, Ideas and Opinions by Albert Einstein, and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkei. Jean Plaidy was the only female author of Harlequin books too. Interesting, I also read Victoria Holt books. Maybe it's because I'm only a few years younger than you PJ.

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  18. Happy Birthday PJ! In the year I was born Alaska and Hawaii became states. The Day The Music Died was the plane crash of The Big Bopper, Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. Movies that came out that I still love to watch are: North by Northwest, Gidget, Some Like It Hot and Operation Petticoat. TV debuts were Rawhide, Bonanza and the Twilight Zone. As for the books that debuted, Flowers for Algernon was the only one that I read when I was 12.

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  19. Happy Actual Birthday PJ!!! The year I was born, The Outsiders, The Great Brain, and The Littles were published -- 3 books I read multiple times when younger. Three of the top songs were: All You Need is Love, I'm a Believer, and Hello Goodbye. And of course, the US was involved in Vietnam.

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  20. Mahatma Gandhi began march for peace in East Bengal. It was the year of the alleged and disputed Roswell UFO incident. Harry Truman makes the 1st Presidential address televised from the White House. The 1st systematic Hollywood blacklist is instituted, denying employment to American entertainment professionals due to alleged Communist ties or sympathies. 1st "Howdy Doody Show" (Puppet Playhouse), telecast on NBC. Jackie Robinson becomes 1st African-American to play in US major league baseball (Dodgers).
    Born that year - David Bowie, Elton John, Farrah Fawcett, Hillary Clinton.
    General George Marshall was chosen Time Person of the Year.
    Loretta Young won Oscar for Best Actress and Ronald Colman won Oscar for Best Actor.
    Harry Truman was our 33rd US President and Joseph Stalin was Soviet General Secretary.
    Died that year: Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel, Henry Ford.
    New York Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers (4 - 3) to win the World Series.
    Movies: The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Miracle on 34th Street, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Bishop's Wife, Angel and the Badman, Sinbad, the Sailor, My Favorite Brunette.

    Sky King was a favorite and I watched the other shows you mentioned. Green stamps were big at our house, too. My mom got the nicest dresser with them.

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  21. Happy Birthday PJ, hope your special day was a fantastic one! Star Wars and Saturday Night Fever premiered at the movie theaters. Tonight's The Night by Rod Stewart was Billboard 100's top hit song, the artificial heart was invented. It's really cool to discover these tidbits!

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  22. Happy Belated Birthday, PJ. I hope you had a wonderful day.

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  23. Happy happy belated birthday!!!! Hope it was a good one

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  24. Of the songs that were #1 when I was born, this was the only one I recognized: Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me). British. Go figure. Apparently The Towering Inferno in box offices was also a big deal. I cannot find the "proof" but according to birth story lore, I was born during a snowstorm. I believe there had been a bad snowstorm over the weekend, they dug out, and heard another storm was "coming" so the boys went to "town" to get supplies when mom went into labor. My sister called the store, the store sent the boys back, and dad hurried to take mom to the doctors so I could be here...so I'm associated with bad weather.

    --Hellie

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  25. PJ, Happy actual birthday. I enjoyed reading your post and I kept finding familiar references. And I thought, wait, I must have been born the same year, and after looking up some of the TV shows, etc., I confirmed, that yes, we were born in the same year. It was nice reliving those memories.
    Marilyn Baron

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  26. I was born in 1968 and though it is touted to have been pivotal and have impacted the nation, it was a year full of turmoil.

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