Thursday, November 1, 2012

The Jazz Age + Annette Hanshaw


I love old jazz and lately I've been listening to it pretty much nonstop while studying and such. I've also been reading a book that takes place in New York during the Roaring Twenties, and it does such a great job bringing that lively world to life, using slang, music, and vivid descriptions that are incredibly atmospheric and detailed. It's called The Diviners, and was written by Libba Bray. A word of caution - even though it gives a wonderful historical account of the Twenties, it also deals with supernatural, horror type stuff so it's not all sunshine and dancing. Some parts are icky. The main character, Evie, is simply fantastic. Full of spunk, over-the-top, and eager to live life in the biggest, boldest way she can, her character just sparkles. 

I would love to travel back in time to the age of flappers and classy jazz. This was a time when women could be seen in action, fighting for equality and unafraid to display their ideas, opinions, and bold personalities. Just the act of wearing a shorter dress and cutting your hair was a big statement, and many women chose to make it. More importantly, they were not afraid to speak out and to really live. They would not be stopped by outdated beliefs and the disapproval of men. 

Here's to a jazzy, carefree Thursday ;-)

2 comments:

  1. What a great YouTube find! Just listening to it brings me back to the Roaring 20s and 30s (did the 30s have a title?). And that's definitely remarkable considering we weren't alive during that time! The culture of the 20s has become so easily identifiable and so much a part of what we know even now, it's a testament to the power of that age. I'm all for strong woman who aren't afraid to speak their minds -- let's keep it up! :)

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  2. I've heard Dirty Thirties, Hungry Thirties, and Swinging Thirties, and there are probably others...I guess there's no one definitive title so you can choose your favorite :-D

    And thank you for the oatmeal tip! :-)

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