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I hoped AG would bring out a new historical doll in a couple of years--and I was really hoping for a 1950s girl. But I agree with you, with the emphasis on friend dolls, we may not see a new historical doll for quite awhile. I can understand why AG would do this; it's a great way to maximize what they already have. Still, it's disappointing.
I understand what you mean, and I agree, but I wonder if they've sort of run out of time periods. There's not much difference in 1944 and 1954 - except for WWII and Korea - for example. So I wonder if that's the problem they're hitting. If you go back farther, girls in 1744 weren't American - they were British (yes, I know Felicity was as well, but she was there at our beginning) - and there's a good chance they weren't born here either. They might consider 1974 too recent, even though to kids now it's unimaginable - and Vietnam is a very touchy subject and may be too fresh in the country's minds to touch right now.
Kimberly, with respect I have to disagree with you about there not being much difference between 1944 and 1954 (Korea was over by then, btw). The whole feel of the 1950s is extremely different from that of the WWII years, just as 1944 is very different from 1934. The challenges we faced and the way people dealt with them made the period unique, plus the popular culture, fashions, etc. had so much fun and energy to them. I still hold out hope for a 1950s girl some day.
Mollymom: I think you may be right about the Vietnam era being to fresh in our minds, but really, that's only because we experienced them ourselves, (at least speaking for myself, I "was" the perfect target age during that time! But, really, I don't quite know how to explain this. If they use this as an excuse, they couldn't have written Addy's book 30 years after she'd grown up, or Kit's dealing with the hardship of the depression, or Molly's with WWII, Josefina with the beginnings of the Americans coming for trading, etc. I think it would be great if they did a 60's type book. It doesn't have to be written for adults, and be graphic, it could still be written through the eyes of a child. I was born in '60. I could describe a few things from that era:
My father's family was large Irish Catholic. This may sound blasphemous, (sp?) but I honestly can't say when I realized there was a difference between John F Kennedy (first Catholic President) and Jesus, because their pictures hung side by side on the wall of my grandparents and most relative's houses!
Women's rights issues: When I was 3 my parents divorced and my mom was a young working mother of 3 kids, no real daycare at that time, but other family members and neighbors (remember neighbors?) pitching in to help where they could. Neighborhoods were a different kind of thing back then. You went OUTSIDE to play, *with other kids* (because we weren't all being ferried back and forth to activities back then) and you didn't come home till the street lights came on.
Civil Rights: I remember watching Martin Luther King speeches on tv, and I remember also the sad day when I came home from school for lunch (does that even happen anymore?) and saw his funeral on tv. Also that of Robert Kennedy. I was only 8 then, but I was aware that these were great men of our times. Another example of how I personally think we sometimes *overprotect* our children and shield them from maybe too much of society's realities.
Vietnam War: The first real tv-style war played out every night, in my case, on a black and white tv. Diana only now thinks the tv is broken if its black and white! [img]wink.gif[/img] I can recall listening to the draft numbers being shown and hoping that my oldest brother's number didn't come up. Instead of yellow car stickers, we still had the stars in the windows back then. And sadly, very sadly, those boys and young men were not welcomed back home so very warmly back then.
Music: Some of the music of the 60's are still my favorites today. The increased popularity of rock and roll and the changes that it went through, folk music, anti-war music, remember "W-A-R, what is it good for?" (don't remember who sang that one). But also Tommy James and the Shondells "Dizzy" that was a great roller-rink song! And the British invasion, the Beatles and the Stones and Herman's Hermits, Davey Jones, (swoon over Davey Jones). I didn't get much tv as a kid (sometimes we didn't have one) but I remember Bewitched and The Brady Bunch.
Fashion: mini skirts, maxi coats and Twiggy!
I guess what I'm saying is that I grew up in a turbulent time of the 60's and 70's, but from a child's point of view, I was aware to some point of the strife going on, but I was still just a kid, dealing with kid things too and the stories could be told from that point of view.
That's the end of my novel for today, gotta go to work and pay down the code!
Laurie
<font color="#051E50"><font size="1">[ March 05, 2005 08:01 AM: Message edited by: dianasmama ]</font></font>
editing: Dizzy was Tommy Roe, Crimson and Clover was Tommy James, but both were great at the Roller Derby under the flashing disco ball and the lights turned out! They might have even been early 70's, late 60's and early 70's are blending in my kid mind.
<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ March 05, 2005 08:06 AM: Message edited by: dianasmama ]</font>
I was hoping for a 1974 doll..I know Vietnam is a very touchy subject to some people, but then again, so are some other subjects the AG dolls have had to face.
Sarah
I ahve to agree, there were a few othe time periods I would like to see added, one being the 50s or the 60s.
Would also like to see some focus on the early American periods.
There is a HUGE gap between the Felicity's Declaration of Independence in 1774 and the Southwestern expantion in 1824 that Josephine was part of.
WHat about the Louisiana Purchase? I could see a story on the mixing of cultures in the Delta, mixing French, Spanish, Native cultures and suddenly becoming Americans.
There is also the conflicts with the creation of the Consitiution. The first draft wasn't the one we have today.
Or what about the fall out fo the War of 1812? 1814, would be a good time to look at the burning and rebuilding of our capital into the capital that it is today, as well as the start of the building of a truly federal nation.
Or what about a story about the Transcontinental Railroad, perhaps focusing on the Asian Immigrants who settled in the West and were slowly drawn into the interior as workers. Another important time and portion of the population which needs to be acknowledged in our history.
So... yes... I guess I am a little disappointed by the friends additions. Happy to ahve more doll options... and beig of Scotch-Irish decent, can really relate to Nellie on a personal level... but wishing they would expand to other time periods and stories. We are a diverse population, with a complex history, I'd like to see them all covered.
I have to say I personally like the friend dolls, so I don't wish they would make new historicals *instead,* but I do hope they alternate so we can get more of both! [img]smile.gif[/img] Sounds like Elizabeth is coming out this year, so maybe next year there will be an entirely new historical.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I agree with Ann. I like the friend dolls but would also like to see some new historicals--especially an Asian historical doll! [img]biggrin.gif[/img]Quote:
Originally posted by Ann, Samantha fan:
I have to say I personally like the friend dolls, so I don't wish they would make new historicals *instead,* but I do hope they alternate so we can get more of both! [img]smile.gif[/img] Sounds like Elizabeth is coming out this year, so maybe next year there will be an entirely new historical.
I wish they wouldn't come out with a new doll *every* year though. I am feeling a little overwhelmed! It would be nice if they only did a new doll every 2-3 years and they alternated between new historical, friend doll, and Limited Edition AGOT. Just my opinion! [img]wink.gif[/img]
I like the idea of the friends dolls as long as AG
can develop an interesting story about the friend.
I really wish they were making completely new historical characters instead of the friend dolls. I realize the friend dolls are obviously a lot cheaper to make, but one of my favorite things is the books, and I'd love to have a new set of stories to read... and see a new doll with a complete set of outfits... does anyone else feel this way? I wonder when they will ever come out with a new historical. If there's a movie a year from now on, and new friend dolls for each, where will it fit in?