World Famous Comics: Publisher: Verbal Pictures Press Williams Lake Was Once The Center Of The Universe
Publisher: Verbal Pictures Press Williams Lake Was Once The Center Of The Universe
By: Bob Boan Publisher: Verbal Pictures Press Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Verbal Pictures Press Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 404 Publication Date: July 31, 2008
Product Description: Against the backdrop of the sociopolitical change of the Sixties, some of the youth of small, nurturing St. Umblers, North Carolina started looking for ways to have fun as a diversion. On the front line of that search were Dion, Tea and Cosmo. Those three were far from being musketeers. Nature points the limbs of a tree in different directions in order for them to succeed. So were those three inclined. Dion, the consummate gentleman, was driven to contribute as a scientist. He was the most accomplished shagger. Tea never wore a watch. A watch would not have mattered; he was going to be late. Time was just a vague concept to him. Tea was all about meeting and talking to people. Cosmo was the romantic. He was out to lose his virginity. He was also the comic. In 1965, Reese introduced them to Williams Lake. They recruited others from St. Umblers for future trips. Over the next few years, they had adventures and misadventures centered on the Williams Lake pavilion. Those who frequented Williams Lake were drawn by the opposite sex. The boys were looking for the fallen debutante. The girls searched for the secure playboy. They went to listen to the bands perform what was dubbed “Beach Music.” They went to dance the Shag. Dion, Tea and Cosmo eventually expanded their search for fun and adventure. They began to explore other bastions of the Shag such as White Lake, Carolina Beach and Ocean Drive; however, “the Lake” remained a touchstone. By the end of the summer of 1968, the core of the St. Umblers group began to succumb to the responsibilities that come with age pursuing separate paths. Brief histories of Williams Lake, Beach Music and the Shag as well as biographic sketches of the entertainers named in their story are provided in addition to the group's adventures. ABOUT THE AUTHOR BOB BOAN has been an active member of the space community for over a quarter of a century. He has been involved with a variety of manned and unmanned space programs at different levels of responsibility over that time. Prior to his space experience, he was a member of academia. He taught primarily chemistry. He taught courses from high school through graduate school in several states. Dr. Boan helped develop concepts and systems for communications and sensing satellites for Government and commercial applications. He has multiple relevant patents and technical publications in his field. He has attended a variety of colleges and universities. He received his BS from Campbell University, then Campbell College. His Master’s was awarded by the University of Mississippi. He earned his doctorate at the Florida Institute of Technology. Dr. Boan coauthored An Introduction to Planetary Defense: A Study of Modern Warfare Applied to Extra-Terrestrial Invasion, Brown Walker Press, 2006. He has written two other novels, Bobby Becomes Bob, Twilight Times Books, 2009, and Don't Tell Brenda, forthcoming. Dr. Boan has been profiled in Marquis Who’s Who in the South and Southwest and in Marquis Who’s Who in America. His biography will be included the 110th edition of Marquis Who’s Who in America in 2009.
Solid Historical Fiction Piece Williams Lake Was Once the Center of the Universe is a terrific period piece by best-selling author Bob Boan. Blending a nostalgic tone with a vivid setting, Williams Lake is a wonderful piece of fiction that anybody who grew up knowing what "shagging" was before Austin Powers came along will immensely enjoy.
Set in the rural North Carolina 1960's, the story focuses upon the boys from St. Umblers and their adventures while shifting from teens to adults in a period of transition in both North Carolina and the United States as a whole.
With many musical inspirations featured throughout the book, Williams Lake leaves little to the imagination as it reminds us of how things were once upon a time.
Solid read.
the 60's was a great time to be a fun loving teen This book highlights how much fun it was to grow up in the 60's. Everybody has experienced some type of adventure that was decribed in this book during thier teenage years. This book covers the story of young boys and girls living in a small North Carolina town. The dancing, drinking and joking really made the book interesting. The book flows from one chapter to the next leaving you wanting to see what happen in the next chapter.
North Carolina Shaggers & All Shaggers Everywhere Boy, oh boy, I must say that this is the greatest book for the time and for shaggers (dancers). Even if you have never, ever visited the Williams Lake Club you will still find it very funny and true to the facts as to what went on during the era. I usually read a chapter at the time at night, but could not put this book down. The characters are true to form. Love this book and it would make an incredible Christmas gift.
Reminded me of Grease This book was funny and fun in a very "old school" kind of way. The overall feel of the book kind of reminded me of Grease (the play more than the movie and not for the greasey hair and leather jackets reasons) but with a more southern charm and twist to it. Or should I say "shag" to it.
If you like period pieces about the Happy Days and Beach Boys era I think you'll enjoy this one a lot. Not only is the book fun but it has a sense of realness to it. Especially, if you look at the beautiful cover art and then compare that to a recent photo of the place on the back cover you get a feeling of wow...that was then and is long lost in the past.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
