Topic: Your Version of the Past

Hello, everybody--I notice every time I come to this group that there are lots of views, but nobody posts anything. Are we all waiting for our words to become historical documents?
I'd like to know what drives your interest in the past. I'll go first.
I became interested in history when I was in fifth grade. My teacher was a real hunk. He happened to be a WWII veteran, and I guess he shared stories (suitable for ten-year-old ears). My interest was increased when in high school I subscribed to a periodical called American Heritage. It used to come beautifully hardbound in those days, but better than that, the stories were well-written and informative, serving as resources for many a report. In college, again I was inspired by history professors.
My favorite period in history used to be the Civil War (1860-65), and in my crazy youth I tried writing stories set in that period. It required too much research of each detail. I'm obsessive about research, and I refuse to invent details. It was driving me crazy.
My area of focus now is the mid-twentieth century. Research is a bit easier, since I was there as a kid. I have focused a lot of my stories on the problems of returning war veterans. Maybe that's because of the military men in my background--uncles, brothers and sons.
Well, there you have it. What's your story?

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Re: Your Version of the Past

You ask "What's your story?"
Well my short story, which I posted here yesterday, and can be read in less than ten minutes, is titled "Smashed Potatoes".  It concerns two American Soldiers during World War II, who visit the Italian Village from where the parents of one of them came.
This story is based on an actual incident, that my father learned about from his cousin, who actually took part.

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