21st Century Dodos: A Collection of Endangered Objects

STEVE STACK

21st Century Dodos

A Collection of Endangered Objects (and Other Stuff)

Illustrations by Dave Cornmell

Dedication

For Ethan and Martha

who have never heard of most of the things in this book, the poor, deprived children

Praise for 21st Century Dodos

‘Excellent, and very funny. I’m now craving 10p mix-ups, and fish and chips wrapped up in newspaper.’

JEN CAMPBELL, author of Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops

‘Stack’s brand of chummy 1970s and 80s nostalgia is amiable, and there is a lovely set-piece about dangerous childhood escapades on slam door trains.’

Guardian

‘For those of us still missing the Texan bar, Woolies and our C90 tapes, this charming, funny read will bring back some great memories.’

BEN HATCH, author of Are We Nearly There Yet?

‘When my copy arrived I thought I’d just flick through it but ended up reading it from cover to cover. Brilliant, funny and nostalgic. So much “I remember those!”, shows I’m getting old. Highly recommended!’

CLIVE BUCKLEY, Amazon reviewer

‘Filled with all sorts of objects that I had completely forgotten about. Pure nostalgia for the 30-somethings.’

LILYLOULOU, play.com reviewer

‘The kind of book that will inspire a warm glow of nostalgia.’

TIM ATKINSON, Bringing Up Charlie blog

‘An excellent choice for your loved one’s Christmas stocking, and certainly a damn sight better than that sodding meerkat book that a well-meaning associate of mine gave me last year.’

JONATHAN PINNOCK, author of Mr Darcy vs the Aliens

‘I can’t help it. I’m a child of the 80s. I love this stuff.’

Bookie Monster blog

‘A cracking book’

The Word

‘A lovely little volume that anyone over thirty will enjoy, and those pesky kids could read, to help them understand a little of what their elders are talking about.’

British Army Rumour Service

‘One of those books that you start browsing and then find hard to put back down.’

DAVID HEBBLETHWAITE

‘I really do think this sort of stuff should be included in the curriculum, history is not just about war but about the little things that changed everyday life.’

ELLIE WARREN, Curiosity Killed the Bookwork blog

‘It’s a wonderful slice of nostalgia that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.’

BEN JOHNCOCK

‘Potted histories of golden oldies as varied as cassette tapes, typewriters and Concorde.’

Irish Times

‘As idiosyncratic as it is amusing, 21st Century Dodos reminds us that, in a rapidly evolving world, not everything we leave behind is without merit.’

Blokely.com

‘Could do without the expletives in some places.’

D.J. WEST, Amazon reviewer

‘I’m a great fan of Steve Stack’s light and humorous style, so it was a treat to have another one of his books to read. ‘21st Century Dodo’s’ did not disappoint. A lovely trip down memory lane, which had me chuckling and nostalgic by turns.’

BLAMELESS, Amazon reviewer

Contents

Title Page

Dedication

Praise for 21st Century Dodos

21st Century Dodos Online

Introduction

IN THE HOME: Where we all grew up …

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD: Where we walked and played, commuted from, and came home to …

ON THE HIGH STREET: Where we shopped, banked, parked, and hung about …

AT SCHOOL: Where we learnt, got into trouble, and grazed our knees …

ON TELEVISION AND RADIO: That we wasted hours in front of …

AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY: Crushed beneath the wheels of progress …

IN THE CINEMA: Where we sat in the dark, snogged, and ate popcorn …

IN THE NEWSAGENT: Where we bought our sweets and comics …

ALL THE OTHER STUFF: Where I have plonked everything else …

READER’S DODOS

The End?

Further Reading

Thank You

About the Author

By the same author

Copyright

About the Publisher

21st Century Dodos Online

I hope you like this new improved edition of 21st Century Dodos. If so, then feel free to interact in one or more of the following ways.

Come and say hello on the Facebook page where you will find articles, photos, links, discussions and competitions. Share your dodos with other readers and bother me with questions and comments.

Whenever I find anything dodo-related online, I will tweet a link. Feel free to follow.

If you have the Flipboard app for your iPad or iPhone then follow my feed for a fantastic interactive 21st Century Dodos magazine.

Introduction

For the paperback edition of this book (yes, there was a hardback – where were you?) I thought the least I could do was write a new introduction. Mind you, now I come to think of it, we are charging less for this edition so I am not sure I should be doing any extra work at all.

Oh well, I have started now so I might as well go on.

With 21st Century Dodos I wanted to commemorate the many inanimate objects, experiences and, well, other things that many of us grew up with but which are either extinct or very much on the way out. Of course, most of these are victims of the eternal march of progress, and that is only to be expected, but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t mark their passing and bid them a fond farewell.