Recollections begins in 1949 when the author's family lived in a one-room apartment in a rooming house. The saga relates many amazing and progressive changes that took place in southern suburbia during the fifties and early sixties.

Recollections tells the heartfelt stories of the romantic pursuits of a skinny, underachieving boy and of the many heartbreaks he endures during his teenage years. Somehow, he manages to rise from the ashes of several burned-out romances and finds the strength to forge ahead in search of the perfect girl who will love him for all time.

For the younger readers, Recollections provides intriguing, detailed accounts of an era that is long past; and for senior readers it offers the opportunity to take a mental stroll down memory lane and reminisce about the good old days!


REVIEW

Source: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2007/nov/27/old-memories-become-new-book/
By William Bayne
Tuesday, November 27, 2007


What began as a record of childhood experiences for his grandchildren evolved into a first book for Harry Garner.

"Recollections" reflects his life as a youngster growing up in South Memphis from 1949 to 1964.

"There was a time before television, before jet planes, before all the appliances we take for granted today," said Garner, who now lives in the Nesbit area.

"It was a time also of almost total segregation, when there were ´White´s Only´ water fountains and when many businesses had ´Colored Entrance´ signs up."

Garner, 61, recalled riding Memphis Transit Authority buses for 7 cents a trip, his experiences as a student at Rozelle Elementary School and later at Whitehaven Elementary and Whitehaven High School.

He wrote of the Friday-night dances at the Pine Hill Community Center "where we danced in our socks while being closely chaperoned."

The chaperones allowed no cigarettes and no alcohol. If you asked for permission to step outside the building, the ladies in charge would ask you to leave the property.

Garner wrote of worthy traditions, of family attachments and friendly surroundings; and unworthy traditions of racism and discrimination.

"It was a time also of almost total segregation, when there were ´White´s Only´ water fountains and when many businesses had ´Colored Entrance´ signs up."

Garner, 61, recalled riding Memphis Transit Authority buses for 7 cents a trip, his experiences as a student at Rozelle Elementary School and later at Whitehaven Elementary and Whitehaven High School.

He wrote of the Friday-night dances at the Pine Hill Community Center "where we danced in our socks while being closely chaperoned."

The chaperones allowed no cigarettes and no alcohol. If you asked for permission to step outside the building, the ladies in charge would ask you to leave the property.

Garner wrote of worthy traditions, of family attachments and friendly surroundings; and unworthy traditions of racism and discrimination.

"I believe it gives some insight into prejudice -- how it worked and how it was manifested.

"The book has no sex and no cursing," he said. "There is an act of violence that I witnessed, and I fictionalized some street names and some of the girls´ names."

Asked why he´d changed the names of the girls in the book, Garner said, "Well, all of them broke my heart."

Not all of the girls broke his heart. He was married at 19 and remains married to the same woman today. They raised twin sons and they now have six grandchildren.

He has published a shor