I’m sure that anyone from my generation (I’ll be 40 in November) can remember their first Walkman. In my case I received a Sony Walkman in 1991, however it kept eating my tapes until Christmas 1995, when I received a Fenner Walkman, which I used until 2006.
Personal Stereo forms part of Bloomsbury’s Object Lessons series, where an author focuses on a seemingly banal item but is really a trivia goldmine. Personal Stereo is no exception.
In the book Tuhus-Dubrow chronicles the development of the Walkman, it’s cultural impact and it’s decline via the MP3 player (which is on the decline as well) It’s all interesting but the main message is that the Walkman and its successors made music an insular experience, rather than a social one. There were a LOT of things I didn’t know so reading this little book made me feel a bit knowledgeable as well.
Will I check out other books in the series? definitely! but just a couple.
What about your Walkman memories – do you have any?
The Bobsphere 