AFTER THE WAR WAS OVER. by Foreman, Michael - 1996

New York: Arcade, 1996. 95 pp, oblong (7 13/16" H x 10 3/8" D). Profusely illustrated in color and b&w with the author/artist's drawings and photographs. "(S)hows, throught the eyes of the boy Foreman was, Britain rebuilding (after WWII). In the summer of 1945, victory bonfires burn and the British Empire spans the globe anew. As the lads come home, the beaches are cleared of barbed wire and mines. Bomb sites become playgrounds, and blitzed gardens the occasion for a filched apple or potato. Foreman recalls the ongoing rationing, prefab houses, and baths in tin tubs; movies with Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, and Robin Hood with an American accent; newspaper routes and soccer madness; school days and his discovery of the opposite sex. He also describes his development as an artist; the magical revelation of 'Treasure Island', first read aloud by a teacher; postwar comic books; his early drawing lessons; and the art school where his hobby started to become a vocation. Foreman's evocative color illustrations depict the detail of daily life and include period documents. (This book) recreates an enchanting world - a time of innocence, wonder, and the simple pleasures, illuminated by the artist's vivid memory. Here is a marvelous achievement and an enduring memoir for all ages." . First American Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. Illus. by Michael Foreman..