TWO DAYS. THE BOATS WERE BELIEVED TO HAVE THE BOATS WERE BELIEVED TO HAVE DEPARTED FROM EASTERN LIBYA. DEPARTED FROM EASTERN LIBYA. >> OUR NEXT GUEST IS PROVIDING >> OUR NEXT GUEST IS PROVIDING A UNIQUE GLIMPSE INTO A UNIQUE GLIMPSE INTO OUR NATION'S PAST, AS TOLD OUR NATION'S PAST, AS TOLD THROUGH MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED THROUGH MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHS CAPTURING STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHS CAPTURING THE EVER CHANGING EXPERIENCE OF THE EVER CHANGING EXPERIENCE OF CHILDHOOD THROUGHOUT CHILDHOOD THROUGHOUT AMERICAN HISTORY FROM THE CIVIL AMERICAN HISTORY FROM THE CIVIL WAR ERA TO THE PRESENT. WAR ERA TO THE PRESENT. AUTHOR TODD BREWSTER JOINS AUTHOR TODD BREWSTER JOINS US NOW IN STUDIO FOR MORE ON US NOW IN STUDIO FOR MORE ON HIS NEW BOOK, HIS NEW BOOK, AMERICAN CHILDHOOD AMERICAN CHILDHOOD A PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY. A PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY. WELCOME TO THE SHOW, MR. WELCOME TO THE SHOW, MR. BREWSTER. BREWSTER. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE. I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE. SO YOU HAVE CHRONICLED SO YOU HAVE CHRONICLED AMERICAN HISTORY IN A NUMBER OF AMERICAN HISTORY IN A NUMBER OF BOOKS IN THE PAST. BOOKS IN THE PAST. WHY DECIDE AT THIS POINT WHY DECIDE AT THIS POINT TO FOCUS SQUARELY ON CHILDREN? TO FOCUS SQUARELY ON CHILDREN? OFTEN THE OVERLOOKED SUBJECTS OFTEN THE OVERLOOKED SUBJECTS YOU CITED? YOU CITED? >> ONE OF THE REASONS RIGHT >> ONE OF THE REASONS RIGHT THERE THAT THEY ARE OVERLOOKED. THERE THAT THEY ARE OVERLOOKED. ACTUALLY WAS THE IDEA OF AN ACTUALLY WAS THE IDEA OF AN EDITOR TO BE FRANK. EDITOR TO BE FRANK. >> AND THEY BROUGHT IT TO ME >> AND THEY BROUGHT IT TO ME AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, OKAY, AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, OKAY, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THIS I'M NOT SURE WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. IS ABOUT. BUT THE MORE I BEGAN LOOKING BUT THE MORE I BEGAN LOOKING INTO IT, THE MORE I REALIZED INTO IT, THE MORE I REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILDHOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILDHOOD TO AMERICAN HISTORY. TO AMERICAN HISTORY. JUST HOW THIS NATION HAS BEEN JUST HOW THIS NATION HAS BEEN THE KIND OF CHILD CENTERED THE KIND OF CHILD CENTERED NATION FOR MOST OF OUR HISTORY. NATION FOR MOST OF OUR HISTORY. AND FROM THAT, I BEGAN AND FROM THAT, I BEGAN RESEARCHING THE PHOTOGRAPHY, RESEARCHING THE PHOTOGRAPHY, THE ARTIFACTS OF CHILDHOOD, THE ARTIFACTS OF CHILDHOOD, AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS THIS WEALTH OF MATERIAL THAT THIS WEALTH OF MATERIAL THAT NEEDED TO BE SHOWN. NEEDED TO BE SHOWN. >> AND YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT >> AND YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT AND WRITE, IN FACT, THAT IT WAS AND WRITE, IN FACT, THAT IT WAS AMERICAN WHO INVENTED AMERICAN WHO INVENTED THE CONCEPT OF CHILDHOOD HOUSE. THE CONCEPT OF CHILDHOOD HOUSE. >> YEAH, I MEAN, AN INTERESTING >> YEAH, I MEAN, AN INTERESTING CONCEPT. CONCEPT. YOU DON'T THINK OF CHILDHOOD YOU DON'T THINK OF CHILDHOOD BEING INVENTED, BUT AMERICA WAS BEING INVENTED, BUT AMERICA WAS A COUNTRY THAT CAME OUT OF A COUNTRY THAT CAME OUT OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT. THE ENLIGHTENMENT. THE ENLIGHTENMENT WAS A PERIOD THE ENLIGHTENMENT WAS A PERIOD OF HISTORY THAT CELEBRATED OF HISTORY THAT CELEBRATED THE INDIVIDUAL DIGNITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL DIGNITY OF THE SELF. THE SELF. AND AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW FROM AND AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW FROM OUR FOUNDING DOCUMENTS, THERE'S OUR FOUNDING DOCUMENTS, THERE'S A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE SORT A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE SORT OF DEVELOPING THE INDIVIDUAL OF DEVELOPING THE INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT, INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT, THE INDIVIDUAL SELF THE INDIVIDUAL SELF TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLD . TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLD . AND SO THE NOTION OF A KIND OF AND SO THE NOTION OF A KIND OF PROTECTED PERIOD OF LIFE WHEN PROTECTED PERIOD OF LIFE WHEN WE CAN BECOME OURSELVES, WE CAN WE CAN BECOME OURSELVES, WE CAN BECOME THAT SPECIAL INDIVIDUAL BECOME THAT SPECIAL INDIVIDUAL THAT WE ARE WITH SORT OF THAT WE ARE WITH SORT OF INGRAINED IN OUR FOUNDING INGRAINED IN OUR FOUNDING DOCUMENTS. DOCUMENTS. AND FROM THERE WE BEGAN SORT OF AND FROM THERE WE BEGAN SORT OF BECOME A NATION THAT REALLY BECOME A NATION THAT REALLY FOCUSED ON CHILDHOOD MORE THAN FOCUSED ON CHILDHOOD MORE THAN ANY PLACE ELSE IN THE WORLD. ANY PLACE ELSE IN THE WORLD. >> YOU ALSO WRITE THAT WE ARE >> YOU ALSO WRITE THAT WE ARE PRESIDING OVER ITS DEMISE. PRESIDING OVER ITS DEMISE. SO, YEAH, I'M SORT OF CONCERNED SO, YEAH, I'M SORT OF CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AS A LOT OF PEOPLE ABOUT THIS AS A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FOR SOME TIME. HAVE BEEN FOR SOME TIME. ABOUT 20 OR SO YEARS AGO, ABOUT 20 OR SO YEARS AGO, A FAMOUS MEDIA PHILOSOPHER, A FAMOUS MEDIA PHILOSOPHER, NEIL POSTMAN, WROTE A BOOK NEIL POSTMAN, WROTE A BOOK CALLED THE DISAPPEARANCE OF CALLED THE DISAPPEARANCE OF CHILDHOOD. CHILDHOOD. AND HIS ARGUMENT WAS THAT AND HIS ARGUMENT WAS THAT THE WE HAVE ADULT DEFIED THE WE HAVE ADULT DEFIED CHILDREN AND CHILD DEFIED CHILDREN AND CHILD DEFIED ADULTS IN THE WAY THAT ADULTS IN THE WAY THAT OUR MEDIA IN PARTICULAR HAD OUR MEDIA IN PARTICULAR HAD CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE IN WHICH CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE IN WHICH WE LIVE. WE LIVE. AND I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT AND I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE HE WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE HE POSITED THAT IDEA A FEW DECADES POSITED THAT IDEA A FEW DECADES TO GO WITH THE RISE OF, TO GO WITH THE RISE OF, YOU KNOW, THE TECHNOLOGY AS A YOU KNOW, THE TECHNOLOGY AS A SORT OF LEVELER OF EXPERIENCE SORT OF LEVELER OF EXPERIENCE FROM CHILDHOOD TO ADULT AND THE FROM CHILDHOOD TO ADULT AND THE RISE OF A GUN CULTURE INTO RISE OF A GUN CULTURE INTO MERGING INTO OUR SCHOOLS MERGING INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS THAT AND ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS THAT WE ASSOCIATE WITH ADULT LIFE. WE ASSOCIATE WITH ADULT LIFE. WE USED TO BE PROTECTED FROM WE USED TO BE PROTECTED FROM CHILDREN ARE NOW VERY MUCH PART CHILDREN ARE NOW VERY MUCH PART OF CHILDREN'S LIVES. OF CHILDREN'S LIVES. SO I WORRY ABOUT THAT. SO I WORRY ABOUT THAT. I WORRY ABOUT THE DEMISE OF I WORRY ABOUT THE DEMISE OF CHILDHOOD AS A PROTECTED PERIOD CHILDHOOD AS A PROTECTED PERIOD WHEN WE CAN ALLOW OUR CHILDREN WHEN WE CAN ALLOW OUR CHILDREN TO SORT OF EXPLORE TO SORT OF EXPLORE THEIR IMAGINATIONS, WE THEIR IMAGINATIONS, WE ACTUALLY BENEFIT. ACTUALLY BENEFIT. SO MUCH FROM THAT IMAGINATION SO MUCH FROM THAT IMAGINATION IN OUR HISTORY. IN OUR HISTORY. >> AND WE'RE SEEING SOME OF >> AND WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THESE JUST REALLY PRICELESS THESE JUST REALLY PRICELESS PHOTOGRAPHS THAT ARE ARE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT ARE ARE FEATURED IN THE BOOK. FEATURED IN THE BOOK. >> HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT >> HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT PROCURING THEM? PROCURING THEM? THE INTERESTING THE INTERNET THE INTERESTING THE INTERNET IS A WONDERFUL THING. IS A WONDERFUL THING. >> IT'S DANGEROUS THING. >> IT'S DANGEROUS THING. IT'S A WONDERFUL THING. IT'S A WONDERFUL THING. AND THE WONDERFUL PART OF IT AND THE WONDERFUL PART OF IT IS THAT THERE'S THIS WEALTH OF IS THAT THERE'S THIS WEALTH OF MATERIAL THAT'S OUT THERE MATERIAL THAT'S OUT THERE THAT'S BEEN DIGITIZED. THAT'S BEEN DIGITIZED. I MEAN, THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS I MEAN, THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS IN PARTICULAR, WHICH IS THE IN PARTICULAR, WHICH IS THE SOURCE THAT I USED FREQUENTLY SOURCE THAT I USED FREQUENTLY IN MY RESEARCH HERE, THEY HAVE IN MY RESEARCH HERE, THEY HAVE AN AMAZING PRINTS AN AMAZING PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION AND THEY'VE DIGITIZED MUCH OF AND THEY'VE DIGITIZED MUCH OF IT. IT. SO YOU ACTUALLY CAN THEY CAN DO SO YOU ACTUALLY CAN THEY CAN DO THE RESEARCH ONLINE. THE RESEARCH ONLINE. AND THERE'S JUST MILLIONS OF AND THERE'S JUST MILLIONS OF PHOTOGRAPHS OUT THERE, MANY OF PHOTOGRAPHS OUT THERE, MANY OF THEM, WHICH HAVE NEVER REALLY THEM, WHICH HAVE NEVER REALLY BEEN SEEN. BEEN SEEN. AND I SAW I DID A LOT OF AND I SAW I DID A LOT OF RESEARCH ONLINE AND A LOT OF RESEARCH ONLINE AND A LOT OF RESEARCH THROUGH, YOU KNOW, RESEARCH THROUGH, YOU KNOW, COLLECTING BOOKS AND LOOKING COLLECTING BOOKS AND LOOKING FOR THE CHILDHOOD PHOTOGRAPHS FOR THE CHILDHOOD PHOTOGRAPHS OF FAMOUS PEOPLE, BUT ALSO OF FAMOUS PEOPLE, BUT ALSO GOING TO FLEA MARKETS GOING TO FLEA MARKETS AND ANTIQUE SHOPS, JUST PICKING AND ANTIQUE SHOPS, JUST PICKING THROUGH THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THROUGH THE THINGS THAT ARE IN BASKETS THERE AND FINDING THESE BASKETS THERE AND FINDING THESE AMAZING PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF AMAZING PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF PEOPLE THAT I WAS INVALUABLE PEOPLE THAT I WAS INVALUABLE TO RESEARCH AND DISCOVER TO RESEARCH AND DISCOVER SOME INFORMATION ABOUT. SOME INFORMATION ABOUT. I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING, THE CONTRAST INTERESTING, THE CONTRAST SOMETIMES HOW YOU HAVE SOMETIMES HOW YOU HAVE THE JUXTAPOSED ON CERTAIN PAGES THE JUXTAPOSED ON CERTAIN PAGES OPPOSING. OPPOSING. >> HOW DID YOU DETERMINE >> HOW DID YOU DETERMINE THE LAYOUT? THE LAYOUT? WELL, YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO WELL, YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO I WORKED FOR LIFE MAGAZINE. I WORKED FOR LIFE MAGAZINE. I WAS VERY FAMILIAR I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE WAY WITH PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE WAY THAT LIFE UNDERSTOOD THIS THAT LIFE UNDERSTOOD THIS SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP OF SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP OF JUXTAPOSING TWO PICTURES JUXTAPOSING TWO PICTURES TO CREATE A KIND OF VISUAL TO CREATE A KIND OF VISUAL MEANING. MEANING. AND SO I THINK YOU SEE THAT AND SO I THINK YOU SEE THAT AND I PAIRED DIFFERENT AND I PAIRED DIFFERENT PHOTOGRAPHS FROM DIFFERENT PHOTOGRAPHS FROM DIFFERENT AREAS. AREAS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMES ACROSS IS THAT HISTORY COMES ACROSS IS THAT HISTORY IS , OF COURSE, NOT JUST DUSTY IS , OF COURSE, NOT JUST DUSTY OLD BLACK AND WHITE EXPERIENCE. OLD BLACK AND WHITE EXPERIENCE. IT'S ACTUALLY VERY MUCH IN SYNC IT'S ACTUALLY VERY MUCH IN SYNC WITH WHAT WE LIVE TODAY. WITH WHAT WE LIVE TODAY. AND YOU WILL SEE IN AND YOU WILL SEE IN THE INTRODUCTION THAT I THE INTRODUCTION THAT I MENTIONED THAT THE PHOTOGRAPHS, MENTIONED THAT THE PHOTOGRAPHS, YOU LOOK AT THEM, THE OLD FOR YOU LOOK AT THEM, THE OLD FOR TO SAY, GEE, THAT LOOKS VERY TO SAY, GEE, THAT LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE SOMEBODY I SAW LAST MUCH LIKE SOMEBODY I SAW LAST WEEK. WEEK. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WONDERFUL YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WONDERFUL PHOTOGRAPH OF THIS TEENAGE PHOTOGRAPH OF THIS TEENAGE LINCOLN ASSASSINATION LINCOLN ASSASSINATION CONSPIRATOR LEWIS POWELL. CONSPIRATOR LEWIS POWELL. WHO LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE SOMEBODY WHO LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE SOMEBODY YOU MIGHT SEE ON THE D TRAIN. YOU MIGHT SEE ON THE D TRAIN. YOU KNOW, IT'S EXPERIENCE OF YOU KNOW, IT'S EXPERIENCE OF CHILDHOOD IS BOTH TIMELESS AND CHILDHOOD IS BOTH TIMELESS AND AND TEMPORAL AT THE SAME TIME. AND TEMPORAL AT THE SAME TIME. TODD BREWSTER, WE THANK YOU SO