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History through the eyes of children.

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Chestnut Mon 02-Sept-24 15:51:33

There's Empire of the Sun with a very young Christian Bale. Also Goodnight Mister Tom with John Thaw. I love them both.

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biglouis Mon 02-Sept-24 14:31:37

I nominate "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". A really powerful film. Yes I know its fiction but for me it highlights something which psychologists call "the banality" of evil. People involved in the Holocaust. on a day to day basis were kind to their children and pets. It is a frightening study in how people can compartmentalise their lives. I remember the trial of Eric Eichman. Such a boring banal little man.

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Indigo8 Mon 02-Sept-24 14:19:18

I am just re-reading The Country Girls by Edna O'Brien. It is the wonderfully, evocative coming of age account of growing up in rural Ireland.

I recently returned from Amsterdam but I didn't visit Anne Frank's house. The Diary is perhaps the saddest piece of writing from WWII written by a child.

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NotSpaghetti Mon 02-Sept-24 14:16:56

Great series "The Mafia only kills in summer"

Through the eyes of a young boy.
Fiction but with reality woven in.

Found it on 4 in the "world drama" section.

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Chocolatelovinggran Mon 02-Sept-24 13:56:25

Oh Laurie Lee, and Lark Rise to Candleford bring a time and a place to life in a way that no history book ever could.
Also- Judith Kerr's When Hitler stole Pink Rabbit ..
All of these fulfil, for me, the aim of a good book " A walk in someone else's shoes"

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merlotgran Mon 02-Sept-24 12:31:09

Following on from the thread of our own memories, I have always enjoyed reading or watching accounts of a child’s view of events whether autobiographical or semi autobiographical rather than fiction.

Last night I was delighted to see the late Jack Rosenthal’s wonderful The Evacuees repeated on BBC4, complete with introduction from his widow, Maureen Lipman, who played her own mother in law.

My other favourites are Laurie Lee’s account of his childhood, Cider with Rosie and John Boorman’s excellent film, Hope and Glory.

Does anyone else enjoy learning of a child’s account of history, even though it might be sad or harrowing? The examples I’ve given are all light hearted.

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