Pages: 160 Pages, Kindle Edition
Published: September 7th 2017 by Bloomsbury Academic
Cover Rating: 5/5
Bloomsbury Academic Press has released a series of “Object Lessons” over the last few years that are books on items that have less significance these days or have lost their charm in time but some of us might experience the same amount of nostalgia about many of these “objects” whenever we see one of them.
This is my first reading in the Object Lessons series and it’s about the famously known device that ran on batteries for decades until in the previous decade replaced by the iPod. Yes, I am talking about the Walkman or some prefer to call it a personal stereo. Written by Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow, Personal Stereo is all about the handheld device that ran a cassette tape, with play, pause and forward and backward buttons. Starting from the post World War II Japan where one can find the origins of this device as well as the famous Sony Outlook that changed the public outlook and access towards music forever.
Rebecca’s study starts from Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita both who co-founded Sony Corporation along with the history of their famous product, Walkman. Along with the nostalgia that comes from the reminding oneself of dear past activities or objects that one could relate to, a reader can feel it with the writer. She goes on to discuss the cultural points that make this handheld device unique and acceptable over various part of the world for decades whereas the employees of Sony Corporation at the time of the Walkman’s origin felt to be absurd and a crazy idea that would lead to failure, a belief that did not share similar outcome in reality.
Author’s descriptive manner implying the nature and working of the device and her own experience with it, certainly indulges the reader deeply with the context. She takes the reader through the rise and fall of Sony and the era of cassette tapes. It’s a quick read and for someone who has been the owner of such a device will feel the essence of the fond memories of wearing up a set of foamy headphones.
4 out of 5!
Have you used one of these before? Do you still own one?
Note: I received this book from the publisher but that doesn’t mean my review is breaking any reviewing rules.
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Of course I had one. Of course I still use it since it is one of the only two devices I own that plays cassette tapes which of course I still have. I no longer have an 8-track stereo though!
This sounds so good.
This seriea is exceptionally good. I will following thos one up closely as they add new nostalgic titles 😁