Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Our Future World in 1999 According to 1966 Reader's Digest Book

Here's the Reader's Digest NEW Reading Skills Reader from 1966 with a spectacular future world painting by Fred Freeman (1906-1988). Looky them jet packs! Way cool!

Mr. Freeman was a veteran illustrator for many magazines and books. He may be best known for the 120 illustrations he drew for the book First Men to the Moon (1960), with text by Werner von Braun.

Below is a key to Fred Freeman's cover painting:

It's apparent that the oil companies did not have any input into this! And the lawyers would have a field day with moving sidewalks, rocket belts, etc. Man oh man, I am too cynical now. I remember thinking, when I was a kid in Iowa City, that this was going to be the way it would be! Heck, it's in a BOOK. It's gotta be true if it's in BOOK.

OK, you saw that there are references to some page numbers. Below is referenced When You Grow Up story, which is fun to read

And, if you don't look out, you may build some skills, mate!

Click here for LARGE version.

I like the idea that people get to work later in the day so they can sleep in like great sloths and they don't have to work long hours. Ha ha ha!

Click here for LARGE version.

Food is like candy! More jet packs! Clothes made of glass!

Click here for LARGE version.

In the future, we will all wear what looks like velour jumpsuits with piping ala Lost in Space. And where's my personal robot? Can I have Andrea, from What Are Little Girls Made Of? Can I? Huh?

A labor-saving android from a 1966 episode of Star Trek. She's Shatnerlicious!

1 comment:

Realm Of Retro said...

When I was a kid in the 60s I was told that by the year 2000 we would be going to the moon and back on weekends and "they" would be handing out helicopter licenses at the same rate as driver's licenses.

Then, the astronauts went to the moon and brought back some rocks (wow!). They went back again and drove a moonbuggy around
and then watergate popped up to be followed by a little Jerry Ford (double wow!-- sorry Jerry) and Jimmy Carter.

Looking back on it, i'm still glad I was born at that time as opposed to later.......