tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post3946843081765937702..comments2024-03-23T12:38:46.260+00:00Comments on The History Girls: My Family & Other Typewriters by Janie HamptonMary Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06241989732624913706noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-12182010454870722412018-06-29T10:32:57.805+01:002018-06-29T10:32:57.805+01:00Great piece -- brought back many typewriting memor...Great piece -- brought back many typewriting memories! When I first began to write -- journalism -- it was on the typewriter my father had bought in 1948 to keep himself occupied on the long voyage to Australia by sea. This wonderful ancient machine still had the luggage label from this voyage on its (hard) cover. For many years -- including in Africa and in New York -- I could only write articles on this typewriter because I needed to see that particular typeface on the paper in front of me in order to continue, so many pages had to be torn out of the machine and scrunched up and thrown into the bin in the process of production. I found that after six page ones, I could get past page two and three without multiple iterations! Unfortunately it broke down while I was living in New York. I took it to some outpost on Lexington Avenue where I found someone even more elderly than the typewriter who could mend it. I forgot to collect it for many weeks, and when I went back the building had been torn down -- in the endless process of New York regeneration. Thus ended the 40 year life of a great boon to my career, and a wonderful old friend. My father kindly bought me a new one, but it was never the same. Thanks Janie for this and other memories! Maggie Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11475471034701671884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-51728172917190860582018-06-29T01:53:15.071+01:002018-06-29T01:53:15.071+01:00I think I may have acquired my first daisy wheel t...I think I may have acquired my first daisy wheel typewriter at about the same time as you, Janie. I had won $250 in a children’s short story competition and decided to buy something special with the money. How excited I was! I remember buying an italics daisy wheel as an extra. I didn’t get my first computer(a Mac Classic 2 with about 4 megabytes on it) till 1991. <br /><br />This post has inspired me to do one of my own about my adventures in typing! Thanks for the idea! Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-37522226871609838992018-06-28T14:59:03.826+01:002018-06-28T14:59:03.826+01:00Great post! I adore my beloved Olivetti! Have you ...Great post! I adore my beloved Olivetti! Have you seen this book? It's beautifully produced by uppercase magazine http://www.uppercasetypewriter.com/#typewriterClairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11236906641354002595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-43801890259194997652018-06-27T15:45:47.107+01:002018-06-27T15:45:47.107+01:00Fascinating post, Janie. I spent my entire childh...Fascinating post, Janie. I spent my entire childhood longing for a typewriter to type up my first, very juvenile, stories (it was important to me that they should look printed.) But although my father had one he wouldn't let me use it because, he said, it was a German one with the keys in different places. And my mother wasn't interested, so she didn't see why I should be! When I began earning I bought a very ancient second-hand typewriter, though I soon realised it had its limitations, so upgraded to a little Olivetti and went on a short course to learn how to touch type - and what a valuable skill that has proved to be! Now I wouldn't be without my computer, but your blog has reminded me of that old longing for a very basic typewriter. Thank you.Lynne Bentonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14412874594191347503noreply@blogger.com