Hi everyone, and welcome back! Today I’m delighted to host a guest post by David Anderson. David’s new book, The Drowners, is scheduled for publication on 17th March 2025.
Please join me in thanking David for sharing his thoughts and reflections on our dear old ’90s, and congratulating him on his new release!
There’s Something About the ’90s
Courtesy of Netflix, Friends is enjoying a renaissance. Oasis have reformed. Hell, even baggy cargo pants are creeping back into fashion. It seems people can’t get enough of the ’90s. Why?
You can sum up the whole ’90’s vibe in one word; Hope. This was the last decade that people looked to the future with real optimism. And why not? There was a brand new millennium on the horizon. Global warming was but a vague warning. Only an earthquake could cause a financial institution to collapse. And lockdown was a word we only ever heard in prison movies.
In politics, controversial election wins warranted a grumble and some satirical jokes on late-night TV talk shows. And no more. Back then, politics was simpler. The differences between the left and right were purely cosmetic. The names were different, but the policies were basically interchangeable.
In the ’90s, there were no concerns about privacy. A trip downtown didn’t mean your face appearing on screen as much as DeNiro in The Godfather: Part Two. And an invasion of privacy occurred when you forgot to shut the curtains and the youths congregated outside the local grocery store saw you dancing goofily around the sitting room with the Cardigan’s Lovefool pumping on the stereo. Little did we know that in 25 years, people would be filming themselves doing just this and getting a million hits on TikTok.
The ’90’s were the last time you could don a hideous sweater and only get called out by your friends (and the odd loudmouth on the bus.) Random strangers from the other side of the planet weren’t lining up to validate your opinion, or eviscerate your beliefs. And conspiracy theorists were the ones sitting at the end of the counter driving the barman to distraction while the rest of the pub argued about the football, discussed last night’s episode of Sex And The City, or flirted outrageously.
But before our rose-tinted glasses start fogging up at the memories of this utopia of all-night raves, crop tops, and absolute freedom, let’s think again.
Nobody spoke about mental health. Racism and homophobia were as commonplace as cuss words. Hollywood wasn’t the only working environment where sexual harassment was rife. And some teachers were as handy with their fists as a chalk duster.
Even if you possessed Mr. T’s booming tone, your voice wouldn’t be heard. You couldn’t post a message online and have people from all walks of life show their solidarity. Abusers operated with impunity, knowing they couldn’t be toppled. Behind the smiley face tees and oversized sunglasses, dark secrets lay hidden.
While we bitch about being unable to enjoy a meal without being interrupted by a high-pitched alert that could deafen a dog, life without a mobile phone was damn inconvenient. If you wandered off course whilst hiking, you didn’t have the option of whipping out your cell and calling for help. Or, pulling down Google Maps to help you reorientate. No, you either channelled your inner Robinson Cruseo or waited a week for the rescue helicopter to appear. Worse still, instead of sending a two-word SMS followed by a thumbs-up emoji, you had to walk around to a friends home to find out what they were doing later.
All things considered, the ’90s were a fascinating time to be alive. And an exciting time to be young. Hell, I enjoyed the experience so much, I decided to write a book about it.
About the book
For Aaron, this world is an unfathomable puzzle. Haunted by disturbing dreams, he drifts through empty days, shielding himself behind sarcasm and cynical wit. After being expelled, he sees an opportunity to rewrite his future at a new school. Connecting over a shared love for De Niro films with Robbie, an aspiring actor of Jamaican descent, he unexpectedly finds his companion piece, one person who truly understands him. Together, they navigate the chaotic waters of adolescence, from dramatic first dates to sociopathic bullies, iconic concerts, and a dead body.
With adulthood fast approaching, the crushing weight of societal pressures and devastating revelations threaten to shatter their unique bond. Confronted by the ghosts of his past, Aaron must choose whether to blaze bright or fade away.
A funny and poignant meditation on the forces that shape us, The Drowners is an ode to that time when your tolerance for hypocrisy was zero and life’s possibilities seemed infinite.
About the author
Hailing from the cold, wet streets of Dublin, David Anderson is the author of The Drowners.
Like a Hummingbird, after college, he migrated south to warmer climes. Namely, sunny Spain, where he teaches English to students who are confused by his Irish brogue. In his early thirties, he caught the writing bug.
He has written several articles for the GMS website about his other obsession in life, football. In 2021, he won a YA Watty award for his novel The Art of Breathing Underwater.
Follow David on Twitter/X, Instagram, and Goodreads!
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