Book Review: Memories of Marshall: Ups and Downs of Growing Up in a Small Town

Memories of Marshall: Ups and Downs of Growing Up in a Small Town. Greg Peck. Independently published, August 2020, Print, 170 pages.

Reviewed by Brian Johnston. 

Did you grow up in a small town? If you did, what kind of memories and experiences did you have? What kind of friendships did you build? And what has changed since your childhood? Greg Peck has published a delightful collection of essays in which he recalls his memories of growing up in Marshall, Wisconsin in the 1960s and 1970s.

Peck has a background in journalism, and it's reflected in the pacing and liveliness of his new memoir, Memories of Marshall. He describes many different events in vivid detail, and there are lots of great pictures with captions to go along with the stories. Some of the essays were originally published in newspapers and reprinted here.

Memories of Marshall is an easy and fun read, and while it’s ultimately about Peck and his own experiences, it will inspire many readers to recall their own experiences growing up, whether in a small town or a big city. I can testify that reading this book, I thought about many of my own childhood memories with relatives and friends.

There are lots of great life lessons in this book as well. The importance of family is a big one, as is the importance of building and maintaining lifelong friendships. While the stories are largely about growing up, Peck also profiles many of his friends from high school and describes what happened to them throughout their lives. He has spent a lot of time and effort in maintaining those connections, and he also clearly put a lot of thought and effort into writing about them here.

If you’re looking for a book that will allow you to think of simpler times and recall wonderful memories of growing up, Memories of Marshall would be a great selection. I recommend it to anyone who likes history or who just likes to reminisce.