Observation? It was a surreal reading the first two books (just finishing the 2nd and will proceed on through the series) because, though the place & character names are changed, I could envision the people, places & events described. The bridge over the river, the diner, the fries, the main street, the park and bandstand, the lake and so forth. I started HS in the fall of 1970 so not too far off.