For the defeated nations of World War II, the 1950s were a time of chaotic struggle, but for the victors, it was a time of stability, growing affluence and general cheerfulness (at least on the surface). Suited dads went to work and returned home for dinner, while moms stayed at home and could be relied upon to greet the kids with a snack and a smile when they got home from school.
Sounds nice, doesn't it? A window on this idyllic lifestyle can be seen in "Le Petit Nicolas" (released in Japan and elsewhere as "Little Nicolas"), based on the famed book series of the same name that was first published in France in 1959.
The series revolves around the life of 8-year old Nicolas, who was perhaps the first fictional child character in mainstream Western literature to tell his own story in his own voice and at his own pace. For generations, French language teachers have used the series for teaching purposes, but the story lines require more than a rudimentary knowledge of French. Nicolas has a tendency to let his thoughts and emotions overflow and often invents words at the spur of the moment when real-life ones just won't suit his purpose. Written by French author Rene Goscinny (cocreator of "Asterix") and illustrated by artist Jean-Jacques Sempe (whose poster work defined the French pop art of the era), "Nicolas" is a treasure trove of all things French in the late 1950s, as iconic as the baguette, the beret, the striped T-shirt.