Bill Robertson’s newest book, “More Stories From the Olden Days,” a follow-up to “Stories From the Olden Days,” captures those experiences of growing up in the 1950s and ’60s in the Bolivar Run area of Foster Brook near Bradford.

“Back then,” Robertson said, “that area had a lot of woods, and a farm covered many acres with a barn and cow pasture.”

In his latest book, Robertson retains the same group of friends introduced in “Stories from the Olden Days,” in which the Duke Center author highlighted his family and the humorous events that were part of growing up near McKean County’s largest city.

“This collection is mainly about ‘coming of age’ tales,” he said. “In it, I explore teen dating, teen drinking and the influence of my friends.”

Life was good in the 1950s, and it was simpler. It was an era of optimism despite the early days of the Cold War. World War II, history’s most destructive conflict, had ended almost five years before the new decade, television was still in its infancy, family activities were popular and families and friends worked together and often relied on each other as partners.

The average home had the latest appliances. Dairies delivered milk to your doorstep, the New York Yankees dominated the American League, girls wore bobby socks and saddle shoes, while boys felt comfortable in blue jeans.

Although much has been written about the tumultuous ’60s, with its cultural and political revolution and desperate need for change, many of these happenings actually took root in the ’50s.

During both decades, boys and girls spent many hours outdoors in good weather. Unlike today in the computer age, when parents insist their children spend less time indoors, back then children were allowed to “live” — in many cases riding bikes, playing games and just enjoying the outdoors.

“Growing up in the ’50s and ’60s was a great experience,” Robertson said. “You had close friends who would go the extra mile for you and we have built lasting friendships.”

Robertson survived his childhood without any injuries.

Last year, though, Robertson, who operates a successful house painting business, was injured when a ladder slid and he fell, breaking his legs and spending weeks in the hospital.

“I was laid up last summer and wrote this book during rehab to keep my sanity,” he said. “I used The Courant, Bradford High’s student newspaper, and “The Barker,” the BAHS yearbook, and old news clippings as some of my sources. I also asked some friends who remembered events from childhood. Gerald Conklin was a good source.”

From the March 1, 1968, issue of The Courant came information for “The Computer Dance,” a selection that recalls the early days of computers. In this case, BAHS students paid $1 to fill out a survey would be fed into a computer and ideally match them with compatible dates for the dance.

In the story “The Hippie House,” the reader meets these people of the subculture that began as a youth movement in the U.S. and spread worldwide, and practicing the movement’s basic beliefs of artistic experimenting in music, recreational drugs and being in harmony with nature.

Of course, many of the stories tell about outdoor activities, many of which were shared with his father, Paul, and cousin, Wade Robertson.

“Wade and I were best friends in high school, were in the same homeroom, had some of the same classes and shot on the rifle team,” Bill Robertson said.

He remembers when and his friends created and wore “hodad hats,” which resembled the one Buddy Ebsen wore as Jed Clampett in “The Beverly Hillbillies,” the popular TV show about the southern Appalachian family who became rich after striking oil and moving to affluent Beverly Hills. Robertson and his friends wore these hats when they “hunted” with their BB guns.

Other outdoor adventures are chronicled in “Autumn Hikes,” “The Turkeys,” “Playing Indian” and “Neighborhood Baseball.”

Robertson, in the selection “Mr. G,”  remembers Richard Giddings, who was the BAHS driver education teacher and rifle team coach, who stressed safety on the rifle range, “but otherwise didn’t have a hundred other rules that stifled our personalities.”

A former high school English teacher himself, Robertson recounts the encouragement of a senior high English teacher who brought language and composition alive for a high school junior in his story, “Wrath and English.”

Once again, David Cox has designed the covers for another Robertson book.

Robertson’s easy-to-read writing style allows the reader to finish this book in one evening.

“More stories From the Olden Days” is available at The Main Street Mercantile

in Bradford, Olde Schoolhouse Village Shoppes in Eldred Township, The Paper Factory in Olean, N.Y., and online at amazon.net.