Cool in School
Bill's hilarious and perceptive observations about sixth grade, including the mini classic "Zanzibar" as aired on National Public Radio, along with "Forget that Girl" and the song "Cool in School", which may also be heard on Bill's greatest hits recording "Play it Again."
AwardsParents' Choice Silver Honors
"Like Garrision Keillor and the writers of The Wonder Years, Bill Harley has a knack for nostalgia. This is a rarer talent than you might think. Nostalgia is easy to do poorly---anybody can get a laugh by listing the fads of his youth, now grown trite and ridiculous---but it's almost impossible to do well." Entertainment Weekly
Dear Bill,
In 1990, my then-boyfriend/now husband of 12 years and I were driving him from LA to NY and listening to NPR most of the way. We heard Zanzibar and though over the years forgot much of the story behind it, and who authored it, we never forgot the song - it stayed fondly in the backs (and sometimes fronts) of our brains. Googling around one day last year, I decided to put in the refrain I remembered and was amazed and overjoyed to find it was you - my kids and I had been listening to your Pea on My Plate CD since they were preschoolers - they are now 8 and 10. We have now discovered some of your other stories - especially Weezie and the Moonpies and have turned on my twin nephews, not to mention everyone in our neighborhood. We love that we have come full circle with your stories and music! Thanks for entertaining so many people for so many years!
Deborah F. and family