Fan of ‘40s Culture Seems Better Suited for ‘80s

For someone immersed in “an era that was about making do or doing without” (“Talk About Retro,” Nov. 17), Joshua Curtis sure buys a lot of stuff. Does his preoccupation with 1940s culture include self-imposed rationing of foods and fabrics? (The article does not mention Curtis’ diet, but the description of his extensive period wardrobe would indicate that he’s not exactly depriving himself.) Do his attitudes toward women and minorities reflect 1940s sensibilities? Does he care that his 1940 Buick and his 1946 Plymouth are gas-guzzling air polluters? Or is it just about buying a lot of cool stuff and carving an identity based on possessions? That sounds more like an obsession with the 1980s.

KEVIN DAWSON

Sunland