alembic reviewed Only yesterday by Frederick Lewis Allen
Review of 'Only yesterday' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Impressively topical. So much of what was going on in the twenties are things we deal with now. Corrupt presidents, economic booms and busts, religious movements, intolerance, changes in social norms. Fear of immigration, socialism, evolutionary theory. These issues typified the twenties as they do the current decade. Though individually many of these issues are perennial, it is the totality of the common mood that is strikingly similar.
The book is remarkably modern in its tone; though there are linguistic and stylistic details consistent with being written in 1931, the author is remarkably modern and enlightened in his outlook and approach, to include views on immigration, race, gender, and even homosexuality.
I came away with a much better appreciation for events I was vaguely familiar with from school or was completely ignorant of, and I especially enjoyed learning about the relationships between them, their causes, and their effects. It was …
Impressively topical. So much of what was going on in the twenties are things we deal with now. Corrupt presidents, economic booms and busts, religious movements, intolerance, changes in social norms. Fear of immigration, socialism, evolutionary theory. These issues typified the twenties as they do the current decade. Though individually many of these issues are perennial, it is the totality of the common mood that is strikingly similar.
The book is remarkably modern in its tone; though there are linguistic and stylistic details consistent with being written in 1931, the author is remarkably modern and enlightened in his outlook and approach, to include views on immigration, race, gender, and even homosexuality.
I came away with a much better appreciation for events I was vaguely familiar with from school or was completely ignorant of, and I especially enjoyed learning about the relationships between them, their causes, and their effects. It was a quick, easy, and enjoyable read, and I recommend it to anyone.