A survey of 1927 America
Book: One Summer Author: Bill Bryson Review made possible by: Random House Reviewed by: Sarah Coughlan Rating: 7 out of 10
In One Summer Bill Bryson transports readers on a journey back to an amazing season in American life. It is a social and cultural history of America during the 1920s.
The 1920s were years of promising ventures for the world, and America in particular.
The memorable summer of 1927 began with Charles Lindbergh’s historic flight across the Atlantic and ended with the release of sound cinema and Babe Ruth’s record-setting 60 home runs for the New York Yankees.
The novel is filled with American milestones from that year including murder trials and dangerous floods.
It is filled with eccentric and interesting characters and memorable stories and Bryson manages to make history not only bearable but entertaining.
Charles Lindbergh and Babe Ruth are the nearest the book has to protagonists, with Lindbergh being the more significant of the two.
Although the stories are great to read, there are a few historical errors made by Bryson such as the dates and nature of the decline of The Ku Klux Klan.
The book is breezily written, conversational and humorous. It is like reading an amusing encyclopedia with many interesting starts, but few conclusions.
It will be a good addition to your book collection.
