Name: One Summer: America 1927
ISBN: 9780767919401

One Summer: America 1927

Pratik M

An entertaining and often enlightening read into America's modern history. Bryson covers a lot of ground pre-1927 and some past it to narrate a wonderful tale about events coming together in an eventful summer of 1927. From the race across the Atlantic via air that made Lindbergh a hero to his subsequent fall from grace, to Babe Ruth's record-breaking home run hits, to the various trials often tainted with overt racism and anti-semiticism, to the devastating floods of 1927 that got virtually no media coverage, and to the eccentric American presidents of that time.

No matter how much you know about American history, you'll definitely learn something new from this 528-page tome that's well worth your time. Don't skip the epilogue. It's like a series finale that ties up all the loose ends of all the characters you've read about.

Matthew Royal

One Summer takes a look at headlines from 1927, and Bryson fleshes out the stories with background information in order to explain the story. Lots of little vignettes on Babe Ruth and Charles Lindbergh, but the only common thread is the year.

If you love Bill Bryson's voice and style, it doesn't matter what he writes -- you'll love it. I am not one of those people, so while I enjoyed his story of hiking the Appalachian Trail, I have not loved his other books. Stopped reading this one halfway through, and I don't regret it.

Mary Rose Luksha

If you do not think the sun shines out of Bill Bryson's butt, then don't bother reading my review. Because I love him. 

Every memoir he's written, that I've read, is engaging, thoughtful, and hilarious. 

And I've read several of his compilation history books. I'm always in awe of how his brain must connect ideas. I mean, who thinks of writing a book about a 4 month period in 1927? Who else would realize how many game-changing things were happening? Bill Bryson, that's who.

Admittedly there's a lot on the subject of aviation in general and Charles Lindbergh in particular. I've never read too much about him, and don't remember a lot from school, so I enjoyed it.

I most enjoy Bryson's short but poignant commentary on the culture of the time. Sometimes it will just be an offhand sentence that makes you see the absurdity of whatever was happening, or the sheer scale of an event's importance which we might not understand in today's world.

In short, if you like American history and you like Bryson's writing style (and who doesn't he's a god) then you will love this book. You think it's too long? Be quiet. It's perfect.

One Summer: America 1927

Reviews

Highlights