Through brilliant portraits of real persons who created the myths and realities of the 1930s, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Murray Kempton brings that turbulent decade to life. Himself a child of the time, Kempton examines with the insight and imagination of a novelist the men and women who embraced, grappled with, and in many cases were destroyed by the myth of revolution. What he calls the "ruins and monuments of the Thirties" include Paul Robeson, Alger Hiss, and Whittaker Chambers, the Hollywood Ten, the rebel women Elizabeth Bentley and Mary Heaton Vorse, and the labor leaders Walter Reuther and Joe Curran.
Part of Our Time: Some Ruins and Monuments of the Thirties
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From the Back Cover
"In presenting his segments of history Kempton uses the technique of the novelist--and it comes off brilliantly. He succeeds in evoking the characters of the men and women he writes about, and he does what only the good novelist can do: he re-creates the atmosphere of the time in which they functioned and so forces the reader to inhabit a world which may be alien, dimly recalled, or long forgotten."
--The Nation
"Murray Kempton is the best we have, and better than we deserve."
--Joan Didion
"Murray Kempton is the greatest of newspapermen. . . . He is a moralist who does not preach; an artist who reports."
--David Remnick --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this book because a journalist I respect praised it highly. At first I thought I'd made a mistake, because the style is anything but journalistic. It's written in what today would be considered a heavily literary style, which is not what you'd expect from a working journalist. You can't skim this--you have to read it carefully. That's the caveat. Having said this, though, it's a wonderful book, well worth taking time to read carefully. He has deep insight into the people he writes about, and his critique of the American communist party is really devastating. His portrait of Philip Randolph, the head of the Sleeping Car Porters' union is touching as well as fascinating. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the politics of the period.
By A. Ort
Format:Hardcover
Picked this one up through reference in a biography dictionary on Communism in the United States. Glad I did. This is a hidden gem.
Mr. Kempton does not approach the issue from a philosophical or principle orinted point of view. He doesn't discuss Communism and its ideals or compare and contrast various belief systems. He approaches it from a personal standpoint. He takes several peripheral characters, for the most part, and unfolds their lives. Apparently, he himself was involved in ascending into the Communist camp for a time.
Rather than deal with the major players, he deals with minor players (minor, to me anyhow, as I'd never heard of many of them). This is what makes it interesting. By delving into the lives of these characters, he puts the times into a greater context by which we come to understand the appeal of Communism and its part in the broader scope of the 1920s and 1930s.
Labor unrest, the Communist thread, the radicalism during this period and the economic devastation is something we seem to be one step removed from these days and the impact this period of time had on people is often lost. It's amazing how much what is said in this book rings true today. Truly history repeats itself.
Not only do we begin to understand the times but we begin to see how diverse and different those who decided to take up its banner really were and how Communism was not necessarily the direct appeal but it was a means to an end, a reaction rather than proaction.
He is sympathetic towards his characters and you feel the pathos as you read about their lives. They become very human and very real, something often lacking in history books. There is a tinge of sadness surrounding all the individuals in the book. His writing style is quite fresh and dramatic with a flair for the metaphor.
If you wish to understand what was going on during this period of time and what the appeal of Communism was and why these individuals jumped on the bandwagon, this book is a must read.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars
2 reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Essential reading to understanding Communism in the U.S.
Feb 21 2004
By A. Ort
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Picked this one up through reference in a biography dictionary on Communism in the United States. Glad I did. This is a hidden gem.
Mr. Kempton does not approach the issue from a philosophical or principle orinted point of view. He doesn't discuss Communism and its ideals or compare and contrast various belief systems. He approaches it from a personal standpoint. He takes several peripheral characters, for the most part, and unfolds their lives. Apparently, he himself was involved in ascending into the Communist camp for a time.
Rather than deal with the major players, he deals with minor players (minor, to me anyhow, as I'd never heard of many of them). This is what makes it interesting. By delving into the lives of these characters, he puts the times into a greater context by which we come to understand the appeal of Communism and its part in the broader scope of the 1920s and 1930s.
Labor unrest, the Communist thread, the radicalism during this period and the economic devastation is something we seem to be one step removed from these days and the impact this period of time had on people is often lost. It's amazing how much what is said in this book rings true today. Truly history repeats itself.
Not only do we begin to understand the times but we begin to see how diverse and different those who decided to take up its banner really were and how Communism was not necessarily the direct appeal but it was a means to an end, a reaction rather than proaction.
He is sympathetic towards his characters and you feel the pathos as you read about their lives. They become very human and very real, something often lacking in history books. There is a tinge of sadness surrounding all the individuals in the book. His writing style is quite fresh and dramatic with a flair for the metaphor.
If you wish to understand what was going on during this period of time and what the appeal of Communism was and why these individuals jumped on the bandwagon, this book is a must read.
0 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfectly handled transaction
Mar 24 2010
By S. Harding
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This transaction went very smoothly, excellent communication and more than adequate shipping protection. These people know what they are doing and should have great success selling all that they offer.
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