The Nervous Generation: American Thought 1917-1930

by Roderick Nash

Book Overview

A major reinterpretation of American thought from 1917 to 1930, with a lively foray into the popular culture of the supposedly roaring twenties.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0929587219
• ISBN13: 9780929587219
• Release Date: February 1990
• Publisher: Globe Pequot Publishing Group Inc/Bloomsbury
• Length: 190 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A decent college textbook for a week's study

The author, Roderick Nash, does a fine job in refuting the common beliefs about the 1920's. He looks beyond the hype and heroes and looks at the true culture of the era. Chapter 1 is an Introduction. Chapter 2 discusses those who popularized the decade in people's minds, and the professionals who teach about it. Chapter 3 is an overly-long chapter about the Intellectuals of the era, and their takes on war, man, democracy, nation, nature, esthetics, ethics, and existentialism. Chapter 4 talks about the mood of the people and how that affected the era's heroes, books, crusades, and fith. Chapter 5 discusses Henry Ford as being representative of the period. The book is almost a collection of separate essays, as each chapter seems to neglect that the others are there. In total, the book makes for a nice read for one week's worth of college classes, but is not deep enough for more.