Nation in Torment : The Great American Depression, 1929-1939

By Edward Robb Ellis

Book Overview

International in scope, this series of non-fiction trade paperbacks offers books that explore the lives, customs and thoughts of peoples and cultures around the world. This is the story of the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1568361130
• ISBN13: 9781568361130
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Kodansha America, Incorporated
• Length: 574 Pages
• Weight: 0.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 5.6" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Comprehensive Review of the 1930's

Ellis kept a running diary for most of his adult life. He culls much interesting information from this source as well as several better known authors in painting a vivid picture of what happened in America starting in 1929 and why. This is not to say that the book does not have some flaws. For one thing Ellis has a tendency of placing trivial comments such as "Rexford Tugwell was quite the handsomest New Dealer of them all" which frankly could have been better left unsaid. However, some of his historical information, particularly his chapter on the National Recovery Act, entitled the Blue Eagle, are well researched and very easy to read. I also like the opening chapter on the death of the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel (now the site of the Empire State Building). This is an excellent juxtaposition considering that this event took place in the infamous year of 1929 and happened on May Day to boot.