Making of Americans

by Gertrude Stein

Book Overview

In The Making of Americans, Gertrude Stein sets out to tell a history of a family's progress, radically reworking the traditional family saga novel to encompass her vision of personality and psychological relationships. As the history progresses over three generations, Stein also meditates on her own writing, on the making of The Making of Americans, and on America.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1564780880
• ISBN13: 9781564780881
• Release Date: December 1995
• Publisher: Dalkey Archive Press
• Length: 926 Pages
• Weight: 2.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.0" x 6.9" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Beautifully written!

It is a shame that so much of Gertrude Stein's work is dismissed because of its unconventionality. Though sometimes difficult to read, Stein's writing has a lyrical quality about it unparalleled by the work of other writers. The Making of Americans is probably one of her best, and well worth the effort it might take to read it. I found that after only a few pages, I was moved along by the rhythm and cadence that carries the story. A wonderful read!

The great unsung classic of the twentieth century.

What starts of as an anecdotal recounting of what I imagine is Stein's forefathers and foremothers immigrant experience launches off into a brilliant, highly intellectual examination and rhapsody of individuality and conformity among other things (like death and consciousness and the battle between the sexes). This book will literally change the way you think you think. I think it should.