Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Crucible of a Generation tells the story of fifteen fateful days that saw the America of yesterday standing hesitantly on the sidelines of a world in flames, finally plunged, not by its own will, but by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, into a new role in a new world.
The story is told through the pages of eight great American newspapers, from The New York Times to the Chicago Tribune. Collectively, they provide a kaleidoscopic portrait of the United States from its domestic and foreign policies to its society at every level. Beautifully illustrated with archival images, wartime posters, and cartoons, American society is observed from every angle, from blazing headlines to workaday help-wanted ads. As J. Kenneth Brody shows, the newspapers covered it all: murder and merchandise, sex and sport, race and religion, the books Americans read, and the movies they loved.
This unique, retrospective work presents a snapshot of America as a great nation, poised between its past and its future. Filled with vignettes of American life--from an eleven-year-old boy trying to join the Navy to its Commander-in-Chief, FDR himself-- Crucible of a Generation is a must-read for those who wish to journey to a time when a great nation stood at a major crossroads and, much like today, the media had as much of a say in politics as the politicians themselves.
Synopsis
Crucible of a Generation tells the story of the fifteen days surrounding the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor through the pages of eight leading American newspapers. Focusing on publications such as The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune, J. Kenneth Brody paints a vivid picture of U.S. political culture and society at a pivotal moment in the nation's history. Brody considers the papers in full, from headlines to "help wanted" ads, in a text richly illustrated with archival images, wartime posters, and editorial cartoons. The book provides a compelling snapshot of the United States and the role of the media at a time of dramatic tension and global change.