American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy's Forgotten Crisis
Who Would Like This Book:
If you’re curious about the hidden corners of American history, especially the stormy period from World War I through the early '20s, you’ll find this book a real eye-opener. Adam Hochschild weaves together political drama, social upheaval, and key figures in a way that's both captivating and informative. Fans of history, politics, or anyone wanting to understand the roots of America’s current divisions will get a lot out of this. Hochschild’s knack for connecting the past to the present makes it feel especially urgent and relevant.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers may find the book a bit one-sided, as Hochschild’s sympathies clearly lean toward the era's left-wing activists and dissenters. If you’re looking for a strictly neutral account or deep dives into every single event mentioned, you might feel let down - the book covers a lot in a limited space and sometimes skims over topics. People who prefer a focus on military history or detailed economic analysis might also find it a bit lacking.
About:
Adam Hochschild's 'American Midnight' delves into the tumultuous period of US history from 1917 to 1921, covering events such as the lead up to the American entry into World War I and the presidency of Woodrow Wilson. The book sheds light on the intolerance towards dissent and foreigners, drawing parallels to the political climate in America today. Through detailed storytelling, the author explores themes of political repression, racism, xenophobia, economic distress, and social dislocation during this forgotten crisis in democracy's history.
Hochschild's writing style in 'American Midnight' is captivating and enthralling, offering a well-researched starting point for readers to understand a controversial and troubling period in America's past. The book not only provides a historical account of events but also serves as a warning about the future, urging readers to acknowledge the country's past while highlighting the implications for the present political landscape.
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Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers and content warnings include themes of political repression, violence, racism, and xenophobia.
From The Publisher:
National Bestseller
One of the year's most acclaimed works of nonfiction
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: New York Times, Washington Post, New Yorker, Chicago Tribune, Kirkus, New York Post, Fast Company
From legendary historian Adam Hochschild, a "masterly" (New York Times) reassessment of the overlooked but startlingly resonant period between World War I and the Roaring Twenties, when the foundations of American democracy were threatened by war, pandemic, and violence fueled by battles over race, immigration, and the rights of labor
The nation was on the brink. Mobs burned Black churches to the ground. Courts threw thousands of people into prison for opinions they voiced-in one notable case, only in private. Self-appointed vigilantes executed tens of thousands of citizens' arrests. Some seventy-five newspapers and magazines were banned from the mail and forced to close. When the government stepped in, it was often to fan the flames.
This was America during and after the Great War: a brief but appalling era blighted by lynchings, censorship, and the sadistic, sometimes fatal abuse of conscientious objectors in military prisons-a time whose toxic currents of racism, nativism, red-baiting, and contempt for the rule of law then flowed directly through the intervening decades to poison our own. It was a tumultuous period defined by a diverse and colorful cast of characters, some of whom fueled the injustice while others fought against it: from the sphinxlike Woodrow Wilson, to the fiery antiwar advocates Kate Richards O'Hare and Emma Goldman, to labor champion Eugene Debs, to a little-known but ambitious bureaucrat named J. Edgar Hoover, and to an outspoken leftwing agitator-who was in fact Hoover's star undercover agent. It is a time that we have mostly forgotten about, until now.
InAmerican Midnight, award-winning historian Adam Hochschild brings alive the horrifying yet inspiring four years following the U.S. entry into the First World War, spotlighting forgotten repression while celebrating an unforgettable set of Americans who strove to fix their fractured country-and showing how their struggles still guide us today.
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