Customer Reviews

Janet Flanner's World: Uncollected Writings, 1932-1975

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In some ways, history must be easier to write than journalism, because the historian knows what happened; he or she knows what to emphasize. Perhaps most of today's journalism will turn out to be irrelevant; perhaps we are all focussed on the wrong issues. How interesting then to read journalism from the past that seems so valuable. In this collection, dating from 1932 to 1975, Janet Flanner proves to be a brilliant observer of the events of her day. She was a well known writer for the New Yorker who spent many of these years in Europe. Her account of "Mrs Jeffries" escape from Paris in 1943 gives the reader a vivid and unusual picture of life in occupied and Vichy France.

In general, she seems to be better with descriptions of events, narrative, atmosphere, politics, than with descriptions of people. Her account of Thomas Mann is odd and her profiles of Hollywood people are also a bit jarring. On the other hand, her descriptions of Alice Toklas, Margaret Anderson, and Sylvia Beach are all excellent.

Janet Flanner was no ordinary writer. She writes beautifully and intellectually about life in Europe between two World Wars and afterwards. While she died in 1978 in New York City with her longtime friend and part-time lover, Natalia Danesi Murray, she never discusses her love life but her observations are astute and important as they ever was. For example, when she writes about Adolf Hitler in 1936, she examines his relationships and the rumors of his homosexuality which are just rumors. There was never anything to indicate he was sexual with anybody. She examines his life, his relationships, and gives us a preview of the monster he became during World War II. She knows so much but I think she was very considerate and very aware of the audience. I hope now we can all appreciate Janet Flanner now more than ever. While I only give it 4 stars is because there are no pictures in the book except on the cover and that is the only reason why. If you ever want to enlighten yourself about Europe from an excellent American writer, you might find yourself drawn to Janet Flanner's writings.