Part of Our Time: Some Ruins and Monuments of the Thirties (Modern Library) (Hardcover)

by Murray Kempton (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
""A valuable and entertaining text on the destruction of the radical left in American politics." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description

First published in 1955, Part of Our Time consists of ten incomparable "novellas" that profile individuals whose lives were transformed by the radical movements of the thirties. The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Murray Kempton writes of people who "shared at one time or another the conviction that the most important thing in life was a remorseless effort to throw down the society which had raised and alienated most of them." Included are portraits of Alger Hiss and Whittaker Chambers, Walter Reu-ther, Lee Pressman, Paul Robeson, Edmund Wilson, and James T. Farrell; the writers of the Hollywood left; as well as many now-forgotten labor leaders, politicians, and mobsters--all of whom were caught up in what the author calls "the myth of the thirties."
"Part of Our Time is a striking piece of work," said The New Yorker. "Kempton is a journalist of formidable talent and versatility. He can be serious, he can be funny, he can be evocative. Every phase of life interests him, and he has a novelist's sense of character and change. . . . He is a remarkably rewarding writer, and journalism and political criticism are lucky to have him."
The Modern Library has played a significant role in American cultural life for the better part of a century. The series was founded in 1917 by the publishers Boni and Liveright and eight years later acquired by Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer. It provided the foundation for their next publishing venture, Random House. The Modern Library has been a staple of the American book trade, providing readers with affordable hardbound editions of impor-tant works of literature and thought. For the Modern Library's seventy-fifth anniversary, Random House
redesigned the series, restoring
as its emblem the running torchbearer created by Lucian Bernhard
in 1925 and refurbishing jackets, bindings, and type, as well as inaugurating a new program of selecting titles. The Modern Library continues to provide the world's best books, at
the best prices.

This Modern Library edition includes an Introduction by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Remnick.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 425 pages
• Publisher: Modern Library; Modern Library Ed edition (November 24, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679603107
• ISBN-13: 978-0679603108
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,618,339 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading to understanding Communism in the U.S., February 21, 2004

By	A. Ort "aorto" (Youngstown, Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Picked this one up through reference in a biography dictionary on Communism in the United States. Glad I did. This is a hidden gem.

Mr. Kempton does not approach the issue from a philosophical or principle orinted point of view. He doesn't discuss Communism and its ideals or compare and contrast various belief systems. He approaches it from a personal standpoint. He takes several peripheral characters, for the most part, and unfolds their lives. Apparently, he himself was involved in ascending into the Communist camp for a time.

Rather than deal with the major players, he deals with minor players (minor, to me anyhow, as I'd never heard of many of them). This is what makes it interesting. By delving into the lives of these characters, he puts the times into a greater context by which we come to understand the appeal of Communism and its part in the broader scope of the 1920s and 1930s.

Labor unrest, the Communist thread, the radicalism during this period and the economic devastation is something we seem to be one step removed from these days and the impact this period of time had on people is often lost. It's amazing how much what is said in this book rings true today. Truly history repeats itself.

Not only do we begin to understand the times but we begin to see how diverse and different those who decided to take up its banner really were and how Communism was not necessarily the direct appeal but it was a means to an end, a reaction rather than proaction.

He is sympathetic towards his characters and you feel the pathos as you read about their lives. They become very human and very real, something often lacking in history books. There is a tinge of sadness surrounding all the individuals in the book. His writing style is quite fresh and dramatic with a flair for the metaphor.

If you wish to understand what was going on during this period of time and what the appeal of Communism was and why these individuals jumped on the bandwagon, this book is a must read.