August Blegen

A Forgotten World: Lessons from the Great Depression August Blegen

The Great Depression of the 1930s was a difficult time but A Forgotten World reveals many advantages: people took care of each other, appreciated their jobs. Women walked safely on the street at any hour citizens were proud to honor the flag, our food supply had few chemicals in it. Children learned math and history, not diversity and sex bread was five cents a loaf, men's suits eight dollars and hotel rooms seven dollars a WEEK! no monopoly press. Each city had several newspapers and our lives were filled with books, not mindless, violent television on radio famous swing bands played all evening. Great jazz filled the night hours. Is something missing in today's world? Or does advanced technology and lots of money make a better society? You be the judge. Compare today with the 1930s in family values, education, work, recreation, government control, safety and patriotism. Fiercely patriotic, consistently critical, there are enough frank opinions here to make everyone angry. Maybe that's what we need to save America. For senior readers this will be a journey in reminiscing, for today's younger people a chance to absorb some history and probe their values.