Only Yesterday

Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the 1920s by Frederick Allen Lewis, 338 pages

Originally published in 1931, Only Yesterday is a comprehensive look at the 1920s, a decade full of explosive changes in American history. Rather than tackling the decade chronologically, Lewis devotes his chapters to focusing on decade-long topics: Prohibition, presidential politics, women's rights, fashion, real estate trends, the much ballyhooed publicity stunts (flagpole sitters, anyone?), and various elements of the economy are all explored in detail, and given room to breathe. What's particularly wonderful about this book is how immediate the reactions are--Lewis truly wrote this when the ink was barely dry on the decade--and how many of his observations could easily apply to today's cultural climate. If you have any interest at all in that era, it's well worth a read (or a listen, as the narrator for downloadable audiobook has such an early-radio voice).