Bill Bryson takes us on a tour of time, focusing on the Summer of 1927. Though his narrative focuses on life in the United States during those few months, he constantly deviates across time and space to make connections with world events, causes & eventual effects, etc. Bryson weaves a tale of big personalities, like Charles Lindbergh and Babe Ruth, while constantly reminding us that we all play a part in the construction of a national narrative.
I found “One Summer: America, 1927” a riveting book. So much so that I later listened to the audiobook version where the author treats us to a double dose of his humor — written AND spoken. The unfortunate parallels between human behavior then and now (1927 and 2025, respectively) are a sad reminder that we don’t often learn from our own human history and that some things seemed doomed to repeat.
Three words that describe this book: Revealing. Connecting. Humorous.
You might want to pick this book up if: I highly recommend this book (print and audio) to anyone seeking to make sense of our country and the impacts of shared experiences across cultures and societies.
-Tony
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
