Play Audiobook Sample
1919 Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(4.01) - 1,507 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
With 1919, the second volume of his U.S.A. trilogy, John Dos Passos continues his "vigorous and sweeping panorama of twentieth-century America" (Forum), lauded on publication of the first volume not only for its scope but also for its groundbreaking style. Again, employing a host of experimental devices that would inspire a whole new generation of writers to follow, Dos Passos captures the many textures, flavors, and background noises of modern life with a cinematic touch and unparalleled nerve.
1919 opens to find America and the world at war, and Dos Passos's characters, many of whom we met in the first volume, are thrown into the snarl. We follow the daughter of a Chicago minister, a wide-eyed Texas girl, a young poet, and a radical Jew, and we glimpse Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, and the Unknown Soldier.
Download and start listening now!
"I had a habit of writing English papers about economics in literature, so the U.S.A. trilogy is like a dream come true. A student could spend years writing about class and money in this book. What really made it sing for me was my own sadness about the America that could have been and the America that happened instead. Add to that Dos Passos's fantastic voices and it's well worth a read."
— Rob (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“As the narrative shifts from one character to another, Drummond maintains a continuity of style yet alters his voice just enough so that the dialogue is distinctive. Drummond’s narration is a benchmark for difficult narrations.”
— Audiofile -
As the narrative shifts from one character to another, Drummond maintains a continuity of style yet alters his voice just enough so that the dialogue is distinctive. Drummond's narration is a benchmark for difficult narrations.
— AudioFile
1919 Listener Reviews
-
" Without a doubt, one of the very best novels (actually a trilogy of novels) that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. A wonderful portrait of life during the pre and post World War One period. Anyone who enjoyed Ken Follettt's "Fall of Giants" and/or Sinclair's "The Jungle," will enjoy "USA." Dos Passos' writing is a treat in itself. "
— Jim, 2/19/2014 -
" I read this before moving to America years ago. It's a fascinating study of the rise of big business in the U.S. told through a wonderfully generous narrative filled with big characters and all the while a news ticker tape clicks away in the background giving time, place and scope of real-life events. Loved it. "
— Anne-marie, 2/16/2014 -
" A bit trying in the middle, but on the whole, a damned impressive, panoramic novel. "
— Geoffrey, 1/28/2014 -
" A good portrait of American life during the WWI/1920s/Great Depression eras. "
— Marty, 1/14/2014 -
" A collection of great books probably best read together. It's rewarding to read all three because characters carry over between them in interesting ways. "
— Clare, 1/13/2014 -
" Great snapshots of life in the early 20th Century in America. If you like happy endings you may want to avoid it - as Dante from Clerks says about Empire Strikes Back, it reflects life most closely, a series of down endings. "
— Ian, 1/5/2014 -
" One of the truly great, often unappreciated masterpieces of American literature. Brilliant stuff. "
— Henry, 1/3/2014 -
" An absolute classic must-read. It's long, but great. One of my grandad's all-time favorites "
— Gil, 1/2/2014 -
" No one seems to read Dos Passos any more. When I was young, he was still in the American Pantheon. This trilogy is a wonderful thing, a fresh and daringly original take on the USA. "
— Gary, 12/23/2013 -
" Before he turned into a total crank, Dos Passos turned out this classic modernist trilogy about the development of the US. "
— Leonard, 12/22/2013 -
" Pretty fuckin amazing so far. "
— Alan, 12/8/2013 -
" An amazing book. I need to read it again. "
— Mary, 11/21/2013 -
" Set of three in hardcover "
— Joanna, 9/28/2013 -
" Great glimpse of early United States in the early 20th century, Dos Passos is very underated in my opinion "
— Adam, 6/10/2013 -
" Astounding! Among the finest books ever written. From this point on I propose that in cartoons, when a character is shown sleepless and reading a characteristically lengthy book, that that book be U.S.A instead of War and Peace. "
— christopher, 7/24/2012 -
" beautiful stories and a preset for current literature- oh how fancy! "
— Amber, 6/27/2012 -
" Is this about the same country I live in now? Plus, it makes me want to be a hobo. "
— Jon, 2/16/2012 -
" Read this one a few years back. A tough read, but very interesting. "
— Matt, 10/20/2011 -
" Difficult at times, but my vote for the great american novel. "
— Keith, 6/18/2011 -
" I want to re-read these. "
— Craig, 1/15/2011
About John Dos Passos
John Dos Passos (1896–1970), a member of the Lost Generation, published more than forty works of fiction and nonfiction, including Three Soldiers and Manhattan Transfer.
About David Drummond
David Drummond has made his living as an actor for over twenty-five years, appearing on stages large and small throughout the country and in Seattle, Washington, his hometown. He has narrated over thirty audiobooks, in genres ranging from current political commentary to historical nonfiction, fantasy, military, thrillers, and humor. He received an AudioFile Earphones Award for his first audiobook, Love ’Em or Lose ’Em: Getting Good People to Stay. When not narrating, he keeps busy writing plays and stories for children.