Only Yesterday

An Informal History of the 1920s

By: Frederick Lewis Allen

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Jazz, flappers, flasks, rumbleseats, and raccoon coats; Mah Jong, crossword puzzles, marathon dancers, and flagpole sitters; Red Grange, Rudolph Valentino, and Lucky Lindy.

These were the catch words of the roaring, irrepressible '20s. But so were the Boston Police strike, the K.K.K., women's suffrage, Sigmund Freud, Sacco and Vanzetti, Teapot Dome, and Black Tuesday.

In this span between armistice and depression, Americans were kicking up their heels, but they were also bringing about major changes in the social and political structure of their country. Only Yesterday is a fond, witty, penetrating biography of this restless decade, a delightful reminiscence for those who can remember and a fascinating firsthand look for those who've only heard.

©1931 Frederick Lewis Allen (P)1989 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"A perfectly grand piece of historical record and synthetic journalism." (Chicago Daily Tribune)

Great look into the 20s from someone who actually lived it

What is so interesting about this book is the closeness with which the author described the time of the roaring 20s. (Written in 1931) Great to have the first hand perspective that doesn’t exist any longer. Only criticism with the audio book is there is a noticeable echo of the narrators voice when he pauses to begin a new section.

1920's brought to life

Would you consider the audio edition of Only Yesterday to be better than the print version?

n/a

Who was your favorite character and why?

n/a

Which character – as performed by Grover Gardner – was your favorite?

n/a

Any additional comments?

If you want to feel the 20's this is the book. If I had known it was written in or near 1934 I probably wouldn't have bought it. But, that would have been my loss and incorrect assumption. I find that when I read reviews it is best to also read reviews on books I have already read and liked since that gives me a gauge for future reviews, especially on the negative ones.

Huzzah!

A perfect time capsule that is elevated even further by great narration. Times change but people’s motivations don’t. Hearing the problems of 1920s America gives one the confidence to face the present.

Excellent history of the 20s

I've read this book several times since I first found it as a teenager in the 60s and have always enjoyed it. It calls itself 'informal' so don't expect too much deep diving or loads of details, especially on what caused the Great Crash that ended the Roaring Twenties, but it's a quick, fun read. The fact that it was written almost immediately after all the Roaring ended gives it a topical time-capsule quality that you don't find in in-depth histories written years after an event. Grover Gardner is great as always. Recommended.

Comprehensive read for the history buff

The writing was on point, the subject well-researched, great reader but there was an echo throughout the book that was very distracting...