Standing Fast

by Harvey Swados

paperback... cover art by Roger Coleman... first printing Oct 1971...

Genres: Fiction, Politics, Novels

Paperback

First published September 12, 1971

About the author

Harvey Swados was an American social critic and author of novels, short stories, essays and journalism.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the time I read it 15 years ago, this was my favorite book. This is a roman a clef about the Buffalo branch of the Shachtmanite Workers' Party. You have to be a sectarian leftist to understand what most of that means but you don't have to be to love this book. Even though the people who struggled against the no strike pledge during World War II in Buffalo were certainly an anomaly, the rebellious spirit that they embodied has been common in American history. The real story here is the tragedy of the materialism and conservatism of America in the 1950s and 60s. What makes it relevant in today's society is not only that America continues to be conservative and materialistic, but we all continue to face the struggle these characters face of having personal lives and growing old.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

from the 1930s to the 1960s, Swados profiles the lives of
members of a small socialist group...incredible

[Rfilippelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harvey Swados' memorable account uses the stories of a group of friends-- and the intersections of their lives, loves, and work-- to tell the history of the American Left between 1939 - 1963. Reminiscent of John Dos Passos' U.S.A. Very enjoyable. RF