The Weans

by Robert Nathan

A delightful social satire about archeologists from a future Africa who unearth remnants of an extinct, unknown people they call the "US."

5000 years into the future we are exploring and trying to interpret archaeologicals find of the lost civilization on the North American continent 5000 years ago. The lost cities of Yok, Bosstin and Oleens are discussed.

Sometime around 7856, an archeological dig uncovers an ancient, unknown people. Parts of a large statue, a goddess or giantess are found. The discovery team thinks it was called "Libby." An ancient coin is unearthed with the faint inscription "In God we..." The team of excavators wonders if they only prayed to one god? In another location, a fascinating discovery is made. An ancient tribe named the "dodgers," apparently vanished from the East Coast while attempting to set up a "home base" or "pennant" in the West. Another team finds a large, battered metal cylinder, etched in a mysterious "Budweiser." Through all the discoveries to come, the satiric and clever Robert Nathan makes us wonder what the future may think of its past.

Genres: Archaeology, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor

Library Binding

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Robert Gruntal Nathan was born into a prominent New York Sephardic family. He was educated in the United States and Switzerland and attended Harvard University for several years beginning in 1912. It was there that he began writing short fiction and poetry. However, he never graduated, choosing instead to drop out and take a job at an advertising firm to support his family (he married while a junior at Harvard). It was while working in 1919 that he wrote his first novel—the semi-autobiographical work Peter Kindred—which was a critical failure. But his luck soon changed during the 1920s, when he wrote seven more novels, including The Bishop's Wife, which was later made into a successful film starring Cary Grant, David Niven, and Loretta Young.

During the 1930s, his success continued with more works, including fictional pieces and poetry. In 1940, he wrote his most successful book, Portrait of Jennie, about a Depression-era artist and the woman he is painting, who is slipping through time. Portrait of Jennie is considered a modern masterpiece of fantasy fiction and was made into a film, starring Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten.

In January 1956 the author wrote, as well as narrated, an episode of the CBS Radio Workshop, called "A Pride of Carrots or Venus Well-Served."

Nathan's seventh wife was the British actress Anna Lee, to whom he was married from 1970 until his death. He came from a talented family — the activist Maud Nathan and author Annie Nathan Meyer were his aunts, and the poet Emma Lazarus and Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo his cousins

Reviews

[Steve Majerus-Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and surprisingly insightful volume. it is clever, if underdeveloped. and worth the few minutes needed to read it.

[Sandi Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1957 or 1958, a history/social studies teacher read The Weans aloud to my high school class. I remember that this class was also meeting the day Sputnik was launched by the Soviet Union. The Cold War and the USSR were in the news. We all understood about n.Yok because we were n.Yokas. Duke Snider, Peewee Reese, and Joe DiMaggio were still alive and playing for n.Yok baseball teams. The Dodgers move to Los Angeles was devasting for their fans. Budweiser was still the King of Beers.

That said, I cannot believe we understood a great deal of the book. Most parts would have been way over out heads. Perhaps he read excerpts that we understood and found funny. Today, The Weans is sadly dated. The world is ready for a née edition!

Despite The Weans and the Planet of the Apes (1968), Lady Liberty still stands tall!

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convoluted and funny

This is a totally believable anthropological look back at the U.S. from 6,000 years in the future. And it's funny. Lots of puzzling stuff, but ultimately figure-outable--and when you do, it's a delight. It really made me wonder how much our "knowledge" of the past is valid. But all those big words aside, it's fun.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the references are dated, this book is a cleaver way to view American culture. I would suggest this to any student of history or anthropology.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert Nathan wrote both The Bishop's Wife and The Portrait of Jennie, both made into movies. I'm sure I read Jennie when I was young. The Weans was a short magazine story before it was published as a book, and a humorous take-down of both American culture and archeological pronouncements. WE (the people) don't come off too well, when judged by modern art, games and betting, incomprehensible novels like Ulysses, and fragments of advertising, but the future descendants trying to recreate a whole culture from scraps get everything hilariously wrong.

[Dr. J. W. Stinde · Rating 4 out of 5]

reread after 60 years

I read this work in the early ‘60’s and just read it again. I recall a audio version of it in the 70’s. Still rather fun but perhaps as I have been away from archeological studies it may have lost a bit of the humor.

Still worth the price and the half hour read.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

Really liked the premise,is a good approach to how we decipher history. It would be nice to have a deeper understanding of the terms,maybe more pictures of the artifacts. Overall well worth reading.

[David Merrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book about a far future excavation of the United States after it collapsed. Little is saved, so most of the assumptions made based on the excavation is incorrect. It reminded me of the Neveryon cycle to a small degree. Also, Davy, though I’ve only read the beginning of it.

[Nicky Moxey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious

This ought to be required reading for archaeologists everywhere... although I don't recall too many "ritual" interpretations in the book.

[Sara Gabai · Rating 3 out of 5]

very short. the only interesting
part is to figure out what their translation meant. for example, pound-laundry is washington.

[Carol Landry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A FUN READ

This was written in the ‘60s, so some references may be obscure. I enjoyed it very much, it was recommended by others so glad I followed through.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the distant future, this little book tells the story of the archaeology of the Great Salt Continent, home of the ancient We (a fastidious correction of U.S.), whose capital was Pound-Laundry (Washing-Ton) and whose music, alas, will remain forever unknown except for the lonely sound of a trumpet excavated from the ruins of Nawlins. It is simultaneously a spoof on American culture and the way that archaeologists reach conclusions. I once counted every instance in the book where an archaeologist came to a correct conclusion based on the evidence: just twice, and once it was because the archaeologist had committed two errors that canceled out. The book was originally presented as a short essay in Harper’s (http://www.joshpachter.com/pages/wean...), and my family used to have a record on which Jonathan Winters read it out loud. Archaeologists today are more advanced that the ones who were caricatured in The Weans, and tend to be more cautious about making wild speculations. But you’ll recognize the type.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An older lady in my library group said this was one her favorite books and it sounded like another "Motel of the Mysteries" Ths book was hard to find and after all that anticipation, well, lets just say that it must have have been hilarious in 1956 but it seems pretty dated now.

[Jamie Bright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious! Though I couldn't figure out all of the references, it's a very clever satire...Definitely a must-read for all students of anthropology/archaeology/history to gain some perspective and rethink their assumptions.