Up Stream

by Ludwig Lewisohn

1922. From the Prologue: The world is full of stories and many of the stories are true. But they are not true enough. An artistic pattern comes between the teller of the tale and his reality, or a vague fear of stupid and malicious comment or-especially in America-a desire to avoid singularity. Yet, somehow, we must master life or it will end by destroying us. We can master it only by understanding it and we can understand it only by telling each other the quite naked and, if need be, the devastating truth. Contents: A Far Childhood; The American Scene; The Making of an American; The Making of an Anglo-American; The American Discovers Exile; The American Finds Refuge; The Business of Education; The Color of Life; Myth and Blood; and The World in Chaos.

248 pages, Leather Bound

First published January 1, 1926

About the author

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_L...

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lewioshn's laments regarding the death of thoughtfulness and the rise of Neo-Puritanism serves as both a time capsule and a mirror. As an artifact of history, Up Stream is utterly fascinating-- an angry, philosophical, sometimes egotistical snapshot of 1920s America and cutltural assimilation.

[Lane Wilkinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

not a very exciting or well-written book, to say the least. I only read this title as part of my Modern Library work.

[Sam Ratner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vivid philippic against anti-Semitic (and, more broadly, anti-immigrant) sentiment among the American elite in the early 20th century.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not nearly as dated as it should be in its assessment of society and academic life. Not the fastest moving book, but interesting.