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1919 The Year That Changed America
A National Book Award finalist
1919 was a world-shaking year. America was recovering from World War I and black soldiers returned to racism so violent that that summer would become known as the Red Summer. The suffrage movement had a long-fought win when women gained the right to vote. Laborers took to the streets to protest working conditions; nationalistic fervor led to a communism scare; and temperance gained such traction that prohibition went into effect. Each of these movements reached a tipping point that year.
Now, one hundred years later, these same social issues are more relevant than ever. Sandler traces the momentum and setbacks of these movements through this last century, showing that progress isn’t always a straight line and offering a unique lens through which we can understand history and the change many still seek.
1919 was a world-shaking year. America was recovering from World War I and black soldiers returned to racism so violent that that summer would become known as the Red Summer. The suffrage movement had a long-fought win when women gained the right to vote. Laborers took to the streets to protest working conditions; nationalistic fervor led to a communism scare; and temperance gained such traction that prohibition went into effect. Each of these movements reached a tipping point that year.
Now, one hundred years later, these same social issues are more relevant than ever. Sandler traces the momentum and setbacks of these movements through this last century, showing that progress isn’t always a straight line and offering a unique lens through which we can understand history and the change many still seek.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 8, 2019
74 people are currently reading
978 people want to read
About the author
Martin W. Sandler
88 books56 followersMartin W. Sandler has written more than seventy books for children and adults and has written and produced seven television series. He has twice been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and has won multiple Emmy Awards. He lives in Massachusetts.
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November 28, 2019There's a lot to like here. Sandler does a great job highlighting some really huge social and political and cultural shifts that happened in 1919, and he relates them to where we are right now in America.
However, it's hard not to wonder what makes 1919 any more special than other years where the same kind of book could be developed. Which isn't to say this doesn't have merit, but I never took away the reason behind why 1919 was more pivotal than so many other years, except for the fact it could be related back to 2019.
And that's where I've got some other thoughts, too.
Sandler has sources in the back of his book, like any solid nonfiction title would, but there are surprisingly few. There aren't sources that come from alternate viewpoints, either, which is something that got my interest in the book initially, thanks to this Vox piece: https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/11/1.... There's not a single piece of evidence that showcases the points where, say, Prohibition DID do good for Americans. Certainly that isn't as broad or compelling as why the Amendment was repealed, but not including that information actually weakens what Sandler tries to tie it into in modern times (gun control and health care, as it relates to common good vs personal liberties). It's hard not to wonder what sources may have been left out of the discussion in other sections.
And maybe that's why the idea of a book about 1919 being so pivotal does't quite gel in the narrative. Those other points of view actually make arguments stronger, and to not know what's missing is to also not know how the thesis is supported.
The writing is great, and Sandler does't sugar coat or overlook racism in the Suffrage movement. He digs deep into racism as a topic itself as it relates to the summer of riots. But it's also interesting to note that Sandler is a white author, and he deliberately uses the term "African American," rather than black, without ever expanding upon why he made that choice.
This gave me a lot to chew on and a lot to respond to, in part because I'm still not sure I believe this deserved to win the National Book Award. If the award was being granted in honor of the most time-relevant title, this would fit the bill. But for a best book for young readers? This left a lot to be desired in the standards to which we should hold nonfiction books when it comes to sourcing, narrative structure, and authorial choices.
Is it a good book? Absolutely. Worth reading? Indeed. But it is also worth reading with a critical eye.
However, it's hard not to wonder what makes 1919 any more special than other years where the same kind of book could be developed. Which isn't to say this doesn't have merit, but I never took away the reason behind why 1919 was more pivotal than so many other years, except for the fact it could be related back to 2019.
And that's where I've got some other thoughts, too.
Sandler has sources in the back of his book, like any solid nonfiction title would, but there are surprisingly few. There aren't sources that come from alternate viewpoints, either, which is something that got my interest in the book initially, thanks to this Vox piece: https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/11/1.... There's not a single piece of evidence that showcases the points where, say, Prohibition DID do good for Americans. Certainly that isn't as broad or compelling as why the Amendment was repealed, but not including that information actually weakens what Sandler tries to tie it into in modern times (gun control and health care, as it relates to common good vs personal liberties). It's hard not to wonder what sources may have been left out of the discussion in other sections.
And maybe that's why the idea of a book about 1919 being so pivotal does't quite gel in the narrative. Those other points of view actually make arguments stronger, and to not know what's missing is to also not know how the thesis is supported.
The writing is great, and Sandler does't sugar coat or overlook racism in the Suffrage movement. He digs deep into racism as a topic itself as it relates to the summer of riots. But it's also interesting to note that Sandler is a white author, and he deliberately uses the term "African American," rather than black, without ever expanding upon why he made that choice.
This gave me a lot to chew on and a lot to respond to, in part because I'm still not sure I believe this deserved to win the National Book Award. If the award was being granted in honor of the most time-relevant title, this would fit the bill. But for a best book for young readers? This left a lot to be desired in the standards to which we should hold nonfiction books when it comes to sourcing, narrative structure, and authorial choices.
Is it a good book? Absolutely. Worth reading? Indeed. But it is also worth reading with a critical eye.
December 21, 2019
Well I see I'm in the minority opinion on this award winning book. I was so excited and thought I would advocate for getting multiple copies of this book for my students. The first section about the Great Molasses Flood was great. I did not mind the format. There are two page spread inserted into the topics that give background on an event or person related to the section- I simply skip those and then go back to read them. Where I have real issues with this book is the bias of the author in many of the 100 year later positions. Even if I agree with some positions- as a teacher I'm constantly trying to get students to think for themselves and not brainwash them to my opinions. They can think whatever they want- just justify their opinions with facts and be able to address counter arguments. The author states his opinions as facts. I would have liked to see him interview people along the wide political spectrum to write how and where we are 100 years later. The connections the author drew are most definitely from a strong political view and I think for students they should read all sides no matter where we are at with our own political viewpoints. We need students to learn how to evaluate- not just suck in opinions presented as facts. If this book had been written from the other political side- my guess it would not have been published- let alone win a top award.
February 13, 2019
This is a very well written book about the history of 1919. I think that kids will find it very interesting and easy to read. As an adult, I learned some new information. When history is presented in this way, I think it is easier for kids to enjoy it. This book would also be a great resource for history reports.
August 2, 2019
4.5 stars
This is an excellent work of non-fiction that covers all of the major events of 1919. It demonstrates how they are all connected to each other and to the greater movements of the rest of the century. 1919 was like a spark that slowly smoldered until it became an inferno. Sandler does a wonderful job at the connections and the descriptions. His writing is quippy and entertaining while maintaining an informational and educational tone. At the end of each section, a brief connection is made between the chapter's subject matter and a similar issue in our own year. The only thing keeping this from being a 5 star read is my desire for in text citation in my non-fiction. There is a wonderful bibliography, but I like knowing where specific quotes and information came from while reading. I learned a lot from this though and will definitely be sharing it with others.
This is an excellent work of non-fiction that covers all of the major events of 1919. It demonstrates how they are all connected to each other and to the greater movements of the rest of the century. 1919 was like a spark that slowly smoldered until it became an inferno. Sandler does a wonderful job at the connections and the descriptions. His writing is quippy and entertaining while maintaining an informational and educational tone. At the end of each section, a brief connection is made between the chapter's subject matter and a similar issue in our own year. The only thing keeping this from being a 5 star read is my desire for in text citation in my non-fiction. There is a wonderful bibliography, but I like knowing where specific quotes and information came from while reading. I learned a lot from this though and will definitely be sharing it with others.
January 7, 2020
In 1931, when Herbert Butterfield published The Whig Interpretation of History, he argued that "when we organize our general history by reference to the present we are producing what is really a gigantic optical illusion[...]" I couldn't stop thinking about that quote as I slogged through this book.
I learned quite a bit about 1919 from reading this book, but even though it might be fair for me to give it three stars based on the value of the new information that it brought to me, it grated upon my history major soul to such an extent that I can only give it two stars. This book is the ultimate Whig history. It distorts the past into nothing but a prelude to the present, and instead of understanding 1919 based on the beliefs, actions, and experiences of the people living at that time, the author selects and presents details based on how they show the unfolding or stagnation of Progress.
Worse, this book has zero citations. Even though there is a substantial bibliography in the back, the author never cites anything about history, even when it's a direct quote, and he definitely never cites any of the assertions or statistics that he presents in the sections on current events. It infuriated me, because it is sloppy, lazy, makes this book suspect as a source for kid's schoolwork, and undermines any sense of authorial credibility. I know that the statistics that he presented about hate groups in America and other issues may be perfectly accurate, but since he did not cite any of this information, I became suspicious of almost all of his assertions about the present.
The sections on current events are also incredibly biased. The section on gun control that follows the Prohibition chapter takes both sides of the debate into account, but other sections are extraordinarily one-sided. Also, many of the current event write-ups are only tenuously connected to the preceding chapter. After the chapter on woman's suffrage, I read an update on women's political involvement and how many women are currently serving as senators and representatives, and that was all very well. However, after the chapter about labor unions, the author goes on and on about climate change for multiple pages, barely even attempting to connect this to the previous chapter. Why not write about the current status of labor unions or recent efforts to take on issues of sexual harassment or bullying in the workplace?
I am disgusted that this book has received such hype and won a National Book Award. It is preachy, unbalanced, turns history into a means to making commentary on sometimes barely related current events, and teaches kids to view the past as nothing but a set-up for our current cultural moment. Even though this book covers some great information and reproduces a lot of fascinating photographs, it is not a solid source for schools to use and is woefully inadequate overall.
I learned quite a bit about 1919 from reading this book, but even though it might be fair for me to give it three stars based on the value of the new information that it brought to me, it grated upon my history major soul to such an extent that I can only give it two stars. This book is the ultimate Whig history. It distorts the past into nothing but a prelude to the present, and instead of understanding 1919 based on the beliefs, actions, and experiences of the people living at that time, the author selects and presents details based on how they show the unfolding or stagnation of Progress.
Worse, this book has zero citations. Even though there is a substantial bibliography in the back, the author never cites anything about history, even when it's a direct quote, and he definitely never cites any of the assertions or statistics that he presents in the sections on current events. It infuriated me, because it is sloppy, lazy, makes this book suspect as a source for kid's schoolwork, and undermines any sense of authorial credibility. I know that the statistics that he presented about hate groups in America and other issues may be perfectly accurate, but since he did not cite any of this information, I became suspicious of almost all of his assertions about the present.
The sections on current events are also incredibly biased. The section on gun control that follows the Prohibition chapter takes both sides of the debate into account, but other sections are extraordinarily one-sided. Also, many of the current event write-ups are only tenuously connected to the preceding chapter. After the chapter on woman's suffrage, I read an update on women's political involvement and how many women are currently serving as senators and representatives, and that was all very well. However, after the chapter about labor unions, the author goes on and on about climate change for multiple pages, barely even attempting to connect this to the previous chapter. Why not write about the current status of labor unions or recent efforts to take on issues of sexual harassment or bullying in the workplace?
I am disgusted that this book has received such hype and won a National Book Award. It is preachy, unbalanced, turns history into a means to making commentary on sometimes barely related current events, and teaches kids to view the past as nothing but a set-up for our current cultural moment. Even though this book covers some great information and reproduces a lot of fascinating photographs, it is not a solid source for schools to use and is woefully inadequate overall.
December 25, 2019
2019 NBA (National Book Award) winner for Young People's Literature. I love that it's a nonfiction winner. Learn about some of the major events of 1919 including the Red Scare, labor strikes, the passing of woman's suffrage and the start of prohibition. Author Martin Sandler connects these events and more to what's happening in our country today through his own commentary and timelines at the end of each chapter. Connecting the battle for prohibition to the fight about gun control in the current day was brilliant.
Scattered throughout the book are double-spread informational pages (kind of like sidebars or text boxes) and photos. Give this one to the history and nonfiction buffs.
Scattered throughout the book are double-spread informational pages (kind of like sidebars or text boxes) and photos. Give this one to the history and nonfiction buffs.
December 5, 2019
This was interesting and engaging! I'm still a little surprised at its National Book Award win, but, sure? It does a great job of connecting present-day America back to specific events in 1919 that were landmarks for labor, civil rights, racial justice, etc.
I do wish publishers would stop making nonfiction books aimed at teens so physically large; they're bulky and feel like a textbook, it's hard to convince teens to check them out for pleasure reading. It also could have used more specific endnotes for my tastes but overall, a solid read.
I do wish publishers would stop making nonfiction books aimed at teens so physically large; they're bulky and feel like a textbook, it's hard to convince teens to check them out for pleasure reading. It also could have used more specific endnotes for my tastes but overall, a solid read.
February 9, 2020
Excellent read. I recommend it.
March 14, 2024
We’ve certainly come a long way in 100 years. This book started very strong with the Great Molasses Flood of 1919, and the chapters on Women’s Suffrage and Prohibition were especially well done. Other topics covered were the first Red Scare, the Red Summer, the labor strikes, and the fixing of the World Series. A great resource for introducing this period of history to young readers.
June 14, 2024
Poorly balanced presentation. I fear that our children will not understand blatant misinformation towards President Trump and global warming, to name a few.
The more I read this book I found myself reducing the stars.
The more I read this book I found myself reducing the stars.
January 1, 2020
Some readers may wonder why anything that happened over a century ago would have any significance to someone reading a book about it in 2019 or 2020. But that skepticism quickly evaporates once they are immersed in this book's content. A National Book Award finalist and Orbis Pictus Honor winner, this well-written book deftly ties together six different historical events that culminated in 1919. Not only will these change the nation in some ways, but they were all linked and all have relevance today. The author begins his chronology of this amazing year by describing the Great Molasses Flood in Boston in January and how a company was held accountable for the deaths and destruction caused by shoddy construction and oversight. Subsequent chapters cover the women's suffrage movement and the long, long path to the nineteenth amendment, passed by Congress in June of the year., and the Red Summer during which racial tension erupted in several riots in towns and cities across the United States, marking one of the first times that blacks resisted white oppression and heralding the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. He also covers the Red Scare and paranoia over Communism and foreigners, which gave birth to nativism or giving precedent to anyone born here rather than immigrants.The last two chapters cover various strikes and the failure of Prohibition and the Eighteenth Amendment. The conflict between personal liberty and the common good is one that continues to be debated even today, and as with all the other chapters, Sandler provides great examples of how this plays out. The inclusion of the "One Hundred Years Later" section adds relevance to each of the chapters and events. Having a timeline of events and lengthy sidebars as well as archival photographs, some of them double-page spreads adds to the book's visual appeal. Although this book is an excellence reference for some of the topics it explores, especially since he has woven in the stories of individuals involved in these happenings and sprinkles in connections throughout the chapters, it also is engaging reading for anyone trying to understand the importance of one year on the nation's future. It will be interesting to see what nonfiction writers will have to say about the year 2019 a century from now.
May 14, 2019
Martin looks at the major news events that occurred in 1919 that have major implications and resonate in the present day: The Great Molasses Flood (oversight of businesses by government and government’s responsibility to our citizens), women’s suffrage (voter suppression today), racism/ racial riots/lynchings/rise of the KKK (continued patterns of social injustice today), rise of communism/The Red Scare I & II (start of the ACLU, anti-immigrant movement, rise of white supremacism today), working conditions & pay/rise of the unions & organized crimes/strikes (how organized crime controlled many things, rise of technology has resulted in decline in number of manufacturing jobs – more service jobs, climate change as a result), prohibition to reduce alcohol abuse by citizens/legislation for the “common good” (today it is vaccinations, gun control).
Sandler’s key points being made and arguments make for very compelling reading, very well-spoken and logical. His is a master non-fiction storyteller. The book’s format uses captioned B&W and color photos, timelines, sidebars and oversize quotes from the book text to break up the dense text and to emphasize points. It also includes an overview/introduction, “A Year That Changed America” short essay in the back, bibliography for suggested titles for further reading, Webliography, Sources Consulted, photo credits, index.
This outstanding nonfiction book deserves a place in not only American History classes, but also in civics classes today. Each of the six large topics would make for interesting discussion and further study. Each is relevant to hot topics in the U.S. today. Be advised that it is current and includes 2017 (not 2018) election results and is objective in discussing Trump regarding his ban on Muslims immigrating to the U.S. from seven countries and his administration’s policy of zero tolerance policy for undocumented immigrants into the U.S. (which he rescinded in June 2018).
Highly Recommended for grades 6-12.
Sandler’s key points being made and arguments make for very compelling reading, very well-spoken and logical. His is a master non-fiction storyteller. The book’s format uses captioned B&W and color photos, timelines, sidebars and oversize quotes from the book text to break up the dense text and to emphasize points. It also includes an overview/introduction, “A Year That Changed America” short essay in the back, bibliography for suggested titles for further reading, Webliography, Sources Consulted, photo credits, index.
This outstanding nonfiction book deserves a place in not only American History classes, but also in civics classes today. Each of the six large topics would make for interesting discussion and further study. Each is relevant to hot topics in the U.S. today. Be advised that it is current and includes 2017 (not 2018) election results and is objective in discussing Trump regarding his ban on Muslims immigrating to the U.S. from seven countries and his administration’s policy of zero tolerance policy for undocumented immigrants into the U.S. (which he rescinded in June 2018).
Highly Recommended for grades 6-12.
January 23, 2020
What an amazing year 1919 was. It is a year full of change in America and not all of it is known is known to Americans. 1919 was the year after the Great War (WWI) and the Spanish Flu epidemic and it was a busy year. The Great Molasses Flood destroys part of Boston's North End. I had heard of the molasses flood (thanks I Survived series), but didn't realize it was all about liquor! Prohibition is coming later in the year and molasses is a main ingredient in rum. The disaster was also one of the first times a company was held liable for damages to people and property. Then came the suffragettes and the right to vote for women. What always surprises me about this issue is how the West was more progressive and allowed women more power than the East. That and how long it actually took for women to get the vote. There is a still a long way to go towards true equality but it was a big start. Then you have Prohibition, the biggest failed experiment in American politics. It is interesting to me that making alcohol illegal brought about so many bad things, like gangsters. It didn't even solve the problem it was supposed to but instead created new ones. The other things touched on in this book are race riots and strikes. While the strikes were largely unsuccessful they did help future generations and were instrumental in starting talks on how workers should be treated. Then there were the race riots which I think are largely unknown and untaught in American history. We think of racial tensions in the 1960s but 1919 was a year where a lot of blood was spilled because of race. I really enjoyed how all these events were tied together by Sandler to create a picture of what was going on in this country during this pivotal year 100 years ago. However, my favorite parts of the book were the looking forward sections after each event that tied that event into current events. Some have direct correlations but others were a little more subtle and really made you think.
November 8, 2023
First of all, I thought it was a good read and an interesting topic. I knew about most of the different events mentioned (including the Great Molasses Disaster). However, it never dawned on me that all of these events happened within one year! I never considered 1919 to be a pivotal year in American history, but I'm thinking differently now.
At times, I forgot that this was a book designed for kids. As a history nerd, I relished all of the well- researched details and the emotions that these stories still induce 100 years after the events took place. I think a kid can appreciate this work, provided that you can persuade him or her to pick up a...gasp...historical nonfiction book, and read it...for fun (oh, the horror!). I'm joking, of course. Having been employed at a library for many years, I've seen many kids who willingly gobble up nonfiction and ask for more.
Two complaints about the book, however. First, at times, I felt that the author got a little preachy about certain political issues. It forced a certain amount of eye-rolling on my part, (which, believe it or not, makes it difficult to read). Secondly, I found the placement of the sidebar stories distracting. I would be reading the main part of a chapter, and really getting into the story. Then I would turn the page and, and boom, there was another story (yes, I could have skipped over it and continued with the chapter, but I'm anal and like read things in order-my fatal flaw, apparently). Anyway, I felt that it threw off the flow of the narrative. I'm wondering if it would have been better to place the sidebar stories at the end of each chapter, but that's just me.
At times, I forgot that this was a book designed for kids. As a history nerd, I relished all of the well- researched details and the emotions that these stories still induce 100 years after the events took place. I think a kid can appreciate this work, provided that you can persuade him or her to pick up a...gasp...historical nonfiction book, and read it...for fun (oh, the horror!). I'm joking, of course. Having been employed at a library for many years, I've seen many kids who willingly gobble up nonfiction and ask for more.
Two complaints about the book, however. First, at times, I felt that the author got a little preachy about certain political issues. It forced a certain amount of eye-rolling on my part, (which, believe it or not, makes it difficult to read). Secondly, I found the placement of the sidebar stories distracting. I would be reading the main part of a chapter, and really getting into the story. Then I would turn the page and, and boom, there was another story (yes, I could have skipped over it and continued with the chapter, but I'm anal and like read things in order-my fatal flaw, apparently). Anyway, I felt that it threw off the flow of the narrative. I'm wondering if it would have been better to place the sidebar stories at the end of each chapter, but that's just me.
October 16, 2019
After reading this book, I now know why it is a National Book Award Finalist. It is a superbly written account of some of the major events that occurred in 1919 that continue to have repercussions to this very day. Sandler focuses on six major events or series of events that changed the country for good. Women's suffrage, Prohibition, The Great Molasses Flood, racist violence, labor union strikes, and communist hysteria all left a mark on the United States, sometimes in good ways, sometimes in bad ways. But the door was opened to further change. None of these events/movements began in 1919, all of them had roots that ran deeper and back a lot farther, but for whatever reason, they all came to ahead in 1919 and the world was never the same. Sandler does a remarkable job summarizing the events and their roots without getting bogged down in too much detail. What I especially found intriguing though was the way he related each of the events/movements to issues, events, and movements that the United States faces currently. That makes this book a remarkably powerful example of how the past impacts the present and the future. The design of the book is also excellent with photographs and related sidebars of information adding to the power of the book. I can easily see why the book is a National Book Award Finalist.
January 13, 2020
I first want to say that I did not realize this is categorized as a "children's book." I saw it on a library shelf and thought I'd like to read about the year my father was born. (It was right around the time of my late father's 100th birthday.) So, I found myself reading this fascinating history book, thinking to myself that is was the most cogently written history book I'd ever read, and how much the old photos added to the experience. I remember thinking to myself that it was formatted like those dreary history books written for children -- the ones they hate to read -- but this was so much more interesting! I (an educated person with two graduate degrees) was learning interesting relevant things!
Then I discovered it IS a child's history book. Imagine my chagrin. Well. I felt a little silly.
But no matter, because this really IS an interesting book for a non-historian-though-educated adult. I learned plenty of things that rounded out my knowledge of the Women's Suffrage Movement (what a jerk Woodrow Wilson was!), labor unions, the first Red Scare, and prohibition. I even learned about the Great Molasses Flood, which I had absolutely never heard of.
So, I encourage adults who are curious to read this book. It's interesting, it has a contemporary interpretation, and the photos are awesome! Do read it, because I doubt many kids will.
Then I discovered it IS a child's history book. Imagine my chagrin. Well. I felt a little silly.
But no matter, because this really IS an interesting book for a non-historian-though-educated adult. I learned plenty of things that rounded out my knowledge of the Women's Suffrage Movement (what a jerk Woodrow Wilson was!), labor unions, the first Red Scare, and prohibition. I even learned about the Great Molasses Flood, which I had absolutely never heard of.
So, I encourage adults who are curious to read this book. It's interesting, it has a contemporary interpretation, and the photos are awesome! Do read it, because I doubt many kids will.
March 21, 2020
The Great Molasses Flood? Women's Right to Vote? Labor Unions? Prohibition? WHAT? Who knew all of these life-changing events--both good and bad--happened all in the same year? Martin Sandler did. Beautifully researched, hard to put down. Narrative non-fiction at its best.
December 21, 2019
I saw this in the library and grabbed it for two reasons: Sandler is always able to turn out excellent J and YA nonfiction; and my Dad was born in 1919. Sandler uses each chapter to talk about a major issue of 1919 then at the end of each chapter shows what is happening today on the same issue. It is a brilliant example of the dictum: show, don’t tell. One chapter is on race riots of 1919. He then talks about issues such as the Black Lives Matter movement. He spent a lot of time discussing Washington DC Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer (who also was the guy who inflicted J Edgar Hoover on us by hiring him for his first government job!) who hated Reds/Anarchists/Immigrants and carried out raids that were initially popular until their extensive cruelty and blatant disregard for civil rights caught up with him. As Sandler showed, his ideological descendants were McCarthy and trump’s Muslim ban.
One bit of trivia Sandler tossed to his readers was about Carrie Nation who was a notorious anti liquor crusader. It turned out when the feds raided her family farm after her death, that there was an enormous still on the property!
This is highly recommended!
One bit of trivia Sandler tossed to his readers was about Carrie Nation who was a notorious anti liquor crusader. It turned out when the feds raided her family farm after her death, that there was an enormous still on the property!
This is highly recommended!
December 9, 2024
Read this on a hyperfixation about the Great Molasses Flood (Jan 1919) BUT THIS WAS UNIRONICALLY the best nonfiction book I’ve read in years other than A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Murder in Ancient Rome. Highly recommend to literally anyone who wishes they knew more about the roaring 20s in America, CURRENT clean energy practices and policies, air travel, the history of alcohol (and drinking culture) in the US, workers’ rights, women’s right to vote, and gun laws. I’m well-armed for an early 20s trivia sesh.
October 1, 2019
This is fantastic! A complete package of everything that is great about YA nonfiction.
October 26, 2019
I can see why this book is nominated for the National Book Award.
January 7, 2020
Excellent. 1919 (like 2020 will be) is one of those pivotal years that changes everything. Well-written and assembled, a goldmine for kids (and adults).
April 7, 2023
Too much bias - the author’s personal political beliefs and opinions were stated as facts.
June 23, 2020
With a lot of interesting information in here, this book serves as a primer on many of the major changes and happenings in the US in the years between the world wars. It is divided into 6 chapters, each covering a theme: fear of Communism, Labor movement, racism/lynchings, women's suffrage, Prohibition, and....the Great Molasses Flood. A little known event in history outside of the Boston area, the Great Molasses Flood was tragic and awful and brought about reforms to industry standards, but Sandler didn't really convince me that this was on the same scale as, say, the 19th Amendment. Because the Molasses Flood is the first chapter of the book, I expected the players or the results to resonate through the other chapters in some kind of symbolic way, but they didn't. Instead, each chapter seemed to stand on its own. Only the Red Scare really seemed to be deliberately connected to another chapter. There were additional “sidebars” to give further information, and I found these distracting and not effective. These sidebars were consistently presented as a full two-page spread in the middle of the chapter, usually breaking up sentences of the basic content and interrupting the narrative. Sometimes they were background, like “Molasses”, and sometimes they were completely unrelated to the core chapter, such as “The Black Sox Scandal”. Another feature that seemed shoe-horned in was the “One Hundred Years Later” commentary at the end of most (but not all) chapters. Sometimes it really felt valid and meaningful to bring the content forward through the last century. But sometimes, it felt too forced and slanted toward a particular viewpoint. I think in those cases it may actually hurt his cause rather than furthering it.
Would I have been this harsh on the book if I had read it back in September? Definitely not. But this won the *National Book Award* for young people's literature, and I needed to see how this was the best book of the year. It was good, but I truly don't see how a committee considered this better than many of the other excellent books published in 2019.
Would I have been this harsh on the book if I had read it back in September? Definitely not. But this won the *National Book Award* for young people's literature, and I needed to see how this was the best book of the year. It was good, but I truly don't see how a committee considered this better than many of the other excellent books published in 2019.
October 29, 2019
3.5 stars
This is a difficult one to rate because there are parts of it I really liked. It’s hard to go wrong with the subject because, yeah, what a year. I appreciated the many photos and timelines and connections to current-day events. It’s disconcerting to read how little has changed, in a lot of ways, in 100 years: we continue to struggle with white supremacy, women’s rights, immigrant and minority rights, corporate power, corruption, and misguided efforts to legislate some people’s morality.
1) I did not like the oversized format; personal preference, but it makes it difficult to read.
2) I did not like the special subject asides. They often were a two-page spread plunked in the middle of a sentence and required flipping and back and forth. The information was all good and useful; I wish it had been incorporated into the chapter instead. Particularly ironic was the special section on the African American suffrage movement which, among other things, objected to being segregated from the white women’s effort.
3) The book opens with the Molasses Flood, which I’d never heard of. And while yes, bad, and yes, lasting impact (building codes and corporate negligence), to have an entire chapter devoted to it, on par with the 19th Amendment and race riots, when the flu pandemic was mentioned only briefly, was a really bizarre choice.
This is a difficult one to rate because there are parts of it I really liked. It’s hard to go wrong with the subject because, yeah, what a year. I appreciated the many photos and timelines and connections to current-day events. It’s disconcerting to read how little has changed, in a lot of ways, in 100 years: we continue to struggle with white supremacy, women’s rights, immigrant and minority rights, corporate power, corruption, and misguided efforts to legislate some people’s morality.
1) I did not like the oversized format; personal preference, but it makes it difficult to read.
2) I did not like the special subject asides. They often were a two-page spread plunked in the middle of a sentence and required flipping and back and forth. The information was all good and useful; I wish it had been incorporated into the chapter instead. Particularly ironic was the special section on the African American suffrage movement which, among other things, objected to being segregated from the white women’s effort.
3) The book opens with the Molasses Flood, which I’d never heard of. And while yes, bad, and yes, lasting impact (building codes and corporate negligence), to have an entire chapter devoted to it, on par with the 19th Amendment and race riots, when the flu pandemic was mentioned only briefly, was a really bizarre choice.
April 13, 2022
After World War I ended, in late 1918, the way of life in America began to dramatically change. The women earn the right to vote, there are increasing racial tensions and riots, Communism creates a scary challenge to democracy, and the rise of unions brings additional fears and change.
Surprisingly, with all that happens in 1919, author Martin Sandler begins his book with an almost humorous event, the Great Molasses Flood in Boston, when a storage tank of molasses bursts and floods the streets. After that he moves to the more serious political and social events. He also tries to connect these events to life in the twenty first century.
1919 was written for middle school and older youth and won the prestigious National Book Award for Young Person’s Literature in 2019. I suspect that it sits on the shelves of many middle schools and needs someone to encourage the right person to start reading it. The molasses flood will grab their attention. Perhaps 1919 might encourage students to explore other popular history books. Sandler’s time lines are very useful for a fuller picture of the year and the future.
Unfortunately, because I listened to this book, I missed the many photographs that are in the paper formats. The audio book was nicely narrated by Jeff Harding.
Surprisingly, with all that happens in 1919, author Martin Sandler begins his book with an almost humorous event, the Great Molasses Flood in Boston, when a storage tank of molasses bursts and floods the streets. After that he moves to the more serious political and social events. He also tries to connect these events to life in the twenty first century.
1919 was written for middle school and older youth and won the prestigious National Book Award for Young Person’s Literature in 2019. I suspect that it sits on the shelves of many middle schools and needs someone to encourage the right person to start reading it. The molasses flood will grab their attention. Perhaps 1919 might encourage students to explore other popular history books. Sandler’s time lines are very useful for a fuller picture of the year and the future.
Unfortunately, because I listened to this book, I missed the many photographs that are in the paper formats. The audio book was nicely narrated by Jeff Harding.
December 27, 2019
This book had such promise, but it was uneven in its execution and neglected major events during the time period in search for it's connectivity to today's world. With it's hetero-male-centric take on history and current topics, this was a flop, and even though it was an award winner, I do not recommend for reading.
December 23, 2019
1919: The Year That Changed America (Bloomsbury 2019) by Martin W. Sandler won the National Book Award Winner for Young People’s Literature.
Sandler’s opening chapter would be humorous if it weren’t so horrific. A huge vat of molasses—2.3 million gallons—explodes in Boston’s crowded North End in mid-January 1919 burying people and horses alive or blowing them clear into the bay. If the reader is anything like me, they’re riveted. Molasses?
Molasses connects us directly to many issues of 1919. Molasses had everything to do with slave trade. Sugar cane was produced and processed into molasses by enslaved people. The enslavement led to the racial unrest and riots that would break out across the country in 1919 in Chicago, Washington, Charleston and elsewhere. Black soldiers returning home from World War I, which ended November 11, 1918, hoped and expected a degree of equality after fighting for their country. Instead, they were met with riots and lynchings. White mobs were threatened by these newly confident black men.
Explosives for the war were made by mixing molasses and ammonium nitrate. With the war over, manufacturers were stockpiling molasses to make rum before the 18th Amendment—
Prohibition Act—could be ratified and consumption of alcohol would become illegal. Prohibition went into effect January 16, 1919. It’s of interest that there was more drinking done once it was illegal, when the saloons exclusively for men gave way to illegal speakeasies which included women.
But women were largely behind the prohibition of drinking, in order to protect their families from drunken husbands. Women were working for the 19th Amendment—women’s suffrage—which would be passed in 1919 and ratified in 1920.
Molasses connects—race riots, war explosives, Prohibition, and women’s suffrage.
One chapter, “The Red Scare” outlines the fear of communism at this time. “Red” denotes Communism because they rallied around a red flag. A Communist government had been installed in Russia in 1917 while the U.S. has a capitalist form of government. Many Americans felt threatened by the spread of Communism.
Another chapter, “Strikes and More Strikes” describes “work stoppages in almost every field of endeavor.”
Page long “sidebars” include topics such as Immigration (then and now).“Those Opposed” speaks of the citizens who resisted the suffragists, believing that women should not vote because they belonged at home, were too emotional, too fragile, and not smart enough. “The Doubly Disenfranchised” are the African American women, who even after that ratification of the 19th Amendment were still barred from voting by white supremacist laws. “The Harlem Renaissance” describes the blossoming of African American artists in New York City, during the Great Migration. “The Second Red Scare” tells of the 1950 Joseph McCarthy era. And others.
The photos are provocative. Detailed timelines end each chapter. At just less than 200 pages this is a fascinatin historical document of not only one year, but how it changed our nation.
Patricia Hruby Powell is the author of the award-winning Josephine; Loving vs Virginia; and Struttin’ With Some Barbecue and the forthcoming Lift As You Climb. She teaches community classes at Parkland College. talesforallages.com
Sandler’s opening chapter would be humorous if it weren’t so horrific. A huge vat of molasses—2.3 million gallons—explodes in Boston’s crowded North End in mid-January 1919 burying people and horses alive or blowing them clear into the bay. If the reader is anything like me, they’re riveted. Molasses?
Molasses connects us directly to many issues of 1919. Molasses had everything to do with slave trade. Sugar cane was produced and processed into molasses by enslaved people. The enslavement led to the racial unrest and riots that would break out across the country in 1919 in Chicago, Washington, Charleston and elsewhere. Black soldiers returning home from World War I, which ended November 11, 1918, hoped and expected a degree of equality after fighting for their country. Instead, they were met with riots and lynchings. White mobs were threatened by these newly confident black men.
Explosives for the war were made by mixing molasses and ammonium nitrate. With the war over, manufacturers were stockpiling molasses to make rum before the 18th Amendment—
Prohibition Act—could be ratified and consumption of alcohol would become illegal. Prohibition went into effect January 16, 1919. It’s of interest that there was more drinking done once it was illegal, when the saloons exclusively for men gave way to illegal speakeasies which included women.
But women were largely behind the prohibition of drinking, in order to protect their families from drunken husbands. Women were working for the 19th Amendment—women’s suffrage—which would be passed in 1919 and ratified in 1920.
Molasses connects—race riots, war explosives, Prohibition, and women’s suffrage.
One chapter, “The Red Scare” outlines the fear of communism at this time. “Red” denotes Communism because they rallied around a red flag. A Communist government had been installed in Russia in 1917 while the U.S. has a capitalist form of government. Many Americans felt threatened by the spread of Communism.
Another chapter, “Strikes and More Strikes” describes “work stoppages in almost every field of endeavor.”
Page long “sidebars” include topics such as Immigration (then and now).“Those Opposed” speaks of the citizens who resisted the suffragists, believing that women should not vote because they belonged at home, were too emotional, too fragile, and not smart enough. “The Doubly Disenfranchised” are the African American women, who even after that ratification of the 19th Amendment were still barred from voting by white supremacist laws. “The Harlem Renaissance” describes the blossoming of African American artists in New York City, during the Great Migration. “The Second Red Scare” tells of the 1950 Joseph McCarthy era. And others.
The photos are provocative. Detailed timelines end each chapter. At just less than 200 pages this is a fascinatin historical document of not only one year, but how it changed our nation.
Patricia Hruby Powell is the author of the award-winning Josephine; Loving vs Virginia; and Struttin’ With Some Barbecue and the forthcoming Lift As You Climb. She teaches community classes at Parkland College. talesforallages.com
March 9, 2021
Martin Sandler's thesis is that 1919 was one of, if not the, most important years in American history. He's somewhat successful in proving that theory, but the book is far more enjoyable if you read it as a time capsule of a very interesting year. A very dark year too: there's very little American success or ingenuity in 1919, just a lot of corruption, bad ideas, and racism.
Sandler addresses several major topics in 1919: women getting the vote, the red scare, racists riots, union strikes, and prohibition. Oh, and he includes an exciting chapter on the Great Molasses Flood. Each topic is fairly well laid-out, though Sandler's strenuous attempts to tie them all together into some grander idea show the weakness of his thesis. Every year is an important year; every year has some key indicators of American culture in that time and place.
A few extra quibbles: Sandler tacks a "100 Years Later" section onto each chapter, which immediately dates the book. Many of the issues present in 1919 were still manifest in 2019, but 2020 was the real inflection year. The pandemic and protests alone, not to mention Trump's nativism and corruption.
With that in mind, Sandler fails to address some key events in 1919 even though they would have benefited his narrative. The influenza pandemic, for instance, was still raging, but it receives only a background mention. The troops returning home from World War I are brought up a few times, but a closer look at the after-effects of that war might have benefited the book. Finally, last quibble: Sandler skips right from temperance agitators in the late 1800s to the passage of the Volstead Act in 1919 without offering any description of how that Act came to be. A glaring gap!
Other negative reviews seems focused on Sandler's general liberal leanings, particularly when it comes to the "100 Years Later" sections. The history in 1919 seemed sound to me, even with a thin bibliography. But I do agree that Sandler's "100 Years Later" inclusion might have deserved more nuance considering that history is so fresh.
Sandler addresses several major topics in 1919: women getting the vote, the red scare, racists riots, union strikes, and prohibition. Oh, and he includes an exciting chapter on the Great Molasses Flood. Each topic is fairly well laid-out, though Sandler's strenuous attempts to tie them all together into some grander idea show the weakness of his thesis. Every year is an important year; every year has some key indicators of American culture in that time and place.
A few extra quibbles: Sandler tacks a "100 Years Later" section onto each chapter, which immediately dates the book. Many of the issues present in 1919 were still manifest in 2019, but 2020 was the real inflection year. The pandemic and protests alone, not to mention Trump's nativism and corruption.
With that in mind, Sandler fails to address some key events in 1919 even though they would have benefited his narrative. The influenza pandemic, for instance, was still raging, but it receives only a background mention. The troops returning home from World War I are brought up a few times, but a closer look at the after-effects of that war might have benefited the book. Finally, last quibble: Sandler skips right from temperance agitators in the late 1800s to the passage of the Volstead Act in 1919 without offering any description of how that Act came to be. A glaring gap!
Other negative reviews seems focused on Sandler's general liberal leanings, particularly when it comes to the "100 Years Later" sections. The history in 1919 seemed sound to me, even with a thin bibliography. But I do agree that Sandler's "100 Years Later" inclusion might have deserved more nuance considering that history is so fresh.
June 14, 2020
I am reading "1919: The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler for Chapter and Verse Book Club where we are looking at non-fiction selections for the month of July. I am generally not a non-fiction reader and really did not want to read this book. I have had it sitting on a table for a long time and finally decided to pick it up when the library opened again and the book was actually due and couldn't be renewed! I had settled for just paging through the book. After a quick browse, I decided that I would just read the first section, which had to do with The Great Molasses Flood in Boston, which I knew nothing about. That was it. I was hooked!
Takeaways:
1. This is really well-written in clear, fluent language that takes the reader right into the heart of the matter. It is easy to read and interesting, which will be appealing to younger readers.
2. Martin W. Sandler writes well-researched pieces about defining moments in the year 1919 including The Great Molasses Flood, the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment (women's right to vote), the Red Summer (Civil Rights), the Red Scare, massive strikes, Prohibition, and more. He has a wonderful way of including both factual and anecdotal elements in the text, weaving personal stories into each of the events/issues covered.
3. The book also includes photos, timelines, two-page insets that explore in depth certain elements related to the story (such as the Harlem Renaissance, the ACLU, and the Black Sox Scandal). Sandler looks not just at the event itself but what lead to it and the ramifications of the event on future history. Really well done!
4. Again, the large picture-book style of the book is always something that I question for young adult readers...
This is a really well-done piece. I learned a great deal, and am really glad that I read it! Highly recommended!
Takeaways:
1. This is really well-written in clear, fluent language that takes the reader right into the heart of the matter. It is easy to read and interesting, which will be appealing to younger readers.
2. Martin W. Sandler writes well-researched pieces about defining moments in the year 1919 including The Great Molasses Flood, the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment (women's right to vote), the Red Summer (Civil Rights), the Red Scare, massive strikes, Prohibition, and more. He has a wonderful way of including both factual and anecdotal elements in the text, weaving personal stories into each of the events/issues covered.
3. The book also includes photos, timelines, two-page insets that explore in depth certain elements related to the story (such as the Harlem Renaissance, the ACLU, and the Black Sox Scandal). Sandler looks not just at the event itself but what lead to it and the ramifications of the event on future history. Really well done!
4. Again, the large picture-book style of the book is always something that I question for young adult readers...
This is a really well-done piece. I learned a great deal, and am really glad that I read it! Highly recommended!
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