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Book Hardcover
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1938
7 people want to read
About the author
Hendrik Willem van Loon
283 books80 followersHendrik Willem van Loon (January 14, 1882 – March 11, 1944) was a Dutch-American historian and journalist.
Born in Rotterdam, he went to the United States in 1903 to study at Cornell University. He was a correspondent during the Russian Revolution of 1905 and in Belgium in 1914 at the start of World War I. He later became a professor of history at Cornell University (1915-17) and in 1919 became an American citizen.
From the 1910s until his death, Van Loon wrote many books. Most widely known among these is The Story of Mankind, a history of the world especially for children, which won the first Newbery Medal in 1922. The book was later updated by Van Loon and has continued to be updated, first by his son and later by other historians.
However, he also wrote many other very popular books aimed at young adults. As a writer he was known for emphasizing crucial historical events and giving a complete picture of individual characters, as well as the role of the arts in history. He also had an informal style which, particularly in The Story of Mankind, included personal anecdotes.
Born in Rotterdam, he went to the United States in 1903 to study at Cornell University. He was a correspondent during the Russian Revolution of 1905 and in Belgium in 1914 at the start of World War I. He later became a professor of history at Cornell University (1915-17) and in 1919 became an American citizen.
From the 1910s until his death, Van Loon wrote many books. Most widely known among these is The Story of Mankind, a history of the world especially for children, which won the first Newbery Medal in 1922. The book was later updated by Van Loon and has continued to be updated, first by his son and later by other historians.
However, he also wrote many other very popular books aimed at young adults. As a writer he was known for emphasizing crucial historical events and giving a complete picture of individual characters, as well as the role of the arts in history. He also had an informal style which, particularly in The Story of Mankind, included personal anecdotes.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 28, 2021
"Invasion" by Hendrik Willem Van Loon
Published by Harcourt Brace & Company, 1940
A hard-to-find and forgotten alternate history/near future title. Written in 1940 but told from the future of 1960 where the author is recounting his time during a failed Nazi Invasion of America in 1940.
This book was written to wake up Americans to the dangers of Hitler and Nazi Germany at a time when isolationists were the majority and wanted to keep America out of World War II.
Short, powerful and poignant. Van Loon is no Harry Turtledove, but he writes with a drive and personal fury at the Germans takeover of his homeland of The Netherlands and does his level best to shine a light on the "reality" of an American Invasion.
The novel follows Van Loon on his escape from New York City on the eve of the Nazi invasion; to Connecticut and eventually ends in Vermont at the "Battle of the Metowee Valley". Through his reference to news reports we learn of the greater Nazi invasion of America through Mexico and Canada.
Van Loon shines a light on American Nazi sympathizers which were a reality, the danger of "The Fifth Column", the American Bund and the indifference of regular people while at the same time showing the grit and determination of Americans coming together to repel the Nazis.
Not the best narrative and can be a little cheesy by today's standards it was still a gripping story. I've read a ton of alternate history and was surprised I had never heard of this one. I'm glad I did
It is long out of print, but you can find affordable used copies online or at a local bookstore.
Van Loon was an acclaimed historian and renowned for his thorough yet accessible biographies and narrative histories, "The Story of Mankind" (1921), "Van Loon's Geography" (1932), "The Arts" (1937) & "The Life and Times of Johann Sebastian Bach" (1940) are some of his best-sellers.
Published by Harcourt Brace & Company, 1940
A hard-to-find and forgotten alternate history/near future title. Written in 1940 but told from the future of 1960 where the author is recounting his time during a failed Nazi Invasion of America in 1940.
This book was written to wake up Americans to the dangers of Hitler and Nazi Germany at a time when isolationists were the majority and wanted to keep America out of World War II.
Short, powerful and poignant. Van Loon is no Harry Turtledove, but he writes with a drive and personal fury at the Germans takeover of his homeland of The Netherlands and does his level best to shine a light on the "reality" of an American Invasion.
The novel follows Van Loon on his escape from New York City on the eve of the Nazi invasion; to Connecticut and eventually ends in Vermont at the "Battle of the Metowee Valley". Through his reference to news reports we learn of the greater Nazi invasion of America through Mexico and Canada.
Van Loon shines a light on American Nazi sympathizers which were a reality, the danger of "The Fifth Column", the American Bund and the indifference of regular people while at the same time showing the grit and determination of Americans coming together to repel the Nazis.
Not the best narrative and can be a little cheesy by today's standards it was still a gripping story. I've read a ton of alternate history and was surprised I had never heard of this one. I'm glad I did
It is long out of print, but you can find affordable used copies online or at a local bookstore.
Van Loon was an acclaimed historian and renowned for his thorough yet accessible biographies and narrative histories, "The Story of Mankind" (1921), "Van Loon's Geography" (1932), "The Arts" (1937) & "The Life and Times of Johann Sebastian Bach" (1940) are some of his best-sellers.
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February 10, 2019A story about the invasion of America by the Nazis during WWII. Written to push the Americans out of their isolationism.
March 12, 2022
There was a while there when I was picking up every Van Loon book I could find, so when the Extreme Book Nerd list I’m playing with wanted an “alternate history” book, this fit right in. Written in 1940 when Van Loon’s native Holland had fallen to the Nazis, it’s a cautionary tale, a warning, a plea to watch out. And it rather grimly fits in with the current events happening in Ukraine. :(
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews