Malady: Shallowness

Desire: Understanding

Category:Non-fiction, Politics & Social Sciences, History

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The Year of Indecision, 1946: A Tour Through the Crucible of Harry Truman's America by Kenneth Weisbrode

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If you are totally freaking out about what is going on politically at home and abroad or worried about the security of the world right now this is a good book for you. People in 1946 really did see atomic war. They really did see bombs dropped. They really were trying to figure out how to go from a war mindset to a peacetime mindset (and they were not sure if the peace would last). In short, while everyone goes along and pretends that WWII was awesome, and mid-century America was all Beaver Cleaver this book is a stark reminder how much time can warp historical truth. 1946 was a nightmarish year for many Americans. It was not an America we are often exposed to: one with housing shortages, race riots, massive strikes (once Truman even threatened that he would draft all the striking rail workers into the army and force them to get back to work (he was informed that was in fact, slavery…not a super legal thing in America)). The book is not perfect—you will have to constantly look stuff up with your phone as the author drops events and names at times as if we should know exactly what or who they are. However, it is worth the effort if you want to understand a little bit more about America. Think about those times you unexpectedly walked in on a parent naked. America was pretty undressed in 1946.