So I just finished reading Upton Sinclair’s Dragon Harvest, which, as it turns out, is just one book in a long series of 11 or 12 other books. The only inkling I had that this book was part of a series was the end when I said to myself, and possibly to Heidi, “[Expletive]ing [Expletive]. That is not an [Expletive] ending. [Expletive]” But I’ll get to that later. The book stands on its own quite well, so if you want to read it you don’t have to bother reading the first book, whatever it may be.* Anyway, to the review!
I would highly recommend this book. But not because of the main character who is very difficult for me to like. Lanny Budd is aristocratic American who spends his time buying and selling expensive pictures, and spying on the rich people who buy and sell them (for Franklin D. Rosenfeld Roosevelt). While this does end up getting some useful information, such as the date the Wehrmacht will invade France, but the whole point is to show case the attitudes of the rich and powerful (While one can never be sure if these attitudes are correct they are more than plausible, especially given the current tax cuts for the rich). Lanny is also a closet socialist. He acts like a rich person and feels guilty about it, but I don’t think he’d be able live without excessive amount of wealth. This is why I don’t really like him, but besides that…
The story is good. It gives an interesting and complex view on how the second World War started. It goes into the treaty of Versailles, the rise of the Nazis, the political interactions between England, France, Germany and the U.S., and even tries to look into the minds of the leaders of those countries. It all comes down to the idea of ‘Class over country’. All the powerful (rich) families in these countries are frightened of the Bolsheviks (and their many infestations: unions, socialist, democrats, e&c.) and are willing to do pretty much anything to stop them. Or so the story goes. The book also pokes fun at Adi Schicklgruber’s following of the occult (Lanny delays the invasion of Poland by bringing him a fake psychic) and many of the other rich and powerful.
Generally, this book is entertaining even when it is trying to be educational. I would strongly recommend this book to those of you who would like to read something informative but not dull. I may try and pick up some of the other ones in the series to see if they are all as good (I hear the first one won a Pulitzer).
*I looked around and found a little bit more about the series (or at least the Simon Publishing republication of the series). The jerk thought it’d be a good idea to split each book in twain, print them as paperback and charge $30 bucks a pop for them. So if you want to buy the set be prepared to pay $660! Or by them used… they have been in print since the 50’s (mine cost $1!).
The
Lanny Budd Series; a total of 7,340 pages, covering world events during
the 1941 - 1953 period. Often called “the greatest historical novel of
the 20th century.”
- World’s
End I & World’s End II (193131313X);
- Between Two Worlds I
(1931313024) & Between Two Worlds II (1931313148);
- Dragon’s Teeth I
(1931313032) & Dragon’s Teeth II (1931313156);
- Wide is the Gate I
(1931313044) & Wide is the Gate II (1931313164);
- Presidential Agent I
(1931313059) & Presidential Agent II (1931313180);
- Dragon Harvest I
(1931313067) & Dragon Harvest II (1931313202.);
- A World to Win I
(1931313075) & A World to Win II (1931313229);
- Presidential Mission I
(1931313083) & Presidential Mission II (1931313245);
- One Clear Call I
(1931313091) & One Clear Call II (1931313261);
- O Shepherd, Speak! I
(1931313105) & O Shepherd, Speak! II (1931313288);
- The Return of Lanny
Budd I (1931313113) & The Return of Lanny Budd II (193131330X).
Goodbye for now
