One Summer audiobook cover - America, 1927

One Summer

America, 1927

Bill Bryson

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HistoryEconomics

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One Summer
Aviation Revolution+
Cultural Influence & Pride+
Social Turmoil+
Unprecedented Wealth+
Path to the Great Depression+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 6
Why was Charles Lindbergh’s 1927 flight across the Atlantic considered a pivotal moment for the United States?
  • A. It proved that airplanes could be effectively used for military purposes like directing artillery fire.
  • B. It catalyzed massive public interest and financial investment in the lagging American aviation industry.
  • C. It allowed European airlines to finally begin operating passenger flights in the United States.
  • D. It introduced the concept of commercial passenger air services to the world for the very first time.
Question 2 of 6
How did the 1927 release of the film 'The Jazz Singer' significantly impact American cultural influence globally?
  • A. It was the first movie to feature an all-American cast, shifting international focus away from European actors.
  • B. It introduced dialogue and sound to movies, popularizing American speech and attitudes worldwide.
  • C. It was the first film produced entirely in Hollywood, making Los Angeles the richest city in the country.
  • D. It documented Babe Ruth's record-breaking baseball season, successfully exporting American sports culture.
Question 3 of 6
According to the text, why might the 1920s in the United States be more accurately described as the 'Age of Loathing' rather than the 'Roaring Twenties'?
  • A. The decade was characterized by extreme nationalism, rampant xenophobia, racism, and the promotion of eugenics.
  • B. The general public harbored deep resentment toward the extreme wealth of Hollywood celebrities and athletes.
  • C. The extreme poverty and high unemployment rates caused widespread anger and violent protests among the working class.
  • D. The government heavily taxed the middle class to subsidize the wealthy, leading to deep national political divides.
Question 4 of 6
What underlying flaw in the unprecedented economic wealth of the United States in 1927 eventually contributed to the Great Depression?
  • A. The country exported too many goods to Europe, leaving domestic consumers with severe product shortages.
  • B. The government hoarded half the world's gold, causing massive and uncontrollable inflation in the housing market.
  • C. The mass production of consumer goods vastly outpaced the technological advancements and infrastructure of the time.
  • D. The economic boom was heavily dependent on a culture of reckless borrowing, installment plans, and market manipulation.
Question 5 of 6
How did the actions of international bankers and the Federal Reserve in 1927 inadvertently lay the groundwork for the Great Depression?
  • A. They raised interest rates to unprecedented levels in an attempt to curb out-of-control consumer spending.
  • B. They lowered interest rates to help Europe's struggling economy, which ended up fueling a massive stock market bubble in the US.
  • C. They refused to lend money to stockbrokers and investors, causing a sudden and catastrophic collapse of the American stock market.
  • D. They implemented strict regulations on bank borrowing that severely stifled domestic industrial production.
Question 6 of 6
How did President Calvin Coolidge's leadership style affect the United States' economic policies during this era?
  • A. His hands-on approach and strict financial regulations prevented the stock market from crashing during his term.
  • B. His aggressive foreign policies isolated the US economy from struggling European markets, protecting domestic wealth.
  • C. His laid-back attitude allowed officials to implement self-serving, questionable policies that advanced private interests.
  • D. His dedication to civil rights and equality led to the overturning of the Espionage and Sedition Acts.

One Summer — Full Chapter Overview

One Summer Summary & Overview

One Summer (2013) tells the story of the summer of 1927, a particularly pivotal three months in American history. The summer of 1927 marked the emergence of the United States as a major power on the international scene and set the stage for the Great Depression of the ‘30s. One Summer takes a closer look at a number of 1927’s important events, such as Charles Lindbergh’s famous flight across the Atlantic Ocean, Babe Ruth’s recording-breaking 60 home runs in a season and the execution of Italian anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti.   

Who Should Listen to One Summer?

  • Anyone interested in baseball, anarchism or the Great Depression
  • Anyone curious about the roots of American hegemony
  • Anyone interested in the dark reality behind the glitz of the roaring ‘20s

About the Author: Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson is the best-selling author of over a dozen books, including The Mother Tongue, Notes From a Small Island and A Short History of Nearly Everything, which won the 2004 Aventis Prize.

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