Passos' most famous USA trilogy is listed here as it begins with "42nd Parallel, then "1919" & concludes with "The Big Money" following his main character living out & influenced by other characters who bring both good and bad to him. Set in the early years of the 20th century interweaving in the background of historical events that readers may find it difficult to follow. Still, Passos' work remains a good read. ( )

overview of American society

Een omvangrijke roman - verdeeld over drie boeken - die de levens van een handvol personages volgt, doorspekt met nieuwsstromen, 'camerstandpunten' en iet of wat speelse biografieën van enkele grote namen uit de 19de eeuwse en vroeg twintigste eeuwse Amerikaanse geschiedenis. De levenslijnen van de verschillende personages lopen dooreen, soms opzichtig en kronkelend, soms haast als een terzijde. We volgen ze in de anticipatie van de arbeidersrevolutie, in de aanloop naar de Eerste Wereldoorlog, aan het front, tijdens de vredesbesprekingen, in de opkomende vliegtuigindustrie, Hollywood, naar Sacco en Vanzetti.
Knap, uitgebreid, maar ook wat langdradig en eentonig. De newsreels en camera-eyes geven de verhalen hun kleur, het boek zijn soundtrack. Ze tijdens het lezen overslaan is eigenlijk geen optie ... ( )

My what a splendid book this is. Vast in its scope and magnanimous in its treatment of the varied strata that made up a nation coming to terms with the 20th century. I defy you to enjoy this, despite it being well over 1,000 pages long, a trilogy that follows 12 characters some related and others not. Not only is it written in a style that is incredibly accessible for such a long novel, it’s written in four styles that are incredibly accessible. Even the stream of consciousness episodes are so well crafted and (ahem) so short, that they fly by.

While I enjoyed the characters and what they got up to, what I most enjoyed was how I saw the nation of the US through their eyes and experiences. It was a promising time for the US and various ideals are put to the test including the spectral opposites of capitalism and socialism. Neither of them come off well, but I kind of felt, a bit like in Sinclair’s masterpiece The Jungle, that it was the ones who espoused a more societal basis for life that were painted with more touches of heroism. Certainly, you sympathised a lot more with those who fell victims to mass industry and the drive to industrialise at the sake of the common man.

Certainly Dos Passos here composed a classic but not just for his storytelling skills. It’s a nation analysed and put to the test of history. Interestingly, it shows how weak the ideals are, ideals that, even today are either praised or vilified in equal measure depending on which facet of US citizenry you talk to. I’m not sure that the US has really grown much more mature in its pursuit of an identity than it is portrayed in this novel. I wonder what the USAnians among you would respond to that.

For outsiders who want to know more of why the US is as it is, this is a good novel to reflect on. There’s such a vast amount here to consider there’s no way to do it justice. Even just one of the 12 character threads would provide book clubs with hours of discussion. For those of you on the inside, I think this is a good one to have under your belt to say you know where US literature is coming from and to provide food for thought as you continue to build on what those 12 characters built before you. ( )

da "42.mo Parallelo", "Millenovecentodiciannove" e "Un mucchio di quattrini" di Dos Passos. Versione italiana di Ettore Capriolo