One Summer: America, 1927

In his national best-selling book One Summer: America, 1927, author Bill Bryson recounts the dramatic history and legacies of the summer of 1927 in the United States. Though it is a work of nonfiction, Bryson writes the story with a structured narrative complete with foreshadowing and cliffhangers. Readers progress through the summer with hints of the dramatic twists and turns to come while experiencing Bryson’s analysis of the implications and importance of this period in history.

Summary

Bryson organizes the book in parts that correspond to each month of the summer of 1927, beginning with May and ending with September. Each part also has a central figure, though Bryson discusses each of the main characters throughout the book.

The section on May centers on aviator Charles Lindbergh, who won the famed Orteig Prize when he became the first person to fly non-stop across the Atlantic from New York to Paris. Lindbergh accomplished the feat on May 21. Bryson demonstrates the new era of celebrity that this monumental moment produced. The rest of the book follows Lindbergh as he endures the tumultuous benefits and drawbacks of fervid fame, including the danger of rowdy crowds.