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The 42nd Parallel (U.S.A. #1)

John Dos Passos

Start date: January 1, 2020

Finish date: January 31, 2020

Discussion: Fiction Group Reads

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Fiction Group Reads

The Big Money by John Dos Passos - March 2020
By Petra · 39 posts · 22 views

last updated Oct 23, 2022 08:22PM

The Nose - Nikolai Gogel [October 2021]
By Lauren · 6 posts · 16 views

last updated Jan 16, 2022 11:15AM

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What Members Thought

Jun 08, 2012 Lark Benobi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites-20th-century, favorites-of-all-time, books-i-ll-read-again-many-times, books-i-ve-read-at-least-3x, favorite-book-i-read-this-year, male-identified-authors, 2020

This novel is such a distinct achievement that I haven't written a review before now, and even though this is my third time through the novel, this isn't really a review either. What I can say is that this novel in spite of its setting in the early 20th century is nevertheless written in such a contemporary and innovative way that it makes me realize there is no such thing as progress in the arts, or even evolution, but rather that we have extraordinary masterful artists that come along now and ...more

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Jan 25, 2020 Lori rated it liked it

Shelves: modern-history, literature, z-reviewed, fiction, z-read-2020, america, zy-text, roundtable, pre-1950, series

I think I understand why Dos Passos is known as an important novelist but not read that much any more.

Interesting format - the story follows four people (with a fifth thrown in at the end) from 1900 to 1917 the entry of the US into WWI). Between each narrative section there is a 'Newsreel' consisting of headlines, bits of news stories, and song lyrics, 'The Camera Eye' which is a stream of consciousness autobiography, and various short biographies of important people of the time. It reminds me ...more

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