Rating: 
Summary: Societal troubles in a so-called civilized world
Review: This book is like American Beauty of the 1930s. A man, trapped into a rigid social order, bursts out uncontrollably. Amazingly, this novel focuses on modern themes that still exist today, despite being written seventy years ago. One man, going to dances and social clubs, trying to keep his community standing in tact, maintaining his marriage, just couldn't take it anymore. A simple thing like disliking a man's story later tears his life apart. Such a simple constrained life blew up like a high-pressure balloon. While not a story with action or a plot, it is a literary device that portrays the upper-middle class life at that time. It's a nice timepiece and gives the reader a sense of living that life. A typical small Depression era American town with a country club and speak easy. It's a suprisingly quick and easy read, with a good description of life, and an opening for social interests. Unfortunately, it doesn't captivate readers like many other literary masterpieces.
Rating:
Summary: Societal troubles in a so-called civilized world
Review: This book is like American Beauty of the 1930s. A man, trapped into a rigid social order, bursts out uncontrollably. Amazingly, this novel focuses on modern themes that still exist today, despite being written seventy years ago. One man, going to dances and social clubs, trying to keep his community standing in tact, maintaining his marriage, just couldn't take it anymore. A simple thing like disliking a man's story later tears his life apart. Such a simple constrained life blew up like a high-pressure balloon. While not a story with action or a plot, it is a literary device that portrays the upper-middle class life at that time. It's a nice timepiece and gives the reader a sense of living that life. A typical small Depression era American town with a country club and speak easy. It's a suprisingly quick and easy read, with a good description of life, and an opening for social interests. Unfortunately, it doesn't captivate readers like many other literary masterpieces.
Rating: 
Summary: Bring Back the Novel
Review: This is the first O'Hara novel I've read in decades. Back then, I read for sensationalism. In the ensuing years, like my body, my reading tastes have matured. This book in particular, with its wonderful take on a certain society at a certain point in history, should be read by anyone interested in the modern novel. Way ahead of its time -- astounding that it was published in 1934.
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