Rating: 
Summary: fun to read, and it make me appreciate the status quo
Review: I read this book in high school and again last week. And after reading it over Thanksgiving break, I became more thankful for our admittedly imperfect democracy.
All too many people (including other reviewers of this book) describe any disturbing or annoying political developments as "fascism": liberals attacking the economic ineptitude and warmongering of the Bush Administration, conservatives attacking the "nanny state."
But Lewis shows that real fascism isn't democracy led by crazy idiots. Real fascism is dictatorship led by thugs.
In Lewis's fascist state, government critics (or even people whose property the local politicos covet) are sent to concentration camps, where they are routinely killed and tortured. The borders are guarded so Americans cannot easily escape (though a few manage to do so anyhow). There is no opposition media, no chance to escape to Canada. By contrast, our America, despite wars and economic problems, is still more or less a free country. And as long as people can (erroneously) call their politicians fascists without being flogged with steel rods, it will continue to be one.
Rating: 
Summary: How can this be out of print? Especially NOW?
Review: Is it really possible that this cautionary tale about fascism coming to the United States (in all-American garb) is out of print in 2003? With George W. Bush in the White House and "pre-emptive" war seemingly only hours away?
I don't remember this book being in the same league with "1984" and "Brave New World," but it does fill in important gaps in the cautionary picture. A marketing manager at a major publisher would NOT need to be a whiz in order to make this a minor bestseller.
Rating:
Summary: Why haven't liberals used this book yet?
Review: Sinclair Lewis is a genius in understanding the American public and the American mind. Yes, he is cynical and somewhat over the top, yet his poignant view about how politicians can manipulate non-thinking people and make them believe that they are part of the "club" (i.e. the ones in power are your intimate friends)and vote for them, even if it is against their daily life interests, still holds true today. One only needs to look at the last elections, where the same manipulations happened as Lewis described in his book in the 1930's. Even if the outcome this time around might be less drastic than those described in the novel, the parallels are amazing. One could read the book and think it was written a few months ago. Astonishing! The language is also delicious, like slow melting chocolate, to relish.
Rating:
Summary: Exciting and thought-provoking, but not entirely plausible
Review: Sinclair Lewis is a great author, whose more celebrated novels (Elmer Gantry, Main Street, Arrowsmith, Babbit) all portray middle-American life in the early 20th Century (the good and bad). Lewis is unafraid to satirize and lampoon the most disgraceful features of our culture."It Can't Happen Here" was written after his career had peaked and is not quite of the standard of the above works. Lewis was very concerned about the rise of fascism in the 1930's and the indifferent (or even sympathetic) reactions many Americans had to it. His point was that totalitarianism could happen here, particuarly in such a mood of indifference and denial. The book is a fascinating portrayal of the ascension of Senator Buzz Windrip, who upsets FDR for the Presidency in 1936, on a 15 point, fascisitic platform (state control of all banks, huge buildup of the military, persecution of Jews and unbelievers, subjection of blacks, etc.). Within six months, Windrip manages to abolish state governments, consolidate all universities, mussle the press (including the books main character, Doremus Jessup), etc. Riots and revolts break out, but they're repeatedly crushed by Windrip's private army, the Minute Men. In time, Windrip sets up concentration camps for all dissenters, while likewise employing a successful state propaganda organ to convince the world that life in America is much better. But a massive resistence movement develops, joining socialists, liberals, even mainstream conservatives (it's lead by Windrip's Republican opponent in the '36 election), and staged from Canada. The book centers around the life of Doremus Jessup, small-town Vermont newspaperman, and his family, in their active resistence to the "Corpo" regime. Though his life is destroyed by the end, Jessup continues to work for the revolutionary movememnt (which succeeds in invading much of the midwest afterwhich Windrip is overthrown in a coup by his cheif aide). The book is a fun read, and evokes much sympathy for the Jessups and their co-conspiriters. At the same time, it lacks the careful realism of Lewis' other works. The time-span is less than three years, which is fairly implausible. Lewis fails to address the fact that the U.S. (like Great Britain and Canada) is fundamentally different in background than Germany, Italy or Russia. America's strong democratic tradition and passion for individual liberty would make establishing and maintaining a successful dictatorship would be very difficult here (though perhaps not impossible, particularly in the depths of the Depression). Certainly, it'd take more than a few years and would involve much more bloodshed than depicted in this book. However, Lewis' book is quite thought-provoking. One of the byproducts of our successful democracy is that Americans often take their most basic rights (such as free speech and association) for granted. This book forces one to reflect on how lucky we are to live where we do and when we do, and always be vigilant in defense of our rights. In this era, with Bush and Ashcroft trying to curtail some of those rights in the name of "homeland security", such reflection is needed. I reccomend "It Can't Happen Here", but not to those unfamiliar with Sinclair Lewis. Read at least one of his better works (listed above) first.
Rating:
Summary: Revealing the subtleties of Fascism
Review: Sinclair Lewis' greatest achievement with "It Can't Happen Here" is his ability to reflect the subtle holds that Fascism can take in an otherwise rational and democratic country. Each step of the plot, no matter how seemingly insignificant or unrelated, contributes to the inevitable political conclusion. As the story progresses, it gradually becomes clearer to the reader how our individual prejudices and selfish desires can collectively turn us against the very freedom America prides itself upon. Fascism is here viewed as an implosion of American culture: the weight of mass media, of the desire for security and comfort, and of endemic nationalism caves in at the touch of a charismatic politician. Lewis exposes the weaknesses in our country's foundations; he shows a careful yet precarious balance of society and politics where we otherwise think we are solid. As others have noted, this book preceded the rise of Nazism in Europe. It is a testament to Lewis' grasp of fascism that much of his novel was mirrored in the chaotic climate of 1930's Germany and Italy. Where the book falters, however, is in some of its more outlandish caricatures of the villains, including orgies, bed-time assassins, and overwrought speeches. Despite the power of these metaphors, they weaken the plausibility of "it can happen here." Nonetheless, this novel serves as an excellent warning against the dangers of cults of personality and of mob mentality. I strongly recommend "It Can't Happen Here" to remind anyone that the freedom of thought should not be taken for granted.
Rating:
Summary: Revealing the subtleties of Fascism
Review: Sinclair Lewis' greatest achievement with "It Can't Happen Here" is his ability to reflect the subtle holds that Fascism can take in an otherwise rational and democratic country. Each step of the plot, no matter how seemingly insignificant or unrelated, contributes to the inevitable political conclusion. As the story progresses, it gradually becomes clearer to the reader how our individual prejudices and selfish desires can collectively turn us against the very freedom America prides itself upon. Fascism is here viewed as an implosion of American culture: the weight of mass media, of the desire for security and comfort, and of endemic nationalism caves in at the touch of a charismatic politician. Lewis exposes the weaknesses in our country's foundations; he shows a careful yet precarious balance of society and politics where we otherwise think we are solid. As others have noted, this book preceded the rise of Nazism in Europe. It is a testament to Lewis' grasp of fascism that much of his novel was mirrored in the chaotic climate of 1930's Germany and Italy. Where the book falters, however, is in some of its more outlandish caricatures of the villains, including orgies, bed-time assassins, and overwrought speeches. Despite the power of these metaphors, they weaken the plausibility of "it can happen here." Nonetheless, this novel serves as an excellent warning against the dangers of cults of personality and of mob mentality. I strongly recommend "It Can't Happen Here" to remind anyone that the freedom of thought should not be taken for granted.
Rating:
Summary: It CAN Happen Here!
Review: Surprisingly, Sinclair Lewis' darkly humorous tale of a fascist takeover in the US, "It Can't Happen Here," is not merely out-of-print, but also quite hard to find. As dated as it is (1935), its themes will be quite familiar to Americans today. It starts with the highly contested election of an oafish yet strangely charismatic president, who talks like a "reformer" but is really in the pocket of big business, who claims to be a home-spun "humanist," while appealing to religious extremists, and who speaks of "liberating" women and minorities, as he gradually strips them of all their rights. One character, when describing him, says, "I can't tell if he's a crook or a religious fanatic."
After he becomes elected, he puts the media - at that time, radio and newspapers - under the supervision of the military and slowly begins buying up or closing down media outlets. William Randolph Hearst, the Rupert Murdoch of his times, directs his newspapers to heap unqualified praise upon the president and his policies, and gradually comes to develop a special relationship with the government. The president, taking advantage of an economic crisis, strong-arms Congress into signing blank checks over to the military and passing stringent and possibly unconstitutional laws, e.g. punishing universities when they don't permit military recruiting or are not vociferous enough in their approval of his policies. Eventually, he takes advantage of the crisis to convene military tribunals for civilians, and denounce all of his detractors as unpatriotic and possibly treasonous.
I'll stop here, as I don't want to ruin the story -- I can imagine that you can see where all this is going.
Rating:
Summary: It CAN Happen Here!
Review: Surprisingly, Sinclair Lewis' darkly humorous tale of a fascist takeover in the US, "It Can't Happen Here," is not merely out-of-print, but also quite hard to find. As dated as it is (1935), its themes will be quite familiar to Americans today. It starts with the highly contested election of an oafish yet strangely charismatic president, who talks like a "reformer" but is really in the pocket of big business, who claims to be a home-spun "humanist," while appealing to religious extremists, and who speaks of "liberating" women and minorities, as he gradually strips them of all their rights. One character, when describing him, says, "I can't tell if he's a crook or a religious fanatic."
After he becomes elected, he puts the media - at that time, radio and newspapers - under the supervision of the military and slowly begins buying up or closing down media outlets. William Randolph Hearst, the Rupert Murdoch of his times, directs his newspapers to heap unqualified praise upon the president and his policies, and gradually comes to develop a special relationship with the government. The president, taking advantage of an economic crisis, strong-arms Congress into signing blank checks over to the military and passing stringent and possibly unconstitutional laws, e.g. punishing universities when they don't permit military recruiting or are not vociferous enough in their approval of his policies. Eventually, he takes advantage of the crisis to convene military tribunals for civilians, and denounce all of his detractors as unpatriotic and possibly treasonous.
I'll stop here, as I don't want to ruin the story -- I can imagine that you can see where all this is going.
Rating: 
Summary: A Surprisingly Accessible Book
Review: This novel seems better plotted than other Lewis books, including Main Street, Babbitt, Elmer Gantry, and Arrowsmith. Also, in comparison to these other novels, Lewis spends more time developing characters other than the protagonist (in this novel the protagonist being Doremus Jessup, a newpaper editor). Buzz Windrip, the fascist Senator who wins the 1936 presidential election; Windrip's Secretary of State Lee Sarason; and Shad Ledue, Doremus Jessup's handyman, all seem more fully fleshed out than characters of similar status in Lewis's earlier novels. Readers interested in twentieth-century American politics will find this novel very entertaining. Buzz Windrip's political platform, which promises to establish limits on personal wealth (particularly that of African-Americans), to enact governmental control of "big money," and to limit the power of labor unions, appeals to the public in the same contradictory way as Bill Clinton's 1992 platform, which called for both tax cuts and increased government spending. (And in the same fashion as a conservative Republican platform that calls for less government influence over private lives but, at the same time, more laws to protect and uphold "middle-class family values.") As a fan of Lewis's more light-hearted satire, as seen in Babbitt, I found the darkness of this novel difficult to take. The only parts that made me smile were the quotations from Buzz Windrip's campaign autobiography, Zero Hour, that appeared at the beginning of several chapters. But how can you make funny the takeover of America by humorless, bloodthirsty fascists, who hope to annihilate all opposition to Buzz Windrip and his plans to control every cent that is spent, every idea that is thought, and every word that is spoken? On the whole, this novel isn't Lewis at his best. However, it isn't a disappointing novel, and anyone who likes to watch political talk shows or read about politics and politicians should find it worth their time.
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Summary: what happened to my review?
Review: where is my original review? where can I find the e-mail address to write to you about it without having to fill out another review? I know the address will come up once I submit this. Thank you!
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