London Was Yesterday, 1934-1939

by Janet Flanner

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

Genres: History

Hardcover

First published May 28, 1975

About the author

Janet Tyler Flanner was an American writer and journalist who served as the Paris correspondent of The New Yorker magazine from 1925 until she retired in 1975.
She wrote under the pen name "Genêt". and published a single novel, "The Cubical City", set in New York City.

Reviews

[Cokie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's interesting, but it's nothing compared to her Paris books.

[Austen to Zafón · Rating 3 out of 5]

Janet Flanner, an American ex-pat, wrote the bi-weekly "Letter from Paris" column for the New Yorker for 50 years; 1925 to 1975. But from 1934-39, the New Yorker asked her to also write the "Letter from London." Apparently she split her time between the two capitals, which can't have been easy. I read her Paris Was Yesterday, 1925-1939 and this book just doesn't have the same passion. The Paris letters focus more on the raucous jazz age shenanigans and some politics, and while a lot of it (especially the name dropping) went over my head, it was clear she loved Paris and Paris loved her. Her London letters, or at least the scant selection here, are almost exclusively about the royal family and the theater crowd, with a little about politics thrown in. I didn't get much feel for what it was like to be an average Londoner living in the city in that era.

Perhaps I'm spoiled by Mollie Panter-Downes who succeeded Flanner and wrote the "Letter from London" column for the next 45 years (The New Yorker must've been really good to its writers!). Her letters, which I read in London War Notes, 1939-1945, give a good feel for the time and place and not just what it was like for the wealthy and socially privileged. She was a Londoner and right at home, but able to communicate that particular culture to the American reader.

I give this book three stars for its stellar, although somewhat obsequious, portrait of Queen Elizabeth (mother of the current Queen) and her reports on the love affair and abdication of King Edward VIII (Duke of Windsor). She paints a sympathetic portrait of Wallis Simpson.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite being an avid anglophile, I had never heard of this reporter or her columns. I was glad I finally have because I found this book generally a delight!

It focuses on the very pivotal years of the 1930s in london. Her style was informative yet light and very witty. She would've been fun to have a cocktail with, I suspect.

The best thing about it was hearing about oft-read details from a contemporary viewpoint. I felt like I was having more of a personal eye view on the scandals of the day without seen at through the historical eye years later. To hear about opinions that were different than what most people have read was refreshing and eye opening.

The strongest part was the lead up to the abdication, seconded by the run up to World War II.

I would have given this 5 stars except for the fact that certain parts fell flat. A lot of name dropping in the theater and musical performances of the years. Names which didn't mean anything to me, I kind of felt like skimming those parts.

Overall a wonderful read though. I would love to read more of her work.

[GrandpaBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

The American writer Janet Flanner columnist the for the New Yorker, better known for her 'letters' from Paris under the pen name Genêt, also wrote from London during the 1930s. This selection of her London essays from 1934 through June 1939 covers the social, cultural and occasionally the political events occurring in the Capitol City during the time period. I found her coverage of 1936, the year of three kings, to be the most interesting of the selected essays presented in this book.