P.G. Smith Author

Welcome to my blog about the 20th century. Why the 20th century? Because so much going on with us today is a direct result of what happened in the 20th century. It was the apex of the industrial revolution, perfected modern warfare, caused our environmental crisis, boosted the population boom, invented consumer culture, created modern technology, which produced the information age, the global village, and the mass market. We live in a different world today. And many of us wonder how it happened. How in the world did we get here?

Many clues lie in the 20th century. That’s why I love reading history, biography, historical fiction, or classics written during and about that time. Books like: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Bell Jar, Catch 22, American Pastoral, Bonfire of the Vanities, White Noise, or High Fidelity, and so many more.

There are also great movies, documentaries, TV shows, and biopics. Most of the 20th century is recorded on film. All of it tell us so much about who we were and what we were thinking. If you want to view the domestic presumptions of the 1950s, watch I Love Lucy. If you want to connect with the Communist phobia of the Cold War years, watch I Led Three Lives. So, I plan to talk to about all these wonderful sources of information and understanding with good hope.

But mostly, I have questions–like: how in the world did we get here? Why are we–the land of E Pluribus Unum–more divided than ever–or are we? Why are we, supposedly, the most evolved and intelligent species on earth, currently polluting ourselves off the planet as if we had somewhere else to go? Why is poverty so persistent? Why is weight such a problem? Why do Americans pay ten times more for our pharmaceuticals than anyone else in the world? Why do we have lawns? Really. Didn’t you ever wonder?

I… have questions…

I don’t really expect to find answers to all my questions, but I do plan to look for clues in 20th century literature, TV, and film. Feel free to join me.

PG Smith