Review by Choice Review
After the renaissance in Hemingway and Fitzgerald studies over the past decade, it seemed that little new could be written, especially about the most familiar and significant works of these authors. Now comes Berman's brilliant, concise, incisive study of the two novelists, placing them firmly within the cultural context of the 1920s while delving deeply into a sophisticated textual analysis of such novels and stories as The Great Gatsby, The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, "The Killers," "Bernice Bobs Her Hair," and other excellent works. Clearly, this territory has not been mined out. In a strikingly intelligent yet eminently accessible study, Berman seamlessly weaves the primary themes of these texts and pertinent references to both the popular and high culture of the1920s into a seminal and provocative statement on American elitism, materialism, and above all antisemitism. In terms of this particular prejudice, he goes far beyond earlier critics in illuminating the degree to which it insidiously permeates the works of Hemingway and Fitzgerald, particularly Sun and Gatsby, and the fabric of American society itself. This forceful, riveting work is a major addition to the existing body of criticism on these authors and an essential acquisition for every library. Highly recommended. B. H. Leeds Central Connecticut State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
