Description
Book SynopsisUtopian Movements and Ideas of the Great Depression explores several lesser known movements for change and reform in the Great Depression Era of the 1930s. It includes studies of a few communal societies, proposals for reform, and analyses of several books written in the 1930s that propose solutions to the nation's economic ills.
Trade ReviewHere is a book that spells out—in detail—the lives, ideas, and actions of utopian thinkers, publicists, and activists in the Great Depression. . . . Each substantive chapter is heavily footnoted; the author has obviously spent many bleary-eyed hours poring over the sources that do exist for the book, and he has in some cases interviewed his subjects. There is also a helpful index. This is clearly a labor of love on Whisenhunt’s part, off and on, over several decades. . . . For those interested in the material, or in related themes, there is plenty of information, and there are extensive citations. . . . [T]he book is quite useful. * Journal of American History *
Throughout his illustrious career, Whisenhunt has had direct encounters with much of this research or these figures. It is perhaps a unique gift that he can forever document this collection of odd Utopian figures in this work. While many of them have been forgotten by history, future historians will appreciate the fact that they have been remembered, at least in Utopian Movements and Ideas of the Great Depression. * Journal of American Culture *
Well researched and documented, the six case studies [in the book] provide stand-alone insights and amusing asides into the cacophony that followed the 1929 Crash. * Nova Religio: The Journal Of Alternative And Emergent Religions *
From the iconoclastic politician Maury Maverick to the activist priest James R. Cox, [Donald W. Whisenhunt] sheds penetrating light on a procession of utopians, communal organizers, socialists, editors, and writers, a narrative gracefully written, painstakingly grounded in documentary research. . . . Each movement and individual constitutes a compelling human interest story, a tale told with compassion and empathy. Collectively, they should provoke discussion and debate among historians, students, and general readers, reminding us of the imperfect line between wisdom and folly. -- Glen Jeansonne, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: The Utopians Chapter 3: The Politician: Maury Maverick and the Diga Relief' Colony, 1932-1933 Chapter 4: The Priest: Father Cox: Activist, Community Builder, Politician Chapter 5: The Socialists: The Continental Congress of Workers and Farmers Chapter 6: The Editor: Henry C. McCowen, Prairie Radical Chapter 7: The King: Ralph Elon Turton and the World Constitution Chapter 8: The Writers Chapter 9: Conclusion
