People of Destiny: Americans as I saw them at Home and Abroad

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gibbs, Philip, 1877-1962

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"People of Destiny: Americans as I Saw Them at Home and Abroad" by Philip Gibbs is a travelogue and social commentary written in the early 20th century. The text explores American society during the post-World War I era, revealing Gibbs' observations and insights on American life, culture, and the idiosyncrasies he encounters, particularly during his initial experiences in New York City. Through his lens, Gibbs delves into themes of war, societal dynamics, and the contrasting lives of various individuals across different social strata, seeking to capture the essence of American identity and resilience after the war. The opening of the book vividly recounts the author's first impressions of New York City during a time of post-war excitement and celebration. Gibbs describes the palpable energy in the streets, filled with returning soldiers and banners celebrating victory, juxtaposed against a backdrop of both grandeur and the stark realities of life in a bustling urban environment. He paints a picture of lively hotels and restaurants where middle-class Americans indulge in social events, contrasting their outward wealth with an underlying sense of simplicity and honesty. Gibbs also observes the diverse multitude of characters he encounters-from soldiers and their families celebrating reunions to the city's affluent yet grounded socialites-all while reflecting on the deeper societal implications of a nation rebuilding and redefining itself in the wake of conflict. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Contents:

The adventure of life in New York

Some people I met in America

Things I like in the United States

America's new place in the world

What England thinks of America

Americans in Europe.

Credits:

Produced by Annie R. McGuire. This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Internet Archive.

Notes:

Reading ease score: 57.3 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.

Release date is 2012-06-08