Reading 1922 A Return to the Scene of the Modern [Hardcover]

This engaging study returns to a truly remarkable year, the year in which bothUlyssesandThe Waste Landwere published, in whichThe Great Gatsbywas set, and during which the Fascisti took over in Italy, the Irish Free State was born, the Harlem Renaissance reached its peak, Charlie Chaplin's popularity crested, and King Tutankhamen's tomb was discovered. In short, the year which not only in hindsight became the primal scene of literary modernism but which served as the cradle for a host of major political and aesthetic transformations resonating around the globe.

In his previous study, the acclaimedDialect of Modernism(OUP, 1994), Michael North looked at the racial and linguistic struggles over the English language which gave birth to the many strains of modernism. Here, he expands his vision to encompass the global stage, and tells the story of how books changed the future of the world as we know it in one unforgettable year.

Professor of English at UCLA,Michael Northis the author of four books, includingThe Dialect of Modernism: Race, Language, and Twentieth-Century Literature(OUP 1994). He has written and lectured widely on many aspects of modern culture, including literature, politics, and the arts.