One Summer: America,1927

One Summer: America,1927 - Review

U.K. Book Cover

Only the most dedicated students of history may remember the "resplendent name of Philo T. Farnsworth" says Bill Bryson in his latest book, One Summer America, 1927. But could they recall what he patented that year? Did you know 1927 was Yankee sluggers, Lou Gehrig’s and Babe Ruth's best year in Major League Baseball. Or for that matter, baby-boomers, remember - the most famous 25 year-old who captivated the world that summer, Charles Lindberg. Or was it Al Capone, said to be one of the best business minds in recent history.

Without a doubt, my favorite author, Bill Bryson’s new book transcends time to take you back to a year that America lead the way in inventions, culture, movies, sport, and gangsters.

One riveting chapter explores how Philo T. Farnsworth (just saying that name is fun) unveiled his all-electronic television prototype—the first of its kind—made possible by a video camera tube or "image dissector." If you’ve watched TV, and who hasn’t, you can thank this young inventor who lived in San Francisco. All but forgotten, Bryson brings it back to life with his uncanny wit and lucid writing style.

The book hinges on two very recognizable icons, Charles Lindberg, and Babe Ruth. Lindberg became famous over-night with the first successful solo Atlantic crossing from New York to Paris by airplane. And the Babe, the most recognizable name in baseball, set a home run record of 60 that lasted for 34 years. Gehrig and Ruth together hit more home runs that year than most of the major league teams combined. Sports fans, maybe you remember Jack Dempsey, the most notable name in sports. What was it like in Chicago of 1927 when Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunny met at Solider Field?

A marvelous jaunt through history. Bryson captures forgotten personalities, intriguing events, with his trademark clarity, eye for detail, and uncanny humor.

Comments

That Fateful Four-Letter Word

In this episode, A Masterclass in Efficiency. For nearly four months, the western border of our property has stood as a living monument to determination, dubious planning, and forensic-level lumber acquisition. Since February, our neighbor Steve has been conducting what can only be described as a masterclass in deliberate calculation. This was never going to be one of those slick home-improvement shows where a cheerful pair of men installs a fence between commercial breaks, sipping lemonade. No. This was real life in retirement. We scaled the vertical wilderness of our hillside. We mixed concrete with the precision of medieval alchemists. We bled, we sweated, and we fought hand-to-hand with a buried tree stump that had the structural integrity of a Cold War bunker. By this week—May 16th, for those keeping score—the glorious end was finally within reach. The fence stood proudly, the line was straight, and victory practically hummed in the air. Only one major task remained: installing t...

Truth for Sale

This episode is inspired by Elton John & Bernie Taupin On Memorial Day, I took my first bike ride since the accident , seeking proof that my legs, lungs, and nerves still remembered the road. The morning air carried that familiar Southern California mix of ocean haze, exhaust, eucalyptus, and sun-baked asphalt. My tires hummed across pavement I’ve ridden for years. Somewhere between the steady click of the chain and the rhythm of my breathing, Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s The Captain and the Kid found its way into my ears. There’s a strange kind of magic when the cadence of a ride syncs perfectly with a song you know by heart. Suddenly, the music and lyrics stop being background noise and become a lens. And through that lens, the road started talking. I've been cycling on this road some, Can't help feeling I've been showing my friends around. I've seen it grow from next to nothing, To a giant eatin’ up our town. Called up the tealeaves and the tarots, Asked the...

When Nature Comes to You

Sometimes the best way to experience the world isn’t to go searching for it, but to sit still and let it come to you. Lately, the view from my reading chair has become a vibrant little stage. Our backyard feeder has drawn a steady parade of wildlife—bold flashes of blue from the Western Scrub Jays, brilliant bursts of color from the Hooded Orioles, and Purple Finches—transforming quiet afternoons into a chorus of motion and song. But the most captivating performance unfolds just inches beyond my window. For the past couple of weeks, a young hummingbird mother has been perched on her tiny, beautifully woven nest. Hummingbirds usually seem made of pure nervous energy, yet here she is: perfectly still, patient, and devoted. Watching her quiet vigil - day after day - has felt almost magical. Life seems to be blooming in every direction right now, renewing itself in real time. It’s a gentle reminder to slow down, look outside, and notice the quiet miracles surrounding us. John Muir once wro...

The Eighth Wonder of the Suburban World

Mark your calendars, folks. Update the history books. Notify the Smithsonian. Move over, Pyramids of Egypt. Step aside, Hoover Dam. Future civilizations will speak of this day in hushed, reverent tones. May 22, 2026, will forever be remembered as the moment humanity reached the pinnacle of suburban engineering excellence. Earlier today, my neighbor Steve and I drove the final screw into what can only be described as the most overbuilt property divider in North County. The Fence! And then there’s the gate. Good grief, the gate. Calling it just a gate is almost disrespectful. It looks like the entrance to a medieval fortress or to Hogwarts Castle. It swings open with the heft of a bank vault and closes with the wave of a magic wand. At this point, we’re considering applying for FAA clearance to install a helicopter pad on top of it. This glorious odyssey began in early February, the primitive era. From the start, we made a sacred pact: we would not become one of those people. You ...

On The Fly

Search This Blog