The Great Depression

A Diary

By: James Ledbetter, Daniel B. Roth

Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain

Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

This title offers a first-person diary account of living through the Great Depression, with haunting parallels to our own time.

Benjamin Roth was born in New York City in 1894. When the stock market crashed in 1929, he had been practicing law for approximately 10 years, largely representing local businesses. After nearly two years, he began to grasp the magnitude of what had happened to American economic life, and he began writing down his impressions in a diary that he maintained intermittently until he died in 1978.

Roth's words from that unique time seem to speak directly to readers today. His perceptions and experiences have a chilling similarity to our own era. Like many of us, Roth struggles both to understand and to educate himself about what was going on around him. He is sceptical of big government, yet ultimately won over by FDR's New Deal. This collection of his diary entries, edited by James Ledbetter, editor of Slate's "The Big Money," reveals another side of the Great Depression - one lived through by ordinary, middle-class folks, who on a daily basis grappled with a swiftly changing economy coupled with anxiety about the unknown future. It is highly topical - and timely.

The greatest financial disaster since the Great Depression has many Americans wondering what things were like as the Great Depression unfolded and people did not yet know how or when it would end. It is clear-eyed, readable - and eerily familiar.

In short, concise, and thoughtful entries, Roth chronicles the most telling moments of the Great Depression, from the drop in the price of movie tickets to Hoover's failed free-market solutions, to the rise in foreclosures in his hometown and how to benefit from 'bargains' at the much-diminished stock exchange. It is published one-year after the bankruptcy of Lehman Bros sent the world markets on a deep downward slide, and around the 80th anniversary of "Black Tuesday".

©2009 PublicAffairs (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

great history record!

Eye opening how similar things are now. Be smart and learn history or you are doomed to repeat it!

Look at the past to see the future

Loved listening to this informative work and now have better understanding of the country's future

Rather scary…kudos to those who survived through the 1930’s

Although I didn’t understand all the financial terminology, this book helped explain why the Depression happened and the impact it had on professional people living in urban and suburban areas. Their experience was dreadful and stagnant, but not as devastating as those living in the heartland in the dust bowl. Thankfully the author did not become homeless either, as too many city dwellers were forced to live in Hoovervilles.
FDRs attempts were well meaning, but unfortunately not very successful over time, and began building the national deficit that is now in the trillions, and have led the US to be on the verge of complete socialism today. Our Congressional leaders should brush up on our history before they lead us to a point beyond recognition.

The best book I've ever read on the Great Depress

This is one of the most gripping books I've ever read . My grandparents lived through the Great Depression and told me many stories about how difficult life was back then. I never appreciated those difficulties until I read this book. It is stunning.

Long and repetitive, but unique and insightful.

I listened to this book in 25 minute chunks and enjoyed it. Because of the diary format I don't think longer sessions would have been enjoyable.

Boots on the ground history

True history from someone who lived through it and scary how history is repeating itself and rhyming at the same time. This should be in every elementary school literature. A must read.

Great for Stock Market self study

Great for Stock Market self study👍 Definitely prefer the audiobook version to the paper version.

An excellent read!

Benjamin gives us his contemporary view of a very complex financial and historical events which significantly shaped our times. His diary does a good job in giving meaning to financial statistics within a context of current events and though, by definition, the diary only gives a view of an individual within the scope of his understanding, it is precisely for that reason, why it is well worth reading. Benjamin’s book is a wonderful showcase, that while it is not too dificult to make largely correct statements about the universal past, it is very difficult and more often than not impossible, to accurately predict for the future. Excellent read!

Very important read

This was a great written account of the Great Depression with a strong emphasis on the stock market, policies, and FDR. There are so many parallels to today. Our government in the US is debasing the currency similar to then.

A good read for the times.

Great wisdom and insight. This book gives a personal glimpse of the great depression that is not taught in in history books. I love the financial wisdom woven in throughout.