The 42nd Parallel

De: John Dos Passos

Narrado por: David Drummond

This first entry in John Dos Passos's celebrated U.S.A. trilogy paints a grand picture of the United States at the dawn of the twentieth century.

©2010 John Passos (P)2010 Tantor Media

A Diego Rivera painting in written form

Where does The 42nd Parallel rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Completely unique. The techniques utilized to fine effect by Dos Passos create a surprisingly modern and cinematic feel, especially considering these books were written 80 years ago! In particular, Dos Passos encapsulates visual and audible elements into his prose. The audible parts of the writing, especially newspaper headlines, radio messages, and popular songs, make this a wonderful choice for a book to be listened to as opposed to being read. It is a gift that narrator David Drummond rises brilliantly to the occasion (God this would be a terrifying book to consider reading - and singing - aloud). All this and the 42nd Parallel happens to be one of the most famous books of the 20th Century.... I have read of Ernest Hemingway's respect for Dos Passos. Since that was an exceedingly small camp, as Hemingway seemed to actively hate most writers, I had looked forward to listening to my first Dos Passos novel. I was not disappointed. Throughout the 42nd Parallel, I heard echos of Hemingway dialog and situations. Other writers and artists also. Joyce in particular. And painters. One might do worse than characterizing this novel as a Diego Rivera painting written in prose.

Narrator was brilliant

So much range! Male, female, all sorts of accents. Singing and sound effects. So great!

Sublime Narration

This was an unparalleled example of bringing a classic to life through oral interpretation. The vocal variety and range of the narrator made this an exceptional audiobook.

Perfect Narrator for this book!

This book is a great American classis and an essential read. Thank you Narrator for doing an impeccable job in bringing the stories and characters to life. I am definitely moving on to 1919 and happy that David Drummond narrates that one too.

I loved the history embedded in good stories

This is my second time through so that I can now continue and finally finish the series. It’s a beautiful piece of literature.

The other side of WWI and more

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, but after that friend had read the triogy. It's easier to let the long stories unwind after you have the basics down about the character arcs and the vast plotline the trilogy takes in over so many years

What was one of the most memorable moments of The 42nd Parallel?

Mac's initiation on the road with a traveling salesman in Wisconsin unfolds wonderfully, I wish Dos Passos kept the lighter tone for more of his characters to come in the trilogy; it would have helped.

Have you listened to any of David Drummond’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I liked his reading of the whole USA trilogy. It is part of a whole, and Drummond keeps it flowing,

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No, I liked it. Dos Passos brought a detached presence to much of his prose, and it shows. It does distance a reader or listener from the events, on the other hand. Drummond does his best to engage you, but it can be difficult as the relentless fates channeled by the trilogy continue on.

Any additional comments?

Probably more valuable, like Sinclair Lewis, for the life of Americans after WWI as recorded, than for the actual stories. Almost a century after the events, it still speaks for the hopes of the little men and women and how they are crushed or warped or abandoned in the rush for survival and wealth

An American classic.

No doubt, I difficult work to narrate but this is very well done, thank you for preserving this American classic!

Early twentieth century stories

Several stories of people from the turn of the century until the first World War. Headlines and other current events from the time are mixed in to help give a feel for the time.

A view into the past I have never seen.

With today's sensitivities it is hard to hear/read the way people talked about women, races, values. I enjoyed going on this trip back in time and ready to go on with the series.

The Capitalist's War

I had heard fleeting references to the U.S.A. yet most likely would not have put it very high on my "to read" list were it not for its placement on the Modern Library's Top 100 list. Good thing for lists other than my own.

John Dos Passos was an ambitious writer. U.S.A. was originally slated to be a singular work however, after clocking in with 1,200 pages, he had no choice but to rethink it as a trilogy. I can totally relate to this as my own debut work was intended to be a stand alone novel until I found myself editing down to 1,500 pages and struck by the fact that my first novel was, in fact, three.


Of course, Dos Passos was already a heralded author, writing his first novel in the trenches of World War I and finding a mass market for his third novel, Manhattan Transfer.

U.S.A. is Dos Passos' opus and 49th Parallel a signature work and of profound influence on American literature in the 20th Century. This first book focuses on the period from the Turn of the Century to America's entry into World War I.

Dos Passos earned great critical acclaim for introducing four distinctive narrative modes into the work much of which was written in a stream of consciousness akin to James Joyce. I was always intrigued to come across literary homages throughout and came to realize how Malcolm Lowry likewise gave literary tribute to Dos Passos in his 1947 work Under The Volcano.

What I also found striking was the description of the political aspects of the time. As Americans tend to lack deep cognizance of its history, the period between the Civil War and World War II is very little understood and scarcely taught. it is fascinating and, perhaps, frightening, how comparative are the tone and temperament of politics today and that of 100 years ago. It rings true how accurate is the saw: he that fails to understand history is doomed to repeat it.

Book Two, 1919, is already queued up.