The Greatest GenerationThe Greatest Generation
Score Modern
What it's about
Tom Brokaw, the NBC news anchor, tells the stories of ordinary Americans who grew up in the Great Depression, fought or worked through the Second World War, and came home to build the country: soldiers and nurses, factory workers, Japanese-Americans who served while their families were interned, and people who became senators, scientists and business leaders.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 21 weeks at #1 on the New York Times list, and its title became the name for that whole generation. It's a heartfelt tribute.
You'll love it if you liked
1776
The Naked and the Dead
Black Hawk DownGood to know
It's a series of short profiles, easy to read a few at a time. It's celebratory rather than critical.
By the numbers
- Readers50 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller52 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #165 of the 198 history books we rank
- #813 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1516 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is The Greatest Generation worth reading?
Yes. It spent 21 weeks at #1 on the New York Times list, and its title became the name for that whole generation. It ranks #1,516 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Greatest Generation about?
Tom Brokaw, the NBC news anchor, tells the stories of ordinary Americans who grew up in the Great Depression, fought or worked through the Second World War, and came home to build the country: soldiers and nurses, factory workers, Japanese-Americans who served while their families were interned, and people who became senators, scientists and business leaders.
How long does it take to read The Greatest Generation?
About 12 hours (464 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Greatest Generation?
If you liked it, try 1776 by David McCullough, The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer or Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden.