The Forgotten Man

A New History of the Great Depression

Amity Shales

Book Synopsis

"The Forgotten Man" by Amity Shlaes is a thought-provoking exploration of the Great Depression in America. Shlaes presents a fresh perspective on this historic era, focusing on the forgotten individuals who endured immense hardships and played key roles in shaping the nation's recovery.

Through meticulous research, Shlaes introduces us to forgotten figures such as Wendell Willkie, a businessman turned presidential candidate, and Andrew Mellon, a Treasury Secretary who led crucial economic reforms. These individuals, often overshadowed by Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal policies, demonstrate the resilience and resourcefulness that defined the American spirit during this trying time.

Shlaes delves into the unintended consequences of Roosevelt's extensive government intervention and argues that it complicated the recovery process, hindering economic growth and job creation. By shining a spotlight on the struggles faced by everyday Americans and dissecting the impact of policies, Shlaes challenges prevailing assumptions about the Great Depression and its aftermath.

"The Forgotten Man" offers valuable insights into the consequences of government intervention in times of crisis and the importance of recognizing and supporting the forgotten individuals who power society forward. In a concise and well-researched manner, Shlaes raises thought-provoking questions about the balance between individual liberty and collective responsibility, urging readers to reexamine historical narratives and endeavor to learn from the past.

Explore More Books

See All
Montaigne's Essays
Mission
The World is Flat
The Origins of Virtue
The Politics Industry
Charged
Big World, Small Planet
Parents Who Lead
The Celestine Prophecy
How An Economy Grows and Why It Crashes
The Canceling of the American Mind
Healthy Buildings
The Richest Man in Babylon
Letters from a Stoic
Creating Shareholder Value
Mortal Republic
The Evolution of Beauty
That's What She Said
The Holy Grail of Investing
The Spectator
A Technique for Producing Ideas
1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die
This Brave New World
Talking to Strangers
Execution
The Narrow Corridor
On Grief and Grieving
The Story of Civilization: The Age of Voltaire
Hard Drive
Clear Thinking
Merchants of Truth
Graphs, Maps, Trees
DMT: The Spirit Molecule
Great Expectations
Rock On
Twelve Against The Gods
Concentrated Investing
Thus Spoke the Plant
The Doors of Perception
Maisy Mouse Collection
Diffusion of Innovations
Certain To Win
The Oz Principle
The Romance of American Communism
The Medici Effect
Calm Your Mind with Food
The Model Thinker
The Rise And Fall Of American Growth
If At Birth You Don't Succeed
I Seem To Be A Verb
Order Without Design
The Nature of the Beast
Cashing in on the American Dream
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage
A Short Guide to a Happy Life
The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert
Adult Children of Alcoholics
Devil's Bargain
The Essential Writings
I Contain Multitudes
Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention
The Picture of Dorian Gray
How To Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck
Imaginable
The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of World Order
Too Big to Fail
The Tyranny of Experts
All Marketers are Liars
The Painted Bird
Crash Proof 2.0
American Kingpin
The Big Short
The Halo Effect...
Nixonland
A Curious Mind
The Aspirational Investor
High Output Management
The Fortunes of Africa
Cuckoo
Personal Knowledge
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
The Robotics Primer
Prepared
The Deficit Myth
Play Bigger
Excession
The Curse of the Mogul
Markings
The Fourth Turning
The Amber Spyglass
Impro
Levels of the Game
The Founders
Dynasty
Courage
Essays and Aphorisms
The Sixth Extinction
Nixon Agonistes
The Innovators
Masters of Doom