Overview

""Firecrackers: A Realistic Novel"" is a sharp and witty exploration of the ennui and excess of the 1920s New York ""smart set."" Set against the backdrop of the Jazz Age, the story follows a group of sophisticated urbanites who, finding themselves increasingly bored with their privileged lives, seek new sensations and emotional thrills. The narrative centers on the arrival of Gunnar O'Grady, a mysterious and athletic figure whose presence acts as a catalyst-a firecracker-igniting the repressed desires and dormant passions of those around him. Carl Van Vechten delivers a masterful satire of Manhattan high society, capturing the brittle glamour and underlying disillusionment of the era. Through clever dialogue and keen social observation, the novel examines the pursuit of novelty and the search for meaning in a world obsessed with appearances. As the characters navigate a series of romantic entanglements and social escapades, Van Vechten critiques the hollowness of the modern experience with both humor and psychological insight. An essential piece of American literary modernism, ""Firecrackers: A Realistic Novel"" offers a vivid portrait of a decade defined by its pursuit of pleasure and its struggle with the resulting morning-after reality. It remains a compelling study of human vanity and the timeless desire for genuine connection in a fragmented world. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Full Product Details

9781025656274

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Tab Content 6

Countries Available