Book report- Bright Young Things

For my project I chose to read the book, Bright Young Things, by Anna Godbersen. The book takes place in the 1920’s where the 18 year old main characters, Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur, have run away from their boring hometown of Union, Ohio, to glamorous New York City to make something of themselves, similar to the dreams of many young girls of the roaring 20’s.1920’s New York City was filled with speakeasies, and when the girls arrive and venture into a bar masked as a church, they come across the many different aspects that made the 20s what they are known for. They taste their first sips of alcohol, admire the dancer’s fringe dresses, and dance to jazz music all the while letting go of their uptight past and embracing their new free future. The plot of the story starts with Letty finding out that Cordelia hadn’t actually moved with her to New York to make her a star. Cordelia believes her father, whom she was taken away from after her mother’s death, is the famous bootlegger, Darius Grey, and aims to find out. Letty, however, becomes upset at this because she feels she doesn’t even know her best friend, which causes an argument between the girls, and they decide to go separate ways. When Cordelia is reunited with her father, you get an inside look on how successful gangsters lived in the 20’s. Her home is a giant mansion on many acres outside of the city, and her father is often gone on business. There are also tunnels that lead to over a mile off the grounds where the alcohol is exported, and you learn about the enemies gangsters would make over time.When the story is being told from Letty’s point of view, you get an inside look on the popular culture of the 20s. Since their separation, Letty has become a full-blown flapper. She is a waitress at a speakeasy, she sings Jazz music with the band, and she has cut her long hair to the popular bobbed style and wears shorter, sparklier, dresses. She represents the frivolous side of the 20s.  

      The 1920's were an era of wild parties, music, dancing, and technology, all of which have impacted America even today. The rise in jazz music greatly impacted America. The Jazz Age is another term used to describe the cultural edge of the 1920’s. Jazz’s roots originated mainly from New Orleans, created by the African American population, combining the elements of European and African music. This rise in jazz music also caused dancing to rise in popularity, proving that jazz played a significant part in cultural changes during this period. Cities heavily populated with anti prohibitionists, like Chicago and New York, became hubs for Jazz music as up and coming black artists were beginning to be featured in their clubs. The roaring 20’s simultaneously concurred with the peak of women’s suffrage, so not only were black male musicians performing, black females were performing as well. This time is also important because of prohibition and the 18th amendment being the only one in the history of the US Constitution to be repealed.