In its July 7, 2025 issue, The New Yorker takes a fascinating look back at the books it recommended 100 years ago. The magazine shared quick and thoughtful book suggestions, including The Little French Girl by Anne Douglas Sedgwick, a popular love story of that era. It also featured Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos, a novel that paints a vivid picture of the busy and sometimes confusing life in New York City.
Back then, early book reviews were written by a critic using the pen name “Touchstone,” who offered honest and thoughtful opinions on new books. This article offers a fun and interesting glimpse into the reading tastes of the 1920s and shows how The New Yorker began its tradition of sharing book recommendations with its readers.
If you want to dive deeper into this look at literary history and discover what captivated readers a century ago, you can read the full article here: What The New Yorker Was Reading in 1925