The best new books are old.
Introducing the Liberty Archives Digital Collection
Remarkable writing by some of Liberty Magazine's greatest contributors on topics ranging from Sex to Wall Street to Baseball to Hollywood. Includes (almost) forgotten essays by Greta Garbo, Babe Ruth, Gandhi, Margaret Sanger, FDR, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bette Davis, Jack Dempsey and many, many more.
Explore the collection below or download titles now from Amazon.com >>
The Collection
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Liberty On Drinking:
How To Drink Like A Gentleman by H.L. Mencken & other stories by Ty Cobb & more
Is drinking liquor before wine "as barbarous as going to church in a bathing suit"? Can a drink or two help baseball players perform better? Are college students too friendly with "John Barleycorn"? Find the answers to these and more questions in essays on the art of imbibing by H. L. Mencken, Ty Cobb and more.
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Liberty On Baseball:
How It Feels To Be A Has-Been by Babe Ruth & other stories by Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig & more
More than any other sport, baseball is a head game. In this collection, the baseball greats give us a glimpse into their thoughts on life and career. Find out why Babe Ruth felt like a has-been, if Lou Gehrig was jealous of the Bambino, and what boos and jeers did to Joe DiMaggio's performance.
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Liberty On Wall Street:
Let's Take The Money Away From Wall Street by Bernarr Macfadden & other stories by Fiorello La Guardia & more
Guess the year this sentence was written: "They dumped quantities of securities, which they knew to be worthless, on their own depositors." Would you believe it was written in Liberty in 1933, by Fiorello LaGuardia? They say those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and this collection shows it's doubly true on Wall Street.
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Liberty On Hollywood:
The Real Sins Of Hollywood by Theodore Dreiser & other stories by Bette Davis, Greta Garbo & more
Quickie divorces. Overpaid actors. Alarmingly thin actresses. Cynical producers only concerned with profits. These issues aren't new to Hollywood - they've been around since its "Golden Age," in the 1920s, '30s and '40s. Read all about it in articles by and about Bette Davis, Greta Garbo, Katharine Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Gloria Swanson and more.
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Liberty On Boxing:
Little Things That Make Big Fights by Jack Dempsey & other stories by Max Schmeling, Joe Louis & more
Joe Louis and Jack Dempsey were two of the best fighters professional boxing has ever seen. Though they never met in the ring, they go head-to-head in this collection. Whether you favor Louis or Dempsey, you'll find reasons to root for them both - and wish for a return to the golden age of fighting.
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Liberty On Sex:
My Sex Life by Mahatma Gandhi & other stories by Margaret Sanger, Mussolini & more
Sex is as old as the human race, but no one's gotten tired of talking about it yet. This collection shows how much and how little has changed since the early 20th century, as Mahatma Gandhi and Margaret Sanger debate birth control, we find out the answer to "Must a Secretary Have Sex Appeal?" and get a glimpse into Hitler's love life.
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Liberty On Politics:
Why Nobody Loves A Politician by H.L. Mencken & other stories by FDR, Teddy Roosevelt & more
In 1934, H. L. Mencken wrote, "Next to kidnappers, politicians seem to be the most unpopular men in this great republic." Over 80 years later, his statement still rings true. This collection features more timeless insights by Mencken, notable politicians like FDR and Teddy Roosevelt, and former presidential candidate (!) Gracie Allen.
A weekly for everybody.
The story of America's most popular forgotten magazine
Liberty was one of the great, forgotten magazines of the early 20th century, with a weekly circulation of 3 million. Publishing from 1924 until 1950, Liberty's run spanned the Jazz Age, the Great Depression, World War I and World War II. Liberty featured rare first-person stories from famous writers, politicians, actors and other historical figures, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, H.G. Wells, Eleanor Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart, Babe Ruth, Mae West and more.
Founded by Joseph Patterson and Robert McCormick, publishers of the New York Daily News and Chicago Tribune, respectively, Liberty published 1,400 issues with over 17,000 pieces of writing, 1,300 full-color covers, 12,000 illustrations, 50,000 advertisements, and 15,000 cartoons. Its stories spawned 120 films including "Double Indemnity," "My Man Godfrey," and the Academy Award-winning "Sergeant York."
Contact
Interested in reviewing this collection for a blog or print publication? Email us. Want access to the archives for educational purposes? Email us. Dying to talk about popular opinion between the years 1924 and 1950? Email us.
We totally love talking about Liberty (the magazine, though the existential concept is also an interesting topic).