A prophetic 1933 novel has found a surprising second life – it holds lessons for us all | Charlotte Higgins

A novel from 1933 holds lessons for us all today.

When asked about the current state of politics, an American acquaintance likened it to Germany in 1933-4. This comparison is not far-fetched, as both situations share striking similarities. A book written in that year and published later, Sally Carson's Bavaria-set novel 'Crooked Cross', has found a surprising second life.

'Crooked Cross' follows the Kluger family, a middle-class clan living in the little town of Kranach in Bavaria. The story revolves around their Christmas celebrations with cousins and Moritz Weissman, Lexa's fiancé, whose Jewish surname sets off warning bells. Everything seems idyllic at first, but the novel masterfully exposes how extremism can transform lives.

Carson wrote two sequels to 'Crooked Cross', publishing the entire trilogy by 1938. Her life came to an abrupt end in 1941, dying of cancer before her fortieth birthday. Nicola Beauman, founder of Persephone Books, stumbled upon Carson's work while researching female writers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The book gained significant attention this April when it was republished by Persephone Books. A remarkable aspect of 'Crooked Cross' is its immediacy; Carson wrote in the moment and published it quickly, covering a pivotal six-month period marked by Hitler's rise to power, Nazi dominance, Dachau's opening, and Jews being barred from public-service jobs.

One notable distinction between Carson's book and Janet Flanner's 1936 New Yorker profile of Hitler is their approach. While Flanner provided an in-depth account of Hitler's habits without a broader perspective, Carson captured the true essence of his regime through its effects on ordinary people, such as the Kluger family. This focus makes her novel miles more insightful into the spread and appeal of nazism than Flanner's profile.

Carson sheds light on how extremism gives rise to purpose, work, narrative, hope, and defined roles for those who embrace it. It also highlights the danger that this poses when it turns against its own kind. The similarities with today's world are stark, especially regarding the absence of Carson's moral clarity in modern discourse.

A lesson from 'Crooked Cross' is the importance of moral agency and empathy. In a time when extremism looms large once again, Carson's portrayal serves as a stark reminder that individuals have agency over their choices and actions.

I just finished reading this article about Sally Carson's novel "Crooked Cross" and I'm still reeling from it . The comparison to Germany in 1933-4 is unsettlingly apt, and Carson's portrayal of the Kluger family's descent into extremism is harrowing. What really struck me was how much more nuanced Carson's writing is compared to some modern-day commentary on politics - she gets to the heart of what makes extremist ideologies so appealing, and it's a scary read . The fact that her life was cut short by cancer just as she was finding success with her trilogy is just heartbreaking . I'm not sure if our current state of politics can learn from Carson's "moral clarity" or not - it feels like we've lost sight of what that even means these days .

Read this 1933 novel 'Crooked Cross' before it's too late

The parallels between 30s Germany & today's politics are eerie , I'm reading this book 'Crooked Cross' & it's giving me chills

I'm totally down with the idea that we can learn some valuable lessons from a 90-year-old book ... I mean, who knows what's going to happen in the future? Maybe we'll be reading about our own era as cautionary tales someday . On the other hand, is it really possible to make direct comparisons between the politics of back then and now? I think it's a bit simplistic to say that things are exactly like they were in 1933-4... I mean, wouldn't some progress have been made by now? But at the same time, if we do see similarities, is it really just a coincidence or could there be some underlying truth to the connection? Maybe we should approach these comparisons with a mix of skepticism and openness?

I'm not surprised people are drawing parallels between 1933 Germany and today's politics . It's like we're stuck in some kind of historical déjà vu . The way extremism can normalize itself, the erosion of moral clarity... it all feels eerily familiar . But what really gets me is how 'Crooked Cross' highlights the importance of empathy and agency . We need to focus on understanding each other's perspectives and taking responsibility for our own actions . The fact that Carson wrote this novel so quickly, capturing the essence of a pivotal moment in history, is both a blessing and a curse . It shows us what can happen when extremism takes hold, but also serves as a reminder that we have the power to choose differently . What do you think? Do we need more stories like 'Crooked Cross' to warn us about the dangers of extremism?

omg u guys i just read this article about a novel from 1933 that's still so relatable today like the author wrote it during hitler's rise to power and it's literally like reading a history book come to life!

i think what's crazy is how the author, sally carson, was able to capture the essence of nazism through its effects on everyday people, rather than just focusing on hilter himself. her book 'crooked cross' is like, totally insightful into how extremism can spread and affect normal ppl

it's wild that we're seeing some of these same themes today and i think it's so important to remember the power of moral agency and empathy in the face of extremism . let's all try to be more like carson, you know?

I'm reading this novel and it's giving me chills... The way Sally Carson writes about how extremism can take over lives is still so relevant today It's like she saw the warning signs and wrote about them before they even happened... The thing that really gets me is how people were drawn to this ideology, like it was some sort of purpose or meaning. And then how quickly it turns on its own people It's a scary thought.

I mean, come on! The parallels between 1933 Germany and our current politics are seriously eerie . I'm all for nuanced discussions, but sometimes it feels like we're just rehashing the same old warnings . This 'Crooked Cross' novel is a reminder that even small actions can add up to big consequences . We need more stories like Carson's that humanize extremism and highlight the importance of empathy and moral agency . It's not about demonizing certain groups, but rather understanding what drives people to extremist views . Let's take a page from Carson's book and focus on fostering inclusive communities instead of pitting us against each other

I'm low-key freaking out about this article . I mean, can you believe it took 92 years for someone to republish this book? It's like we're still not learning from history . The parallels between then and now are seriously disturbing. I'm all for moral clarity, and Carson's approach in 'Crooked Cross' is the real deal . We need more writers like her who aren't afraid to speak truth to power and shine a light on the human cost of extremism . And can we talk about how quickly society shifted when Hitler rose to power? Like, it's not that hard to see where our current problems come from if we just pay attention . We need more empathy and moral agency in our discourse, stat .

I'm so done with this forum's navigation . Can't we just have a simple search bar or something? I had to scroll through pages and pages of unrelated threads to find the news about 'Crooked Cross'... 1933, who knew it was still relevant today? The comparison between 30s Germany and our current politics makes sense, but why didn't anyone mention how timely this is with all the recent extremism? The fact that the author wrote in the moment and published it quickly is super impressive, I wish more authors took risks like that these days...

I'm getting chills thinking about how relevant this book is right now . I mean, the parallels between 1933 Germany and today's politics are just too eerie to ignore . It's crazy how Carson was able to capture the essence of the Nazi regime through its effects on regular people, like the Kluger family . And it's even more striking that we're still struggling with moral agency and empathy in our own time . I think what's really important here is that we don't just learn from history, but also recognize that our individual choices can make a difference . It's like Carson said, we have the power to give rise to purpose and hope when extremism tries to tear us down

I'm reading this article about an old novel called "Crooked Cross" by Sally Carson... It's from 1933 and it's like, whoa, so relevant today! The author compares our politics to Germany in the 30s and I'm like, yeah, that makes sense. The book is about this family living in Bavaria and how they're affected by Hitler rising to power... It's crazy because Carson wrote the whole thing in just a few months, covering this pivotal period in history. And what's wild is that it's like a cautionary tale for today too! The author says it highlights the danger of extremism and the importance of moral agency and empathy. I'm definitely adding this to my read list... [check out Persephone Books' website](https://persephonebooks.com/)

I mean think about it, the 30s in Germany was pretty wild and we're still dealing with some of those same issues today . It's crazy how 'Crooked Cross' is making a comeback now too. The thing that really got me though is how Carson wrote this whole trilogy in like, 6 months . That's dedication, right? But what I think is even more wild is how her book is basically saying the same thing as what we're hearing from politicians today . It's like, don't just talk about it, show us what's really going on and make us feel something . Carson does that so well in 'Crooked Cross', she makes you see how extremism can consume people and turn them into something entirely different . Anyway, I think we need more books like this one, you know? Less just about history and more about the human side of things .

I'm not buying it . A 90-year-old book trying to tell us something about today's politics? It sounds like people are just looking for ways to justify the current state of affairs. I mean, come on, comparing our politics to Germany in '33-4 is a bit of a stretch. We're not going back to that dark time, we're moving forward . And what's with the lack of context? A book from 1933 might've been relevant back then, but now it just feels like nostalgia for a bygone era . Can't we look at more modern examples and learn from them instead of relying on old books to tell us what's wrong?