Dragon Harvest

The Lanny Budd Novels, Book 6

By: Upton Sinclair

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Lanny Budd infiltrates the Nazi high command in the riveting sixth chapter of Upton Sinclair’s Pulitzer Prize-winning series of historical novels

Dashing and well-connected, Lanny Budd has earned the trust of the Nazi high command. To Adolf Hitler and his inner circle, the American art dealer is a “true believer” committed to their Fascist cause. But Lanny is actually a secret agent serving as President Franklin Roosevelt’s eyes and ears in Germany.

When he learns of the Führer’s plans for conquest, Lanny’s dire warnings to Neville Chamberlain and other reluctant European leaders fall on deaf ears. The bitter seeds sown decades earlier with the Treaty of Versailles are now bearing fruit, and there will be no stopping the Nazi war machine as it rolls relentlessly on toward Paris.

Dragon Harvest captures the dramatic moment when world leaders realized that in trying to appease Hitler, they made a grave mistake. An astonishing mix of history, adventure, and romance, the Lanny Budd Novels are a testament to the breathtaking scope of Upton Sinclair’s vision and his singular talents as a storyteller.

©1945 Upton Sinclair (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

An odd masterpiece

I first read the Lanny Budd series as a teenager and absolutely loved it. Now, many years later, I have a mixed view of it. It’s very long and at times repetitive. I bought in digital form all the books in the series having expected to love them as much as I did back when I first discovered them but this was not the case. People change as do their opinions. I would advise to try the first book in the series and if you like it to continue. I was disappointed after reading the last volume of the series dealing with the events after World War II, finding it tendentious and more propaganda than novel even if I did agree with the propaganda. The reading of this book was outstanding.

This series remains as captivating as ever!

If you’ve made it this far into the series then you already know what you’re getting here - if you’re somehow jumping in midway then it’s imperative to go back and begin at book one!

This has been without a doubt the best interwar historical fiction series I have ever read and has continually kept me locked in and engaged for the last six months or so; Sinclair is a master of his craft and while I’ve enjoyed his other famous works (Oil! & The Jungle) this one manages to take things so much further - it often feels like a novel version of the best HBO series you’ve ever watched. It’s not something you read for the prose but after 7 volumes I feel incredibly connected to the characters in a way I’ve not experienced reading a long-form series like this in a very long time.

The historical intricacies are very fascinating and have been a real eye opener of just how cursory and even lacking the depth of information I received in school was; I had some truly great teachers but to be fair there’s just simply so many moving pieces, variables and complexities around the events leading up to and around the world wars period that I know understand I’m just beginning to scratch the surface and have so much more to learn! I will also mention that it’s been great to be called back to so many other books, films or tv series that delve further into specifics of particular historical events - I’ve always been interested in the time period, especially the Second World War but having the additional context has made me further appreciate these works and really increased my overall enjoyment and interest in the Lanny Budd series.

Most of all I’m struck by how relatable the events being covered are to the current times we’re seeing - hopefully we’ll see this series have more of a resurgence in popularity as it’s truly WILD to me that it’s not more widely known - the story itself is illuminating on the reasons for why such a fantastic series might have fallen from public favor - personally it’s been a blessing to have discovered it and I feel like I’ve grown in many ways since beginning this journey.

My biggest concern or criticism is that I’ve just realized they’re only up to this current book I’m reviewing on Audible and I’ll have two wait more than two weeks for the next one to drop - oh well maybe not the worst thing as it’s all I’ve listened to since before Christmas lol.

Outstanding, in every way

This book is a miracle and the actor narrator is equal to the task. The context is amidst the world wars, and there’s plenty of romance, heartfelt peppered throughout. But the book has much more. It’s a guide to what it means to be a human being, and live a life of reflection, meaning, and kindness.

Love it, as always

Another excellent read and narration. I love Bronson’s voice. 10/10 would recommend to anyone.

Intriguing

Sinclair continues his Lanny Budd series to the beginning of WWII. Captivating and moving. And tragic.