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Significant Books and Music of the Century, Year by Year
1940 was the year that Nazi Germany invaded Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France and launched an air war against England; Winston Churchill became British prime minister; and Los Angeles opened its first highway.
Significant Book of 1940:
Richard Wright's Native Son
Acclaimed as one of the best books written on race and class in America, this story about a young black man who kills a young white woman in a moment of panic created a sensation when it first appeared.
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Significant Music of 1940:
The Duke Ellington Orchestra's Cottontail
With saxophonist Ben Webster, bassist Jimmy Blanton, and trumpeter Cootie Williams in its ranks, the Duke Ellington Orchestra reached artistic heights highlighted by performances of "Ko-Ko," "Concerto for Cootie," "Cottontail," "Harlem Air-Shaft," and "In a Mellotone."
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