342. This is the Year, by Feike Feikema (later: Frederick Manfred) (read 26 Jun 1948) While I read this while the 1948 Republican Convention was going on and most of my diary space was consumed by that event--political conventions being a huge interest of mine ever since I learned there was such a thing in June of 1940--When I finished the book on June 26, 1948, I said: "Finished an extraordinary book - This is the Year. realistic, grim." I know it made a huge impression on me and I long remembered it. (The author later changed his name to Frederick Manfred.) ( )