Generation of Vipers

Generation of Vipers is a 1943 book by Philip Wylie. In it Wylie criticizes various aspects and beliefs of contemporary American society, including Christianity; prominent figures such as politicians, teachers, and doctors; and "momism" or the adoration of mothers.

History

Wylie wrote the book in Miami Beach, Florida beginning on May 12, 1942 and ending on July 4, 1942; he felt disillusioned after having a job with the U.S. government providing information about World War II. The book was published in January 1943.
By 1955, the book had twenty printings and a new edition came out.

Reception

stated in his 1957 interview of Wylie that many viewers had criticized Wylie's conclusions about mothers, and Wylie responded by stating that he was only talking about a certain type of mother.
In 2005, Jonathan Yardley of the Washington Post argued that the book had not aged well in his second reading; he had first read the book in the 1960s.