Babbitt

Rating:
Summary: The book for which Lewis won the Nobel Prize.
Review: "Babbitt," published in 1922, was the second straight publishing phenomenon for Sinclair Lewis, who had become a household name in 1920 with "Main Street." By 1930, Lewis had published three more notable novels ("Arrowsmith," "Elmer Gantry," and "Dodsworth"), declined the Pulitzer Prize in a fit of pique, and finally became the first American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The 1920s were his prime years, and none of his novels was more renowned than "Babbitt," which merited special recognition from the Swedish Academy when Lewis won the Nobel Prize.

So what is one to make of this novel now? It can be dreadfully dull, and could (indeed should) have been cut in half. It wanders around in search of a plot, and though many of its insights can be funny, overall one has to marvel at how genteel the literature of 1920s was in order to make this book a national sensation.

Basically, it is the story of George F. Babbitt, a solidly Republican, supremely self-satisfied, deeply stupid real estate man, who has a sort of midlife crisis in the course of the novel before returning desperately to his earlier state of censorious complacency by the last chapters. Lewis designed him to be an exemplar of his class, and many thought he was. The term "Babbitt" became a popular way of referring to chubby, materialistic businessmen. And then, by the 1940s, the novel had largely faded into oblivion, except in college classes or high school reading lists.

Why? Quite simply, because it's not a particularly good novel. It is a reasonably well-written slice of satirical social commentary, and little more. Today, it is merely a cultural relic from the twenties, kind of like the abominably bad "Great Gatsby," which dilettantes rave over as if it were actually a good novel. It isn't, and neither is "Babbitt." But for those interested in how America saw itself just before the Great Depression, books like these might be informative.

Rating:
Summary: The book for which Lewis won the Nobel Prize.
Review: "Babbitt," published in 1922, was the second straight publishing phenomenon for Sinclair Lewis, who had become a household name in 1920 with "Main Street." By 1930, Lewis had published three more notable novels ("Arrowsmith," "Elmer Gantry," and "Dodsworth"), declined the Pulitzer Prize in a fit of pique, and finally became the first American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The 1920s were his prime years, and none of his novels was more renowned than "Babbitt," which merited special recognition from the Swedish Academy when Lewis won the Nobel Prize.

So what is one to make of this novel now? It can be dreadfully dull, and could (indeed should) have been cut in half. It wanders around in search of a plot, and though many of its insights can be funny, overall one has to marvel at how genteel the literature of 1920s was in order to make this book a national sensation.

Basically, it is the story of George F. Babbitt, a solidly Republican, supremely self-satisfied, deeply stupid real estate man, who has a sort of midlife crisis in the course of the novel before returning desperately to his earlier state of censorious complacency by the last chapters. Lewis designed him to be an exemplar of his class, and many thought he was. The term "Babbitt" became a popular way of referring to chubby, materialistic businessmen. And then, by the 1940s, the novel had largely faded into oblivion, except in college classes or high school reading lists.

Why? Quite simply, because it's not a particularly good novel. It is a reasonably well-written slice of satirical social commentary, and little more. Today, it is merely a cultural relic from the twenties, kind of like the abominably bad "Great Gatsby," which dilettantes rave over as if it were actually a good novel. It isn't, and neither is "Babbitt." But for those interested in how America saw itself just before the Great Depression, books like these might be informative.

Rating:
Summary: The book for which Lewis won the Nobel Prize.
Review: "Babbitt," published in 1922, was the second straight publishing phenomenon for Sinclair Lewis, who had become a household name in 1920 with "Main Street." By 1930, Lewis had published three more notable novels ("Arrowsmith," "Elmer Gantry," and "Dodsworth"), declined the Pulitzer Prize in a fit of pique, and finally became the first American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The 1920s were his prime years, and none of his novels was more renowned than "Babbitt," which merited special recognition from the Swedish Academy when Lewis won the Nobel Prize.

So what is one to make of this novel now? It can be dreadfully dull, and could (indeed should) have been cut in half. It wanders around in search of a plot, and though many of its insights can be funny, overall one has to marvel at how genteel the literature of 1920s was in order to make this book a national sensation.

Basically, it is the story of George F. Babbitt, a solidly Republican, supremely self-satisfied, deeply stupid real estate man, who has a sort of midlife crisis in the course of the novel before returning desperately to his earlier state of censorious complacency by the last chapters. Lewis designed him to be an exemplar of his class, and many thought he was. The term "Babbitt" became a popular way of referring to chubby, materialistic businessmen. And then, by the 1940s, the novel had largely faded into oblivion, except in college classes or high school reading lists.

Why? Quite simply, because it's not a particularly good novel. It is a reasonably well-written slice of satirical social commentary, and little more. Today, it is merely a cultural relic from the twenties, kind of like the abominably bad "Great Gatsby," which dilettantes rave over as if it were actually a good novel. It isn't, and neither is "Babbitt." But for those interested in how America saw itself just before the Great Depression, books like these might be informative.

Rating:
Summary: Fun book
Review: A comincal, engaging book, Lewis tells the story of a 1920's American businessman obsessed with middle-class society and upholding his reputation as an outstanding citizen. His farcical adventures and moral debates highlight American conformist culture and the struggle for individualism

Rating:
Summary: Fun book
Review: A comincal, engaging book, Lewis tells the story of a 1920's American businessman obsessed with middle-class society and upholding his reputation as an outstanding citizen. His farcical adventures and moral debates highlight American conformist culture and the struggle for individualism

Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece of American 20th century literature
Review: A must read on anyones list. This book holds many insights about the early 1920's society that still hold very true in our own chaotic time. Though the book is tiresome to read in spots, the overall effect of it is awesome.

Rating:
Summary: Only gets good near the end
Review: A one-joke book for three-quarters of the novel, satirizing the bourgeois conservative customs and morality of '20s business culture (a joke that could play equally well in the '50s). As such, a crushing failure, that wallows in its own too-unsubtle unsubtle humor. But then suddenly, with less than a hundred pages to go, the book suddenly gets good--very good, as Babbitt is confronted with a mid-life crisis. Novel gains an entire star for its thoughtful and sensitive treatment, that manages, with powerful irony, to manipulate the reader into hoping that Babbitt will return to his unthinking conservatism. 2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Rating:
Summary: The Monument to American Commercialism
Review: America doesn't need a bronze memorial statue in the city park in the likeness of George F. Babbitt, the eminent businessman. (Imagine it: the statue would be of a rotund man in a high collar shirt, in suit pants cut too high at the cuff, holding a chewed cigar, and standing foot-forward in the pioneer stance of a successful salesman.) American has the memorial in print in this period novel.

Set in 1920, Lewis crafted the title character to portray the new mammalian beast reigning in the business world: The Middle Class Salesman. The species is very much alive and well in our era, but Lewis was first to discover and name this gargantuan, this colossal figure of Commericalism. Lewis stands behind Babbitt much like a puppeteer would, making him respond on cue, and making his actions create the beginning of the fall of the Empire. For these reasons alone, one should read this novel.

By now, the statue may have been marked by pigeons, but the permanent stare to the west by this hollow cast figure stands as a reminder to the rest of us that, although they lit the way, the got singed in the process. For this, we revere our business leaders.

Rating:
Summary: a period piece but a good one
Review: As some other readers have noted, this is not Lewis's best work (I always liked "It Can't Happen Here", Lewis's story of how fascism could have come to America) - but I liked it. I am not sure Lewis has much of a grasp of the eternal characteristics of the human heart, but he does a good job of sketching a specific type of person in a specific place and time, kind of like Tom Wolfe today. Unlike some reviewers, I don't think Lewis is unnecessarily venomous towards Babbitt -- at the end (when Babbitt tells his son to do what he enjoys instead of what his father did) he reveals himself to be somewhat of a mensch. I also don't think Babbitt is as much of a role model as some other reviewers think; his business ethics are too borderline, his attitude towards First Amendment values too cavalier. Generally, I liked Lewis more as a teenager than I do now; I think high schools should use his books more.

Rating:
Summary: A good book to read
Review: Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis is a great book. It is a book that people have been able to enjoy since it was written in 1922. Then theme applies to when he wrote it and still applies to today. Lewis' books seems to pull you in and make you feel like you are part of the city in which the novel takes place. Babbitt is a man who tries to break free from the more materialistic things in life and in doing so sees that all his would be freinds are no longer accepting of him. He wants change, and the way he goes about it is rebelling against the views of society as a whole. Babbitt not only wants better for himself but for his family too. When his son elopes with the neighbor girl. Babbitt takes his son aside and tells him that he(Babbitt) wants him to be able to basically follow his heart and do want his son (Ted) wants to do, because Babbitt never did what he wanted in life. He always did what he thought society wanted him to do. In the end of the story you feel sorry for babbitt because he is no better off than when you forst opened the book and started reading.
I think todays society can learn a lot from this book, we tend to want to please everyone and give into peer pressure instead of doing what would be best for our own growth. When we as a society can look past the material things and not try to conform to what we think everyone wants then we will be able to be truely happy.
Sinclair Lewis seems to be way under estimated. He was the first American to win the Nobel Prize for literature. Lewis was ahead of his time when it comes to writing. If you are looking for a good read I would highly suggest reading Babbitt or any of Sinclair Lewis' books.