Rating: 
Summary: A Great Read for Writers
Review: This is a story about relationships and alienation. It is a psychological work by Bellow, getting in the head of a man coming to grips with his mid-life failures. It also shows his relationships with a tough love (or just tough?) father, and manipulative friends. As you read it, you struggle between repulsion, sympathy and identification with the lead character. The book is very accessible and easy to read given the intellectual pedigree of the author. Even still, one is left at the end wondering, "What did I miss?" While the reader may be left perplexed, it is a sign of the depth of material pushed into such a short novel. I'm left thinking, "It's a good, deep book" - perhaps a more in tune reader would find it a great one.
Rating:
Summary: A deep psychological work
Review: This is a story about relationships and alienation. It is a psychological work by Bellow, getting in the head of a man coming to grips with his mid-life failures. It also shows his relationships with a tough love (or just tough?) father, and manipulative friends. As you read it, you struggle between repulsion, sympathy and identification with the lead character. The book is very accessible and easy to read given the intellectual pedigree of the author. Even still, one is left at the end wondering, "What did I miss?" While the reader may be left perplexed, it is a sign of the depth of material pushed into such a short novel. I'm left thinking, "It's a good, deep book" - perhaps a more in tune reader would find it a great one.
Rating: 
Summary: Seize this Book
Review: This is one of the most moving stories in print. Bellow weaves wonderful philosophical discussions into the characters' dialogues, including the sad and tragic truth that those who need money the most have the greatest difficulty getting it, and the Bill Gates of the world get richer by sucking oxygen. We expect the poor to feel guilty for not having worked hard enough to become rich, and we absolve the rich of guilt because we assume they've worked hard to realize financial success. Either way, no one speaks up to point out that not only is the American Dream a dishonorable goal, it leaves all citizens completely devoid of compassion and love for their fellow man.
Rating:
Summary: Wondrous, wistful solemnity
Review: This little treasure lacks clear conflict and struggle between characters, instead elaboration one man's slow and pathetic drowning in life. Beautiful language and symbolism, as well as a look into 1950's New York culture.
Rating:
Summary: Wondrous, wistful solemnity
Review: This little treasure lacks clear conflict and struggle between characters, instead elaboration one man's slow and pathetic drowning in life. Beautiful language and symbolism, as well as a look into 1950's New York culture.
Rating: 
Summary: Self-Help for Losers.
Review: This story is not for everyone. If you're a clueless loser, read it hard and fast, you may get a helpful glimpse in the mirror. Otherwise, leave it! There is no likable character worthy of sympathy, no likable character period. A weak son can't live up to his father's expectations and lacks the courage and interest to be an individual. Wonderful stuff...couldn't put it down! Carl Sukeforth
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining
Review: This was an entertaining book. For a mandatory book for English class, it was quite interesting to find what "classic American Literarture" really is. This story did not move me to tears, but did start some thought and motivation inside. The book was about Tommy Wilhelm with his father and that terrible man Dr. Tamkin who was his co-investor in the stock market. Tommy's life has been less than pretty, and this is the story of this Jewish man finding himself in New York City.
Rating:
Summary: Tommy Wilhelm stands as an original.
Review: Tommy Wilhelm might be construed as an echo of Willy Loman, Arthur Miller's delusional salesman in "Death of a Salesman." Yet he stands powerfully and foolishly on his own as a man caught between the culture of his fathers and a trashy American movie culture that hints of crime, triviality, and indifference. In the rendering of this time and place that Wilhelm can never quite find his niche in, the book rings true even today, four decades after its publication. Tommy's presence in the novel is both physical (I could sense his high blood pressure in his conversations with his father and with the con-man Dr. Tamkin) and spiritual. His attempt to redeem his own failed past in a single day, and the lies he tells himself to get through the "con," are pathetic, believable, and the stuff of a moral tale I recommend highly. The book reads pleasurably and fast the first time, yet it rewards second and third readings.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as it looks.
Review: While I was looking for a book to read over the summer, I found a small-size novel with catchy title SEIZE THE DAY. Moreover,the author of the book, as I found out, was the winner of the Nobel Prize for literature. All excited and willing to read, I lay down on the beach and grabbed my book. However, after reading few pages I realized that this short novel was definitely not what I 'd expected it to be. It was the most boring book I have ever read. Nothing, but nothing really happened throughout it. Instead of action, there were pages of precise descrioptions of places, people, things and not many dialoges, which I like so much. SEIZE THE DAY, a story of a man, who is complete, miserable loser in life, who constantly repeats his mistakes and doesn't really try to change his life, didn't entertain me at all. After finishing the book, I was bored and tired of hearing of his continuous problems caused by himself. So, if you are looking for entertaining and interesting book with action, as I did, SEIZE THE DAY is not for you.
Rating:
Summary: PITIFUL
Review: Willy is pitiful! A middle-age man and he still can't get his act together. Earlier in his life he rebels against his parents wishes and attempts to make his own way but can never seem to get it together. His life is what....? Robin Williams gives us an excellent portrait of a man who rebels for the right reasons but is missing that mysterious "something" which can give his life meaning. Attempting to fill the void in his life is the challenge he faces throughout the film. You feel sorry and at the same time find yourself disgusted with the character who never seems to grows up. Saul Bellow's work has been easily adapted to the screen with fine actors who will keep you going. His commentary about life, the myth of hard work and fulfilling dreams make you question your own life. Is it worth being in the rat race? Watch this movie and you will see.
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