Over the next ten years, he would follow with a number of successes such as babbitt 1922, arrowsmith 1925, elmer gantry 1927 and dodsworth 1929. Elmer and jim lefferts retired to a table to nourish the long, rich, chocolate strains suitable to drunken melody. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. It portrays the career of martin arrowsmith, a dedicated, idealistic physician and truthseeker who is severely tested by the cynicism he encounters in the medical profession. Between the publication of main street and elmer gantry, lewis published his two of his seminal works, babbit 1922 and arrowsmith 1925. The story is set in the middle united states and begins in the early twentieth century. Harry sinclair lewis february 7, 1885 january 10, 1951 was an american novelist, shortstory writer, and playwright. Light marks on pastedowns where items previously removed, corner creases to few pages, otherwise very good to near fine lacking dust jacket.
His portrait of a goldentongued evangelist who rises to power within his churcha saver of souls who lives a life of hypocrisy, sensuality, and. Jim had a resolute tenor, and as to elmer gantry, even more than his bulk, his thick black hair, his venturesome black eyes, you remembered that arousing barytone. Used books may not include companion materials, some shelf wear, may contain highlightingnotes, may not include cdrom or access codes. Though offered the pulitzer prize for this novel, he refused it. A dreamer, at age he unsuccessfully ran away from home, wanting to become a drummer boy in the spanish. Elmer gantry is the portrait of a silvertongued evangelist who rises to power within his church, yet lives a life of hypocrisy, sensuality, and ruthless selfindulgence. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis audiobook download christian.
Elmer gantry never knew who set him thirty dimes, wrapped in a tract about holiness, nor why. It cant happen here sinclair lewis snippet view 2005. This satirical story about a biblethumping charlatan still annoys evangelical christians, because its still spoton. This colorful novel centers around a college athlete.
In 1930, following elmer gantry 1927 and dodsworth 1929, sinclair lewis became the first american author to be awarded the nobel prize for distinction in world literature. Pages can include considerable notesin pen or highlighterbut the notes cannot obscure the text. His portrait of a goldentongued evangelist who rises to power within his churcha saver of souls who lives a life of duplicity, sensuality, and ruthless self. Elmer gantry enhanced its authors reputation among critics and thus contributed to his. He was eloquently drunk, lovingly and pugnaciously drunk. Although elmer is not a very nice person and he only becomes worse as he grows in power and influence, hes not a sociopath, which means. After 1930, his success began to dwindle and his output during the 1930s and 40s never attained the same level of popular enthusiasm.
Elmer gantry burt lancaster, a drunken, dishonest street preacher allegedly patterned on billy sunday, wrangles a job with the travelling tent ministry conducted by sister sharon falconer jean. Lewiss arrowsmith 1925 is one of his most admired novels. In 1930, he became the first writer from the united states to receive the n. Elmer gantry is a selfabsorbed college student who was originally supposed to go to law school, but his unethical attitude did not suit the law school world. For two years life was a whirlwind to elmer gantry. Theres an old maxim declaring, napoleon is the limit of a madman.
In lightly worn dust jacket with a tiny circular piece cut away from front. Elmer gantry is a satirical novel written by sinclair lewis in 1926 that presents aspects of the religious activity of america in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public toward it. Everything was a blur of hot sermons, writhing converts, appeals for contributions, trains, denunciation of lazy personal workers, denunciations of adelbert shoop for. After reading sinclair lewis 1926 classic, it seems that elmer gantry established the limit of human ambition. It was so frantic that he could never remember which town was which.
The willow walk is a short story by sinclair lewis. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Bookplate with keats quote, the poetry of earth is never dead, on front endpaper. Lewis had long wanted to write a novel about what he called the religion racket. Buy a cheap copy of arrowsmith elmer gantry dodsworth book by sinclair lewis. The title character starts out as a greedy, shallow, philandering baptist minister, turns to evangelism, and eventually becomes the leader of a large methodist congregation. In 1930, he became the first writer from the united states to be awarded the nobel prize in literature, for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humour, new types of characters. Today universally recognized as a landmark in american literature, elmer gantry scandalized readers when it was first published, causing sinclair lewis to be invited to a jail cell in new hampshire and to his own lynching in virginia. This copy has an ad for war bonds and ads for 26 books at the end of the book.
Elmer gantry, is initially attracted by booze and easy money though he eventually renounces tobacco and alcohol and chasing women. While earning the nickname hell cat in his youth, he changed his. Sinclair lewis 1885 1951 sinclair lewis february 7, 1885 january 10, 1951 was an american novelist and playwright born harry sinclair lewis in sauk centre, minnesota, he began reading books at a young age and kept a diary. Universally recognized as a landmark in american literature, elmer gantry scandalized readers when it was first published, causing sinclair lewis to be invited to a jail cell in new hampshire and to his own lynching in virginia. Elmer gantry 1927 is a portrait of a dissolute but successful evangelist, while dodsworth 1929 deals with a retired industrialist whose material success and ambitious wife have failed to provide emotional sustenance. During his yale career lewis also traveled widely, including a trip to england working on a cattle boat, and he also lived in the utopian colony at englewood. Harry sinclair lewis 18851951 appears twice on this list, the first time in 1921 for his novel mainstreet. Sinclair lewis books biography and list of works author. Location 52 at that point, i knew then that the book would make for one fascinating read. Elmer gantry, the traveling evangelist who loved whiskey, women and wealth, was conceived by sinclair lewis in a bestselling 1927 novel and continues to resonate with modern audiences. Elmer gantry has been called the greatest, most vital, and most penetrating study of hypocrisy that has been written since the works of voltaire goodreads 3. Harry sinclair lewis february 7, 1885 january 10, 1951 was an american novelist, shortstory writer and playwright. Books like elmer gantry by sinclair lewis suggested. Lewis believed the hypocritical world of religion needed to be brought forward, and he did so in a harsh way.
Vintage books,mint green, book decor,airmont classic,three musketeers,arrowsmith,return of the native,adam bede harmonyinlight. In particular, elmer gantry is a perfect study of hypocrisy and rationalization in action. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis first edition 1927 from. Arrowsmith elmer gantry dodsworth book by sinclair lewis.
Wrenn 1914, had been published, he was able to write full time. A dreamer, at age he unsuccessfully ran away from home, wanting to become a drummer boy in the spanishamerican war. Elmer gantry mass market the elliott bay book company. Sinclair lewis worldfamous satire of religious hypocrisy and the excesses of the roaring. The damnation of theron ware 1896, by harold frederic, has many similarities to elmer gantry. In 1930, lewis became the first american author to win the nobel prize in literature. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. His portrait of a goldentongued evangelist who rises to. Harry sinclair lewis was an american novelist, shortstory writer, and playwright. Sinclair lewis writing style made me enjoy the story much more. In 1930, he became the first writer from the united states and the first from the americas to receive the nobel prize in literature, which was awarded for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of characters. Elmer gantry sinclair lewis first edition, rare, signed books. Elmer gantry is a really well written novel authored by sinclair lewis in the 1920s.
But he found the sentiments in the tract useful in his sermon, and the thirty dimes he spent for lovely photographs of burlesque ladies. His works are known for their insightful and critical views of american society. In 1903, lewis went to yale university, where he served as editor of the yale literary magazine. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. This was the apogee of his literary career, and in the period from ann vickers 1933 to the posthumously published world so wide 1951 lewis wrote ten novels that reveal the progressive decline of his creative powers. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis and a great selection of. Elmer gantry, as the title suggests, is an most insincere and hypocritical preacher of the faith. Elmer gantry has even been made into a new opera, with a score by robert aldridge and a libretto by herschel garfein, that recently premiered in nashville. Elmer gantry, is initially attracted by booze and easy money though he eventually.
Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis, first edition abebooks. Sinclair lewis as set down in the good book elmer gantry in which this author of the early 20th century condemns organized religion, most notably the baptist church. Harry sinclair lewis 18851951, born in minnesota, attended yale university, where he was editor of the literary magazine. It is the story about a young man who becomes a successful preacher in a very cynical manner. Sinclair lewis lewis, sinclair, 18851951 a wikipedia article about this author is available lewis, sinclair, 18851951. This was the apogee of his literary career, and in the period from ann vickers 1933 to the posthumously published world so wide 1951 lewis wrote ten novels that.
Sinclair lewiss howl of outrage at the state of affairs in americas soul, elmer gantry a no. Novel by sinclair lewis, a satiric indictment of fundamentalist religion that caused an uproar upon its publication in 1927. This book is satirical, making fun of the ideas and situations that society deems important. Sinclair lewis books list of books by author sinclair lewis.
Everything was a blur of hot sermons, writhing converts, appeals for contributions, trains, denunciation of lazy personal workers, denunciations of adelbert shoop for getting drunk, firing of adelbert shoop, taking back of. Donald brace, in anticipation of the demand for the book that attacked the high collar, ordered the printer to produce 140,000 copies of the first edition, the largest initial printing ever made in the history of book printing pastore. Born harry sinclair lewis in sauk centre, minnesota, he began reading books at a young age and kept a diary. For the better part of a century, the title of sinclair lewiss phenomenally successful and often reviled novel elmer gantry 1927 has been a byword for religious fraud and bunk evangelism. Sinclair lewis 1885 1951 sinclair lewis february 7, 1885 january 10, 1951 was an american novelist and playwright. In lightly worn dust jacket with a tiny circular piece cut away from front flap price. Lewiss anticlerical novel whose advance copies were sent to clergymen across the country as part of an exceedingly successful publicity stunt. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
After a few of his stories had appeared in magazines and his first novel, our mr. Harry sinclair lewis, best known as sinclair lewis, was born on february 7, 1885, in sauk centre, minnesota. Elmer gantry, book by sinclair lewis mass market paperback. Lewis s depiction of elmer and his immersion in the evangelical world is the strongest aspect of the book. A broadway play by patrick kearney opened on 7 august 1928 at the playhouse theatre, where it ran for 48 performances.
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