Publisher's Synopsis
Babbitt is a novel written by Sinclair Lewis and published in 1922. The story follows the life of George F. Babbitt, a middle-aged real estate agent living in the fictional city of Zenith, which is based on the author's hometown of Sauk Centre, Minnesota. Babbitt is a conformist who is obsessed with success and the trappings of wealth. He is a member of various clubs and organizations, including the Boosters, a group that promotes the city of Zenith. Babbitt's life is turned upside down when he meets a young woman named Tanis Judique, with whom he begins an affair. The novel explores themes of conformity, materialism, and the search for meaning in life. It is considered a classic of American literature and a critique of the values of the American middle class.1919. Lewis, was the first American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Possibly the greatest satirist of his age, Lewis wrote novels that present a devastating picture of middle-class American life in the 1920s. Although he ridiculed the values, the lifestyles, and even the speech of his characters, there is often affection behind the irony. Lewis began his career as a journalist, editor, and hack writer. He became an important literary figure with the publication of Main Street. His seventh novel, Babbitt, is considered by many critics to be his greatest work. The story follows George Babbitt, a middle-aged realtor who is unimaginative, self-important, and hopelessly middle class. Vaguely dissatisfied with his position, he tries to alter the pattern of his life by flirting with liberalism and by having an affair with an attractive widow, only to find that his dread of ostracism is greater than his desire for escape. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.