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2.0 out of 5 stars
The book for which Lewis won the Nobel Prize., May 3 2004
"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.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
The Quintessential American, Jun 8 2002
Babbitt, the main character of the book, is nothing less than the quintessential American, albeit satirically stereotyped. Exuberant, practical, naive, progressive, blindly optimistic, cheerful (on the surface), and out to get the bucks. Of course, not all Americans are exactly like Babbitt, but if America was said to have a national character, or some sort of behavioral and psychological mean, Babbitt would be it (see, for example, "The Ugly American"). He is the common man. The self-made businessman. He's the kind of guy that wouldn't ask for directions from his wife. He's the lover of gadgetry and automobiles. The smoker of fine cigars. The conservative Republican. The loyal tax-payer. The supporter of the troops. The anti-communist. In short, he is the man in the middle who makes it all happen -- and as it is today, the man in the oval office who really makes it all happen. This book will split your sides it is so funny at times. At other times, it will make you feel like crying, as Babbitt's nagging sense of alienation and dishonesty reminds you of many people you see around you, perhaps even yourself. Sinclair had a commanding grasp of the American Spirit, and it scared the Bejezus out of him. Read this and you will be frightened too. If you live in America, you will find that there is something all too familiar between these covers, like waking up with a hang-over and staring into the mirror for too long. The image is distorted, aging, and less-than-ideal. As I read, I kept thinking to myself, This is like the tale of an American Ivan Illich, only he never quite wakes up to the innanity of it all. Sobering.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Everybody is a clown when playing to be respectable, May 30 2002
The old phrase of "Do not judge a book by its cover" is full applicable in this case. Here we have a guy who was trained to not think by itself while believing that he does. All the nasty effects of conformity and its permanent conflict with social ambition are perfectly displayed in a humorous tone with makes the satire of the author even more piercing.While Babbitt struggles to find his place in the web of social fabric, he also is feeling lost about what is his role as a family man and what is the sense of coming back each evening to a boring and fat wife, who also happens to care for him. He is also boring, bald, ugly and fat himself but incapable to perceive these facts or at least acknowledge them. So, to a large degree he feels that life is unfair with him. This explosive cocktail takes him in a quest to figure out what is he really capable of and to demand from existence what he believes it owes him. While the reader accompanies Babbitt, he is easily submersed in his skin and laughs at him. Here is were the author does the magic trick and before you know it you are not laughing about the character misfortunes but to our own lack of understanding of everything. That is what this work a fantastic piece of literature.
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