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Henderson the Rain King
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Henderson the Rain King Paperback - 2012

by Saul Bellow; Introduction by Adam Kirsch

BELLOW EVOKES ALL THE RICH COLOR andexotic customs of a highly imaginary Africa in this acclaimedcomic novel about a middle-aged American millionaire who, seekinga new, more rewarding life, descends upon an African tribe.Henderson's awesome feats of strength and his unbridled passion forlife win him the admiration of the tribe but it is his gift for makingrain that turns him from mere hero into messiah. A hilarious, oftenribald story, Henderson the Rain King is also a profound look at theforces that drive a man through life.


Summary

Saul Bellow evokes all the rich colors and exotic customs of a highly imaginary Africa in this acclaimed comic novel about a middle-aged American millionaire who, seeking a new, more rewarding life, descends upon an African tribe. Henderson’s awesome feats of strength and his unbridled passion for life win him the admiration of the tribe—but it is his gift for making rain that turns him from mere hero into messiah. A hilarious, often ribald story, Henderson the Rain King is also a profound look at the forces that drive a man through life.

From the publisher

"It blazes as fiercely and scintillatingly as a forest fire. There is life here; a great rage to live more fully. In this it is a giant among novels." (San Francisco Examiner) A Penguin Classic Saul Bellow evokes all the rich colors and exotic customs of a highly imaginary Africa in this acclaimed comic novel about a middle-aged American millionaire who, seeking a new, more rewarding life, descends upon an African tribe. Henderson's awesome feats of strength and his unbridled passion for life win him the admiration of the tribe--but it is his gift for making rain that turns him from mere hero into messiah. A hilarious, often ribald story, Henderson the Rain King is also a profound look at the forces that drive a man through life. This Penguin Classics edition contains an introduction by Adam Kirsch. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

First Edition Identification

Viking Press first published Henderson the Rain King in 1959. The first edition is bound in orange and tan cloth. The dust jacket, illustrated by Bill Preston, states the original price of $4.50 on the front flap and has three blurbs on rear panel under the heading Saul Bellow as a novelist.

Details

  • Title Henderson the Rain King
  • Author Saul Bellow; Introduction by Adam Kirsch
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition Reprint
  • Pages 352
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Penguin Group, New York, New York
  • Date 2012-12-24
  • Features Price on Product - Canadian, Table of Contents
  • ISBN 9780143105480 / 0143105485
  • Weight 0.58 lbs (0.26 kg)
  • Dimensions 7.78 x 5.12 x 0.58 in (19.76 x 13.00 x 1.47 cm)
  • Ages 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Library of Congress subjects Humorous stories, Africa
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2012031268
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

Media reviews

"A kind of wildly delirious dream made real by the force of Bellow's rollicking prose and the offbeat inventiveness of his language."

About the author

Saul Bellow (1915-2005) is the author of nearly twenty works of literature, including Seize the Day, The Adventures of Augie March, The Victim, Herzog, and Humboldt's Gift. He taught at the University of Chicago and Boston University. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1976.

Adam Kirsch is a senior editor at the New Republic and a columnist for the Tablet. He lives in New York City.

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