Babbit Paperback - 2010

Babbitt is a novel written by American author Sinclair Lewis, first published in 1922. The story is set in the fictional city of Zenith, a prosperous and growing industrial hub in the Midwest, and follows the life of George F. Babbitt, a middle-aged real estate broker who is a prominent member of the city's business community. Babbitt is a satire of American society during the 1920s, and Lewis uses his protagonist to explore themes such as conformity, materialism, and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world. Babbitt is a man who has achieved the American Dream, but he is also trapped by it. He is bored with his life and feels unfulfilled, but he is afraid to break free from the expectations of his peers and society at large. Throughout the novel, Babbitt struggles with his desire for individuality and his need to fit in. He becomes involved in various social clubs and organizations, but ultimately realizes that they are all superficial and meaningless. He also has an affair with a young woman named Tanis Judique, which leads him to question his values and priorities. Babbitt's journey is ultimately one of self-discovery, as he learns to embrace his own identity and reject the pressures of conformity. The novel is a critique of the materialistic and conformist values of American society, and remains a relevant commentary on modern life.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.