Babbitt

Written by Lewis Sinclair

Narrated by Deaver Brown

An early 20th Century tale about a booster & businessman who followed the standard program, deviated, and wished his son well in going his own way. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simply Magazine Inc.
• Release date: Nov 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9781614969242

Lewis Sinclair

Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951) was an American author and playwright. As a child, Lewis struggled to fit in with both his peers and family. He was much more sensitive and introspective than his brothers, so he had a difficult time connecting to his father. Lewis’ troubling childhood was one of the reasons he was drawn to religion, though he would struggle with it throughout most of his young adult life, until he became an atheist. Known for his critical views of American capitalism and materialism, Lewis was often praised for his authenticity as a writer. With over twenty novels, four plays, and around seventy short stories, Lewis was a very prolific author. In 1930, Sinclair Lewis became the first American to receive the Nobel Prize for literature, setting an inspiring precedent for future American writers.

Reviews for Babbitt

[josephking6602 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good idea for a book; but after getting the point, it got somewhat repetitive and cliched

[jrobinw · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While I don't like the style of writing, the message is as on target as during the time it was written.

[jazz1987-395186 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really well written novel by Sinclair Lewis. The way he describes the fictitious city of Zenith and the unnamed state was so real it makes you believe the land buildings, and people are real. George F. Babbitt was a well structured character who, at first, is a strong middle-class conservative American. This book is recommended for people who would like to read a novel based in the 1920's United States but not part of the so-called "Lost Generation" authors.

[writemoves · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I echo what many other Goodreads reviewers have said. This book, though written in the 1920's, could easily be a contemporary story now. Forty plus year old man going through a classic midlife crisis. Fantasizes about new cars, younger women and more adventures...Dissatisfied with his status in society and in business. Unhappy with his marriage and feels neglected by his children.

He strays, not only in his marriage but from his business, career and social conventions. There are plenty of such stories in 2019. The newspapers and social media are full of CEOs, executives, politicians and celebrities taking the liberties that George Babbitt took.

How Babbitt turned around his life and came upon a realization that he shares with his son at the end of the book is compelling reading.

This book was a very pleasant surprise. I enjoyed this story very much.

[ericlee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Go into a bookstore these days and often the only book you’ll find by Sinclair Lewis is It Can’t Happen Here, a satirical look at the rise of a fascist regime in America in the 1930s. Lewis’ book enjoys a resurgence every few years as American politics grows polarised, and never more so than following the election of Donald Trump in 2016.Within weeks of Trump’s inauguration, the main shop window of one of London’s largest bookstores was filled with copies of It Can’t Happen Here. And that’s a pity, because Lewis’ forgotten earlier books, and in particular Babbitt, may offer a greater insight into the Trump era. Babbit and Lewis’ previous work, Main Street, are the reasons he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, the first American author to receive the honour.George F. Babbitt is a real estate dealer in the fictional mid-western city of Zenith. His life revolves around his business, his family and his network of friends who he meets through his church and the various clubs he joins — the Elks, the Boosters, and so on. Babbitt sees the world through the eyes of a businessman; if he were to write an autobiography, he might well have entitled it The Art of the Deal. He is not intellectually curious, has no interest in foreign travel, is convinced that his country (and state, and city) are the very best in the whole world. He detests immigrants and labor unions. Does any of this sound familiar?Babbitt is deeply opinionated and develops a reputation as an orator of sorts, though he has nothing particularly interesting or original to say. In the world of business, and later at home, he lies and cheats with impunity and without remorse.Babbitt is a particular “American type” and this book, even more than It Can’t Happen Here, offers insights into today’s American president.

[viviennestrauss · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent writing and witty mocking of the "good ole boy" network.

[ladycato · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is everything I dislike about literary fiction, and yet it's so darn well written I'm giving it four stars, even though I never would have finished the thing if it wasn't for research purposes. Lewis can WRITE. There's a reason he's remembered as one of the great writers of the 20th century.Here's the thing about Babbit. He's a horrible person, but he's like people all of us know. The book really centers around a catastrophic mid-life crisis. Babbit is sanctimonious, loud-mouthed, a sexual harrasser, desperate to climb the social ladder. He's largely spineless--he follows whatever crowd holds sway over him. Most of all, we are never intended to like him, but we relate to him in small ways all the same. It was only by the power of Lewis's writing that I stuck with the book, because this really hit on so many tropes that I loathe, especially when it comes to spousal abuse (though Babbit's sin in this regard is mostly in supporting his best friend's abuse/near-murder of his wife) and Babbit's extramarital affair. I mean, I HATED this guy, but I kept reading, and on the last page I genuinely pitied him. This book is an exercise is incredible character development.One of the reasons I braved this book was due to the social impact it had in the 1920s. In several books from that period, I have come across mentions of people being considered "like Babbit." The book was a bestseller, and since we all know people like Babbit, it's no wonder the name entered popular culture.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis is a satirical novel about American culture and society that explores the dullness of middle class American life as well as the social pressures there are toward conformity. Written and set in the early 1920’s, many of Lewis’ observations are still valid today. The novel is set in the fictional Midwestern town of Zenith where George F Babbitt, a 46 year old prosperous real estate broker is on the verge of a mid-life crisis. Babbitt ‘s family consists of his devoted wife, Myra, and his three children, Verona, Ted and Tinka. The social status of the Babbitt family is important to George and they constantly are on the lookout to improve their status in the community. Yet, there is a bit of a rebel inside George and when his best friend ends up going to prison and his wife goes away to nurse her sister, George mounts his own small rebellion, but eventually realizes that it is too late for him to change and retreats back into the security of conformity. He does however, encourage his son, to explore his possibilities and not just settle into life.I thought Babbitt was a very interesting read. Instead of the glamour and glitz of the 1920’s, this book gives us a glimpse of middle class American life in ways that are both insightful and humorous. The middle class became a recognizable force during this decade and this book helps us to understand it’s place and importance in society. My opinion of George Babbitt went through a number of changes during the course of the story for which I credit the author for developing such a well rounded character. And although the slang and much of the dialogue was dated to it’s time, in many ways this was a timeless story.

[lydiasbooks · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Just couldn't get into this and didn't feel inclined to try particularly hard to endure. Language distant from me and dull story.

[encephalical · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Satiric yarn about how the good ol' boy network self-perpetuates. Chuckled through out, but laughed out loud once, when reading that Mrs. Babbitt spent 17 days in the hospital after an appendectomy.

[stef7sa-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A bit slow but still worthwhile as the author definitely is a good writer and has Made Babbitt an interesting character that even moves you in the End.

[thecrow2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Babbitt is the paragon of the middle aged, successful American businessman and petty bourgeois. Everything is going well until midlife crisis knocking on his door. Neither he nor his family or colleagues are unable to handle the situation... for a while. After that of course everything goes like it was before. The Hungarian translation is very old fashioned unfortunately.

[glennbell_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This fiction novel was written over 100 years ago and portrays American history during the prohibition. George Babbit is a real estate agent who is in a conservative group of society. He briefly turns liberal after his friend goes to jail for shooting his wife. George’s rebellion is ended during the event of his wife having surgery for appendicitis. The story ends with George siding with his son who eloped and decides to drop out of college to become a mechanic. George states that he recognizes that his son is doing what he wants to do and not being bullied into adhering to others expectations. I believe this is the take home message.

[ebt1002 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"He was thinking. It was coming to him that perhaps all life as he knew it and vigorously practiced [sic] it was futile; that heaven as portrayed by the Reverend Dr. John Jennison Drew was neither probable nor very interesting; that he hadn't much pleasure out of making money; that it was of doubtful worth to rear children merely that they might rear children who would rear children. What was it all about? What did he want?"This portrait of a stodgy conformist in the early part of the 20th century holds up well in today's world. More character study than plot-driven adventure, the novel follows George F. Babbitt through what might be considered a mid-life crisis. Motivated almost exclusively by his desire to be liked, respected, and successful, Babbitt is steeped in the class judgments of upper class America. He is absolutely blind to the imbedded paradoxes: his disdain for those with less money or prestige and his resentment and longing for the attention of those with more are beautifully rendered by Lewis. The reader can see the tongue planted firmly within the author's cheek. I would no more desire to spend an evening with George F. Babbitt than I would desire to have a root canal, but reading the novel about his foray into self-determination was oddly enjoyable.

[katiekrug · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I knew that Babbitt was a satire but I didn't expect it to be so sharp or so applicable to today's world. What saves it from being just ugly and biting is that Babbitt is oddly sympathetic. He's also infuriating and obnoxious at times, but Lewis seems to be telling us he's a product of his time and we can't expect much. It's a harsh indictment of American society, especially the upwardly mobile middle class and the already entrenched upper class, and it hits uncomfortably close to home in certain ways. While dated to some extent, Babbitt still manages to have something important to say, even 90+ years later.

[jnwelch_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed Babbitt much more than I thought I would. It's not easy at the start, as the reader gets thrown into a rah rah early 20th century American business environment in the fictional city of Zenith. There isn't a whole lot of plot; it's more a novel of characters, including, of course, George Babbitt. He initially appears to be a pumped-up, full of himself aspirant to the 1%. For a large portion of the book he says all the right things at various local community clubs and political events about squashing unions and rewarding the go-getters needed to get the country back on its feet after the first world war. He gets a reputation as an orator, and his real estate business prospers. But even as he becomes a leader in Zenith's "boosterism", underneath it all he yearns to slip away with the fairy child of his dreams:"He was somewhere among unknown people who laughed at him. He slipped away, ran down the paths of a midnight garden, and at the gate the fairy child was waiting. Her dear and tranquil hand caressed his cheek. He was gallant and wise and well-beloved; warm ivory were her arms; and beyond the perilous moors the brave sea glittered."After a friend's life takes a disastrous turn, Babbitt rebels and for a time searches for the fairy child among women of his acquaintance. He is reminded of his more liberal views when young, and begins to see his own rebellious son differently.The book was a huge success in its time, and in 1930 Lewis won the Nobel Prize, the first American to do so. He writes really well, and more than once I thought this was what Updike was trying to do, with less success. Babbitt is a satire of crass American commercialism and superficial optimism, but the book also has a heart. "Babbitt" became a word in our lexicon defined as ""a person and especially a business or professional man who conforms unthinkingly to prevailing middle-class standards". To me, that definition is unfair, as Georgie Babbitt wasn't an unthinking conformist. He yearned for escape with the fairy child, but determinedly, with "pep", he tried to make the best of the hand he saw himself dealt. A four star read.

[kaulsu · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Considering the length of time it took me to read this book, I must have found it boring. Yet I acknowledge that Lewis wrote a provocative book for its time, and well deserves its place in the historic canon.Throughout the book, Babbitt faced the truth that life is absurd to the degree one thinks their actions have importance. He also recognized that running away from one's circumstances is impossible as one can never escape oneself. Lewis also dealt well with the theme of friendship among men, while also showing that without nurturance, friendship cannot survive. Nothing new in this, perhaps, but it seems more of a feminine story line and it was nice to encounter it here. So, another unread classic is crossed off the list!

[santhony_35 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

For Christmas, I ordered an mp3 player (Library of Classics) that was pre-loaded with 100 works of classic literature in an audio format. Each work is in the public domain and is read by amateurs, so the quality of the presentation is hit or miss. After sampling about a dozen more well-known offerings, I was left to select those with which I was less familiar. That is how I came across Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis.George Babbitt is a middle aged real estate broker, living in the fictional city of Zenith, somewhere in the Midwest in the year 1920. George is upper middle class, conservative, a pillar of the community, if just a notch below the upper crust. He belongs to a variety of service organizations and men’s clubs. He has a wife of 25 years and three children at home. The first three quarters of the book is taken up with explaining just how “normal” and “routine” George’s life actually is. Were it not for the insight into 1920s everyday life, it would be hopelessly boring. As it is, it is only bearable. It is only near the end of the story that George begins to wander from the straight and narrow, undergoing a mid-life crisis of sorts. The consequences of George’s “walk on the wild side” are moderately entertaining.

[clq_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Blindly delving into old classics is always kind of interesting: has it aged well? What makes it a classic? Babbit started out really promising: very funny in an old fashioned, observational humour kind of way. I knew I had some sort of meaningful story ahead of me (it's a classic, after all), and having read the first chapter I really looked forward to reading a timeless story delivered in an entertaining manner. Unfortunately a lot of the humour dabbed off rather quickly, leaving "only" a good story.And there can be no doubt, the story is inarguably very good. It's about a man, Mr. Babbit, who is relatively rich, and has a relatively high standing in society. Most of his life consists of hustling to become richer and achieve an even higher standing. The motivation behind him living this way isn't entirely clear: is he doing what he wants to do, or is he just doing what society expects of him? How badly does he want society to approve of him? Even if it does lead to esteem, money, power, and positions, does that make it worth living your life after a template, following the path everyone expects you to follow? Do you have a choice?Thoughts like these had never really occurred to Mr. Babbit until a few events leads to him down a path where he has to face up to a few of these questions. For me the book is at its best when we see Babbit struggling with these questions, and the ways in which he confronts them feels believable. The story also feels like it ended up where the characters made it end up, rather than being a pre-determined chain of events in which the characters were just… well, characters.Having said all of the above, there is quite a bit of fluff around everything. The fluff wasn't all that interesting to me, and there also seemed to be a "the role of the man in society"-thread that, while I could appreciate, I couldn't really relate to. Some of the fluff is rather good satire, and most of it serves a purpose. Still, there is a little too much of it, and unfortunately the story does drag along at times. It's still an interesting book, and it is easy to see why it is significant. As always, it is also fun to see how some things never change ("the youth today" were as hopeless in 1922 as they are now), and while Babbit is not a page-turner, nor especially exciting, it's worth the time spent reading it.

[charlie68_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Change the technology and take away prohibition and this story could've been written last week. Hard to believe it was written in 1922. I thought this went so far but wasn't willing to go too far, but then again it was written in the twenties. Lot of proto-types for Babbitt on TV.

[jpporter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It took me a while to get into this book. Babbitt is supposed to be a satirical, ironic look at American life in the 1920's - after World War I and before the Great Depression, a period of increasing prosperity for America. Sinclair Lewis struck me as almost intentionally forcing himself to write in the idiom of his period, rather than with a neutral, literary language, and I did not find the style comfortable. That's my problem, not Lewis'.The story is of a middle-aged, fairly successful, real estate dealer who aspires to become more than just "fairly" successful at the same time he seems to be going through a mid-life crisis: he feels lost in himself, and wants to experience a more "liberal" lifestyle. He discovers, however, that the pursuit of success and a liberal lifestyle may not be compatible.Ultimately, it is a story of learning about oneself, the choices one has to make to achieve one's dreams, and the recognition that life is a series of compromises between idealism and pragmatism.What amazes me is the extent to which the situations in which Babbitt finds himself actually apply almost precisely to today's America: the attitudes, the aspirations, the contradictions and inconsistencies - the dichotomy between "liberalism" and "conservatism." Putting aside the dialectic differences, this book could have been written in the past 15 years with no loss of relevance. The pure genius of the book is that it applies to life in any era.An exceptional book. I may not read Lewis again, but I am glad that the one book of his that I have read is so timeless.

[figre · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For some reason, I have been reading novels about people who are not exactly the salt of the earth. In this case, Mr. Babbitt is a "typical" middle-classed businessman. In spite of having the required accoutrements of the age – a wife, a good job, children, etc. – his is a loveless life and he is very unhappy. This novel follows him as he explores this unhappiness, to the point where he becomes a bit of a...radical. However, life has different plans for him and, when it all comes to a close, Babbitt realizes he cannot change. Really, Babbitt is not a particularly likable individual. As I say, I seem to be reading about these types a lot lately. (What, exactly, is the cosmos trying to tell me?) And it is very interesting to watch how well authors handle the task. I have seen it mishandled to the point that I rooted against both the protagonist and author, and I have seen it handled so well that, in spite of hoping for ill things to happen to the protagonist, I continued to read about their progress with interest.In this case, it was very interesting. As Lewis describes Babbitt's life, he is quickly someone with whom I cannot sympathize nor hope good things for. Yet, the early section describing Babbitt's life is fascinating and, in spite of the relative boredom of that life, hard to put down. The ensuring action continues that trend. At certain points you root for Babbitt; at others you grieve for him; and in others you feel it is no less than he deserves.I think what makes this work (and what makes any of them work) is that relatability of the character. No, I'm not as bad as Babbitt. But I can definitely see the humanity in him. And, because of that, I appreciate the telling of his tale.(And, after looking more closely, the other situation where I felt the dislikable character was handled so expertly happened to also be by Sinclair Lewis. I guess this guy knows what he is doing.)

[auntieknickers · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read this book long before I lived in Minnesota, or visited Duluth ("Zenith" in the book). I was glad to see this book on the 1000 Novels list, along with Main Street, which I was never able to finish (maybe someday!) I think the difference is in the point of view -- in Babbitt, you see things from Babbitt's point of view and even though he's being judged by the author, there is a certain charm to him. In Main Street, Carol just seems like a whiner to me. But maybe I should give her another chance.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

For the most part, this is a book about an 48 year old grump's midlife crisis. I hated every single minute of this story. George F. Babbitt struck me as wholly offensive and obnoxious from the very first and he only got worse. While I know, on one level, that this is probably to make a point, I cannot accept that he never gets a comeuppance for being an idiotic jerk. He constantly espouses viewpoints as his own, even though he's simply repeating what he has heard or read in the newspaper.

Once again, I listened to an audiobook. It's hard for me to say whether it was a good performance of the novel or not, since I so hated the novel itself. From the first, I really wanted to punch Colacci in the face to make him stop talking. His voice is grating and annoying. This inclines me to say that thus this is not a great audiobook, but, still, such a voice does fit perfectly with the truly awful people in the story. I do imagine that Babbitt sounds exactly like that.

A more fair criticism of the performance than my personally not liking the sound of Colacci's voice is that it was often difficult to tell the characters apart. During conversations, I really could not follow who was speaking, unless there was some sort of note as to who said what. One conversation between Paul Riesling and Babbitt, for example, left me unsure as to whose wife was being annoying and who was praising whom. Surprisingly, though, this gruff-voiced man did a really good job with the female voices, although, again, they all sounded pretty similar. Of course, the women never really have a conversation, so that didn't matter much.

Pretty much the only interesting thing in this novel is the setting (1920s), but I would recommend getting that from An American Tragedy instead, which has some really strange parallels. Babbitt is repetitive (he constantly mentions his desire to quit smoking and then forgets and then announces he'll do it this time and then...) and obnoxious (Babbitt spends the first half of the novel being sanctimonious about things and behavior, then goes and does all those things and is sanctimonious about those that judge him for it). If that's your thing, then go for it.

[hemlokgang · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the story of a man who does everything he thinks he is supposed to to be successful and yet comes to a point of believing he is an empty soul. Where to go from there? You have to read the book! I will say that the plot drags a bit in the middle, but otherwise moves right along. Much of the story made me think of the "Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" concept. A timeless theme!

[aliciamay_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

George F. Babbitt is a successful realtor in the fictional Midwest town of Zenith in the 1920s. Though he has all a middle class man could desire he is vaguely dissatisfied. He is pompous, arrogant and obtuse and I think this quote nicely captures his essence, “These standard advertised wares—toothpastes, socks, tires, cameras, instantaneous hot-water heaters—were his symbols and proofs of excellence; at first the signs, then the substitutes, for joy and passion and wisdom.”About two-thirds of the way through the novel an event shakes Babbitt to the core. He reexamines his beliefs and values, dabbling in some immoral and liberal (by 1920s standards) behavior, before his proclivity for self-preservation gets the better of him. Another slow starter of a book and though it never really gets exciting, the inaction and subtle tension is very readable and compelling. As a satire, I didn’t find it overly preachy and details of this suburban life really were amusing. Somehow this self-involved, unlikeable Babbitt grew on me; I was rooting for him and hoping he would wake up from his suburban coma to DO SOMETHING. Alas, I got what I wished for and was disappointed. But really there wasn’t any other way it could’ve been for a specimen like Ol’ Babbitt.

[bcquinnsmom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Despite the fact that this book was written way back when, I found a lot of relevance to our current world between these covers and I liked it! George F. Babbitt is a real estate agent in Zenith, a Midwestern city of of "towers of steel and cement and limestone" where the population has grown to "practically 362,000." While anyone visiting its business center would be hard pressed to distinguish it from other major cities, George finds every inch of it "individual and stirring." He is married, has two children, and is above all wrapped up in his community standing. He belongs to a number of civic organizations, most prominently, the Zenith Boosters’ Club, where his like-minded, middle-class associates bow to the gods of business, money and progress and work to keep out any elements that they believe might possibly upset their collective and lucrative apple carts. George lives in a modern house with the latest technologies, belongs to a church, plays golf, and his opinions are shaped by the institutions and people with whom he associates and his political party. Underneath his public persona, however, he's starting to think that perhaps there's something missing, that he's not "entirely satisfied." George has an ongoing and secret dream fantasy of a "fairy child" who will help him to escape to places “more romantic than scarlet pagodas by a silver sea,” but the dreams are short lived; when daybreak comes it's back to more practical things. One of his old college buds and best friend, Paul Riesling, dreamed of becoming a concert violinist, but he too has jettisoned his dreams and has become a member of Zenith's middle-class business community. Unlike Babbitt, however, he is not afraid to confide his personal dissatisfaction: he's bored, his wife Zilla is a constant nag who makes him unhappy enough to have affairs, and he has come to the realization that in the business world, "all we do is cut each other's throats and make the public pay for it." Paul is the only one of Babbitt's associates that recognizes the need for responsibility -- something that Babbitt and his other cronies don't get. When Paul's problems with Zilla come to a head and he literally can no longer take it, he snaps -- and his actions and their consequences send Babbitt into introspective mode where he comes to realize that his way of life has been "incredibly mechanical:" "Mechanical business -- a brisk selling of badly built houses. Mechanical religion -- a dry, hard church, shut off from the real life of the streets, inhumanly respectable as a top-hat. Mechanical golf and dinner-parties and bridge and conversation. Save with Paul Riesling, mechanical friendships -- back-slapping and jocular, never daring to essay the test of quietness." prodding George into full-on rebellion.I won't say any more -- the novel is an excellent piece of satire on conformity and middle-class culture, business or otherwise. It is set in a time when unions, Socialism and any other form of organization among workers constituted a perceived threat to the American way of life; a time when the "American way of settling labor-troubles was for workmen to trust and love their employers." As Lewis remarks on a Zenith organization called the Good Citizens' League, the members of this group believed that "the working-classes must be kept in their place ... that American Democracy did not imply any equality of wealth, but did demand a wholesome sameness of thought, dress, painting, morals and vocabulary." hmmm.... let's think about that for a moment, shall we? Democracy?There is also a very purposeful delineation of class in this novel, and Lewis has a way of juxtaposing one against the other in some rather well-crafted scenes. Obviously there's much more to it, and there are some hefty critiques and reviews to be found where perhaps more can be gleaned. It is rather difficult to read, I suspect, under the best of conditions, so if you are contemplating it as a reading choice, my advice is not to give up. The book is constructed as a series of vignettes that eventually all come together in an ending which was not so predictable yet powerfully sad, at least for me. Recommended -- but take your time with it.

[devil_llama · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book created one of the author's most enduring characters, who's name has become synonymous with a certain type of small town businessman. The story is slow moving, and written in Lewis's typical rather turgid prose, but there are some very good moments.

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

George Babbitt is a middle-aged real-estate broker living in the fictional Midwestern town of Zenith in the 1920s. He has done everything “right” in life and lives with his kids and wife in a nice little town. He’s well respected in the community and is successful in business. He loves to think about his superiority over others and “subtly” brag about his material possessions. When a crisis with his best friend sends him spiraling into a midlife crisis we learn just how unhappy Babbitt truly is. He’s built a perfect world, based on what he’s been told means success, yet he feels empty. “Every Saturday afternoon he hustled out to his country club and hustled through nine holes of golf, as a rest after the week’s hustle.” Babbitt reminded me quite a bit of The Corrections, except I hated that book and I didn’t hate this one. It has a similar concept, looking at the average American family and the dysfunction within it, but this one was published about 80 years earlier. I think Babbitt touched on issues that were completely new and hadn’t been discussed yet, like ambition and success vs. family values, the “American Dream” of bigger cars and bigger paychecks vs. happiness. Even though I liked this book, I struggled to feel attached to it because I disliked the characters so much. There’s not a likeable one in the bunch. Babbitt is a self-important fool, his kids are spoiled brats, and even his wife is a bit of a simpleton. I was impressed with what Lewis said about American society in the early 20th century, before everyone else was saying it, but I didn’t love the book itself. This was my first experience with Sinclair Lewis (who I have always confused with Upton Sinclair) and I’m looking forward to seeing if some of his other famous books, like Main Street, have the same tone.  

[jwhenderson_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It has been more than forty years since I read this book, so it is probably a good time to return; but I'm not sure what to expect from rereading this classic from the pen of Sinclair Lewis. More recently I've read Main Street which I enjoyed. However, Babbitt, while demonstrating the signature Sinclair Lewis satirical style, lingers in my memory as a different sort of book. Carol Kennicot, was endearing in her earnest innocence, while Babbitt has the reputation of a brash booster who gives urban business a bad name. There must be more to the novel than this simple-sounding approach to character. Yet, the character lives through this image. The opening of the novel suggests that Babbitt is living in a world of "grotesqueries" that make up the city of Zenith. This portends what is to come and is in itself a sign of the thought the author has put into his work. The towers of skyscrapers are contrasted with the lowness of tenements. All culminating in the comment that this is "a city built - it seemed - for giants." Enter the lilliputian booster in the person of George F. Babbitt. This reader is confident the style will carry him over and beyond the drudgery of the naturalistic philosophy that underlies this "classic" of the nineteen-twenties.