“A most searching and excellent piece of work; a feather in the cap of literature.” John Galsworthy
Description
When Carol Milford, a young, liberated woman from St. Paul, Minnesota, marries small-town doctor Will Kennicott, she suddenly finds herself transplanted to Gopher Prairie. Horrified by her new home, an ugly backwater community, she decides it's time the town made a few changes.
The story of an idealistic young woman's frustrated attempts to change the set ways of her small town, Main Street has been hailed as one of the essential literary satires of the American scene. An allegory of exile and return, it attacks the complacency and ingrown mores of those who resist change and are under the illusion that they have chosen their tradition. The lonely predicament of Carol Kennicott, caught between her desires for social reform and individual happiness, reflects the position in which America's turn-of-the-century "emancipated woman" found herself. Sinclair Lewis' cutting portrait of the small-minded inhabitants of small-town America is rich with sociological insight that still resonates today.
Praise
“A most searching and excellent piece of work; a feather in the cap of literature.” John Galsworthy
“At once an artifact and a modern classic, its characters’ slang and civic amenities are exotic—their social and personal concerns wholly familiar.” AudioFile
“Emerson’s narration allows listeners to perfectly visualize ‘emancipated woman’ Carol Kennicott, ‘the girl on the hilltop, credulous, plastic, young, drinking the air as she longed to drink life.’” Booklist
“Emerson’s pace, tone and style suit the novel. He voices characters and accents, gently parodying only a few. Lewis spins a great story and this classic is still hard hitting.” Kliatt
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | May 31, 2001 |
| Release Date | June 1, 2001 |
| Release Date Machine | 991353600 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Literature & Fiction, Classics, Classics, Evergreen Classics, Evergreen Classics, Classics, Fiction - All, Fiction - Adult |
Author Bio
Harry Sinclair Lewis (1885–1951), the son of a country doctor, was born in Sauk Centre, Minnesota. He attended Yale University, where he was editor of the literary magazine, and graduated in 1907. After a few of his stories had appeared in magazines and his first novel, Our Mr. Wrenn (1914), had been published, he was able to write full time. He was awarded the 1926 Pulitzer Prize for Arrowsmith (1925) but refused to accept the honor. However, he accepted the Nobel Prize awarded him in 1930. He was the first American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Narrator Bio
Brian Emerson is an actor and technical director with a long career in the Washington, DC, and Baltimore areas.
Overview
When Carol Milford, a young, liberated woman from St. Paul, Minnesota, marries small-town doctor Will Kennicott, she suddenly finds herself transplanted to Gopher Prairie. Horrified by her new home, an ugly backwater community, she decides it's time the town made a few changes.
The story of an idealistic young woman's frustrated attempts to change the set ways of her small town, Main Street has been hailed as one of the essential literary satires of the American scene. An allegory of exile and return, it attacks the complacency and ingrown mores of those who resist change and are under the illusion that they have chosen their tradition. The lonely predicament of Carol Kennicott, caught between her desires for social reform and individual happiness, reflects the position in which America's turn-of-the-century "emancipated woman" found herself. Sinclair Lewis' cutting portrait of the small-minded inhabitants of small-town America is rich with sociological insight that still resonates today.
Reviews
Write Your Own Review