Sinclair Lewis

"If you don't think for yourself, then you're admitting that your theory of happiness is the dog asleep in the sun." -Sinclair Lewis, The Trail of the Hawk The Trail of the Hawk (1915) is a coming-of-age novel that describes the struggles of Carl Ericson as he tries to reconcile his desire for adventure with societal expectations. In classic Lewis style, the author explores the effects of immigration, convention, entrepreneurship, love, maturity, and passion in a style that is simultaneously humorous and wise.

"If you don't think for yourself, then you're admitting that your theory of happiness is the dog asleep in the sun." -Sinclair Lewis, The Trail of the Hawk The Trail of the Hawk (1915) is a coming-of-age novel that describes the struggles of Carl Ericson as he tries to reconcile his desire for adventure with societal expectations. In classic Lewis style, the author explores the effects of immigration, convention, entrepreneurship, love, maturity, and passion in a style that is simultaneously humorous and wise.

. . . this is a flagrant excursion, a tale for people who still read Dickens and clip out spring poetry and love old people and children . . ." -from the Introduction to The Innocents The Innocents (1917) is one of Sinclair Lewis's earliest novels and is often put in the category of "potboiler" because it was created primarily to make money by appealing to popular taste. Nevertheless, Lewis's deep sensitivity to societal problems emerges as the book explores the themes of identity and ageism. It tells the story of an older couple who take off on a journey to launch a business rather than move to an assisted living facility. Thanks to the sweetness of its characters, The Innocents encourages optimism and the defiance of convention but still makes a strong statement about discrimination against the elderly and the dissonance often present between one's own identity and the identity that is perceived by society.

"In story and in treatment the novel is wholly of our own day, but in spirit and feeling it makes evident the paternity of Charles Dickens." -"Latest Works of Fiction," The New York Times, March 1, 1914 Our Mr. Wrenn is an early example of Sinclair Lewis's capacity for creating memorable characters who have many of the characteristics of stereotypes. In this case, Mr. Wrenn is a poorly paid and underappreciated salesclerk whose primary pleasure in life comes from a rich fantasy life, which, for Wrenn, involves as much travel as possible. Coming into an inheritance suddenly allows him to live out his fantasies, and the reader is given the opportunity to delight in Wrenn's metamorphosis.

"In story and in treatment the novel is wholly of our own day, but in spirit and feeling it makes evident the paternity of Charles Dickens." -"Latest Works of Fiction," The New York Times, March 1, 1914 Our Mr. Wrenn is an early example of Sinclair Lewis's capacity for creating memorable characters who have many of the characteristics of stereotypes. In this case, Mr. Wrenn is a poorly paid and underappreciated salesclerk whose primary pleasure in life comes from a rich fantasy life, which, for Wrenn, involves as much travel as possible. Coming into an inheritance suddenly allows him to live out his fantasies, and the reader is given the opportunity to delight in Wrenn's metamorphosis.

. . . this is a flagrant excursion, a tale for people who still read Dickens and clip out spring poetry and love old people and children . . ." -from the Introduction to The Innocents The Innocents (1917) is one of Sinclair Lewis's earliest novels and is often put in the category of "potboiler" because it was created primarily to make money by appealing to popular taste. Nevertheless, Lewis's deep sensitivity to societal problems emerges as the book explores the themes of identity and ageism. It tells the story of an older couple who take off on a journey to launch a business rather than move to an assisted living facility. Thanks to the sweetness of its characters, The Innocents encourages optimism and the defiance of convention but still makes a strong statement about discrimination against the elderly and the dissonance often present between one's own identity and the identity that is perceived by society.