This classic by Sinclair Lewis shattered the sentimental American myth of happy small-town life with its satire. Main Street attacks the conformity and dullness of early-twentieth-century midwestern village life in the story of Carol Milford, the city girl who marries the town doctor. Her efforts to bring culture to the prairie village are met by a wall of gossip, greed, and petty, small-minded bigotry. The first popular bestseller to attack conventional ideas about marriage, gender roles, and small town life, Main Street established Lewis as a major American novelist.
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"Caustic satire of small-town life. Although some of the concepts in the book are invariably dated, the concept and the characters are still only too familiar, and the follies of small-town living are laid bare. "
— Kaworu (4 out of 5 stars)
" Caustic satire of small-town life. Although some of the concepts in the book are invariably dated, the concept and the characters are still only too familiar, and the follies of small-town living are laid bare. "
— Kaworu, 5/21/2011" Small town life in Minnesota 1910s with an engaging main character, Carol Milford. Nice job, Red. "
— Steve, 5/4/2011" Small town life in Minnesota 1910s with an engaging main character, Carol Milford. Nice job, Red. "
— Steve, 5/4/2011" I really did have to laugh that parts of this book sound like America today. Carol was a bit waffly and whiny, but I guess we all are as fish out of water with no allies. "
— Robin, 4/21/2011" I really did have to laugh that parts of this book sound like America today. Carol was a bit waffly and whiny, but I guess we all are as fish out of water with no allies. "
— Robin, 4/21/2011" I definitely was not the target audience for this book. Although it's well written, the plot was transparent, the main character very naive and annoying, and the messages obvious and, in the case of one of them, untrue. "
— Maggie, 3/21/2011" I definitely was not the target audience for this book. Although it's well written, the plot was transparent, the main character very naive and annoying, and the messages obvious and, in the case of one of them, untrue. "
— Maggie, 3/21/2011" Main Street is prevalent today...sorry to say. "
— Jacki, 2/17/2011" Main Street is prevalent today...sorry to say. "
— Jacki, 2/17/2011" A stark and somewhat depressing book chronicling small town life. "
— Megan, 1/10/2011" A stark and somewhat depressing book chronicling small town life. "
— Megan, 1/10/2011" I adored this book, American literature at its best! I loved the vivid characterizations, exploration of social topics, and (sexism, classism, etc.) description of the Minnesota prairie. "
— Kathleen, 1/8/2011" I adored this book, American literature at its best! I loved the vivid characterizations, exploration of social topics, and (sexism, classism, etc.) description of the Minnesota prairie. "
— Kathleen, 1/8/2011" Sorry to say, but a bit dated. "
— Nancy, 12/31/2010" Sorry to say, but a bit dated. "
— Nancy, 12/31/2010Harry 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.
Lloyd James (a.k.a. Sean Pratt) has been a working professional actor in theater, film, television, and voice-overs for more than thirty years. He has narrated over one thousand audiobooks and won numerous Earphones Awards and nominations for the Audie Award and the Voice Arts Award. He holds a BFA degree in acting from Santa Fe University, New Mexico.