Reviews

Henderson de regenkoning by Saul Bellow

wilde_read's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

An entertaining romp through a fictional Africa. I read a different book by Bellow that was a bit above my intellect. This work is more accessible and is a better introduction to his work. I could compare the humor to Richard Russo. Bellow's work doesn't show up on many lists these days, which is unfortunate, because his writing is sound.
The story is adventurous and engaging, written in first-person, that will have you wondering until the final chapters how it will all wrap up.  

libellum_aphrodite's review against another edition

2.0

I found Henderson reminded me of a tolerable version Ignatius from A Confederacy of Dunces (Henderson even dons a hunting hat indoors at one point). In my opinion, Henderson is Ignatius with some motivation, or, to keep in the spirit of the book, grun-tu-molani. While I despised Ignatius to the core of my being, so much that, 3 years after reading, I remember nothing of the story except my piercing hatred of Ignatius, I appreciated Henderson for his determined quest to understand life. His noble intention made me root for him despite his continual short-sightedness (exemplified well by his failure to realize he would blow the water out of the Arnewi's basin along with the frogs) and abrasive demeanor. I was rooting for him to find the meaning he searched for and calm the voice that said "I want, I want."

b0hemian_graham's review against another edition

3.0

really should be 3.5, Good Reads needs to bring back the half stars

dustysummers's review against another edition

3.0

A brave man will try to make the evil stop with him. He shall keep the blow. No man shall get it from him, and that is a sublime ambition.

iamother's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

While there are parts of this book that I enjoyed, the framing of the plot within the context of a white man visiting a rural African village is what makes it problematic. The way that the author describes the Africans. Particularly making it clear to describe their features in a way that is starkly different from their white counterparts. As well as offering compliments to their culture and intellect but being quick to interject descriptions of savagery and primitive religions. It takes away from the philosophical and existential conversations between the African king and the main character. Which makes it hard to rationalize it (maybe just as a sign of the times in which this text was published). I enjoyed the idea of going out to seek what you truly “want” in life and how finding someone that shares your interests can make the suffering we went through to find them somehow worth it. That in pursuit of that companionship we can overlook mistakes and compromise ourselves. All in the pursuit of not being alone. In the end, I feel it’s a story about being content with what you have. But the endless comparisons between white and black culture with obvious class undertones, how flippant the main character was with wealth he didn’t earn yet took full advantage of, and how the author chose to characterize black characters (especially his main companion as primarily his glorified servant) took away from the experience. 

lavosthegreat's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

3.0

Sections of this book absolutely crawled. However, he sticks the landing. The last 40 or so pages are wonderful and make up for a lot of the dragging middle. 

kevin_shepherd's review against another edition

4.0

“Maybe time was invented so that misery might have an end?”

Eugene Henderson could possibly be the most magnificent protagonist since Fitzgerald conjured up Jay Gatsby. Henderson is a hot mess. He’s rich, he’s strong, he’s bursting with testosterone, and yet he’s hopelessly well-intentioned and painfully lovable. This is every bit as good as Bellow’s Seize the Day, if not just a wee bit better!

jetia13's review against another edition

3.0

kind of like having a malaria-induced hallucination the whole time you are reading it.

ericfheiman's review against another edition

4.0

"I don't think the struggles of desire can ever be won. Ages of longing and willing, willing and longing, and how have they ended? In a draw, dust and dust."

Until the last three chapters, I was worried this would be the first so-so Bellow book I'd read. Not to worry. The long trek through the African bush with our boisterous protagonist is totally worth it. (And you're under no pressure to lift a large stone sculpture.) Bellow strikes a nice balance between humor and pathos, concluding the book with a few set pieces that are riveting, funny, ecstatic and sad. It's as if the last part of the book freed him to write the masterpieces that came soon after.

"If I don't get carried away, I don't accomplish anything." Amen, Henderson.

lizzina's review against another edition

3.0

Although I can't tell this is a bad book, at the same time I can't say it satisfied me completely. Maybe one point is the main character is so unpleasant that even in the best of itself, the book seemed to me lacking something. I did not expect there was some humour as well. I liked the descriptions made about Africa and anyway enjoyed some of the adventures, but to be true I wouldn't know who to recommend this book to...