You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Widely read in his time but later overshadowed by contemporaries like Fitzgerald and Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis's work exposes America's deepest beliefs about class, labor, business, consumerism, and what makes a life meaningful (or not). Though Babbitt was written in 1922, the prejudices and values it expounds on are still those of America today, shown through the hypocritical, people-pleasing, conservative-leaning real estate mogul George Babbitt.
Reading this book in 2025 reveals how little has changed about American society as the title character loudly trumpets "good old American values" of free business enterprise, quashing labor movements, deregulation, and keeping out immigrants, the dark side of which is shown at the novel's conclusion.
But more valuable than Sinclair's political commentary is his social commentary, in that, scene by scene, and over the course of the novel, we come to realize that George Babbitt's life of complacent, consumerist conformity is ultimately an empty one, vacant of deeper meaning or accomplishment, with Babbitt himself understanding this to varying degrees throughout the novel. I can't recommend this novel enough, and fully intend on reading more of Lewis's work, both as a way of understanding this important period of American history, and the inner workings of American values.
Reading this book in 2025 reveals how little has changed about American society as the title character loudly trumpets "good old American values" of free business enterprise, quashing labor movements, deregulation, and keeping out immigrants, the dark side of which is shown at the novel's conclusion.
But more valuable than Sinclair's political commentary is his social commentary, in that, scene by scene, and over the course of the novel, we come to realize that George Babbitt's life of complacent, consumerist conformity is ultimately an empty one, vacant of deeper meaning or accomplishment, with Babbitt himself understanding this to varying degrees throughout the novel. I can't recommend this novel enough, and fully intend on reading more of Lewis's work, both as a way of understanding this important period of American history, and the inner workings of American values.