Dodsworth may be Sinclair Lewis’ best work.
High Point: The side conversations the title character has with himself.
Low Point: None
Author: Sinclair Lewis
Publication Date: 1929
Genre: Fiction
Project Gutenberg: Not available
LibriVox: Coming in April 2025
Movie/TV Adaptation: Dodsworth (1936)
In Sinclair Lewis’ Dodsworth, Samuel Dodsworth’s life has experienced an incredible upheaval: his retirement.
Without his work to dominate his life, he’s lost. As he struggles to fill the sudden big empty, he begins to question many of the fundamental aspects of his life. On an extended European holiday, Dodsworth starts developing a new perspective into the relationship with his wife Fran and the traditional American approach to a lifestyle that focuses on work.
His gradual and often painful evolution is a captivating journey. Lewis enhances the narrative with numerous side conversations Dodsworth has with himself as he observes his wife and European society. They not only provide insight into Dodsworth, but often, they are downright funny:
“He reflected that Fran had an unsurpassed show-window display but not much on the shelves inside.”
Sinclair Lewis is a favorite author. This may be his best work.
Quotes
| “He reflected that Fran had an unsurpassed show-window display but not much on the shelves inside.” |
