Little booklearning had andrew pengilly in his youth, and to this day. Robert aldridges opera elmer gantry, adapted from sinclair lewiss 1927 satire of evangelism, has become the poster child for how nearly impossible it is to get a new work produced by an american opera company. His portrait of a goldentongued evangelist who rises to power within his churcha saver of souls who lives a life of duplicity, sensuality. Elmer gantry by lewis, sinclair and a great selection of related books.
Film clip courtesy of mgm consumer productssee all videos for this article. Nashville opera presented the premiere in 2007, and since then it has been presented by several companies including the opera programs at the university of houston and the university of minnesota and at florentine opera in milwaukee. Andalusian horse spain has some of the most beautiful horses in the world and has been. A greedy, philandering baptist minister, elmer gantry turns to evangelism and becomes the leader of a large methodist congregation.
He had, in fact, got everything from the church and sunday school, except, perhaps, any longing whatever for decency and kindness and reason. Soon he was cantering and galloping like any young horse with a rider. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of elmer gantry by sinclair lewis. Elmer gantry, as the title suggests, is an most insincere and hypocritical preacher of the faith. Based on a controversial sinclair lewis novel, elmer gantry follows a traveling salesman of dubious morals and unlikely hair through a christmas eve.
Upton sinclair 1878 1968 wrote over 90 books in several genres. Over the past few weeks, ive enjoyed sinclair lewis novel elmer gantry as an audio book, beautifully read by anthony heald and it took me a while to figure out why. Reading all books referenced on gilmore girls a classic thats sadly still relevant today. Sinclair lewis worldfamous satire of religious hypocrisy and the excesses of the roaring.
Read elmer gantry by sinclair lewis available from rakuten kobo. This first edition, signed by sinclair lewis is available at bauman rare books. It took several years for any hollywood studio to take a chance with sinclair lewis novel, and when it finally did arrive on the screen, producerdirector richard. Elmer gantry is a satirical novel written by sinclair lewis in 1926 that presents aspects of the religious activity of america in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public toward it. Elmer gantry 1927, and dodsworth 1929all important books, though. My summer job with sinclair lewis the new york times. In 1930, lewis became the first american author to win the nobel prize in literature. First edition, first state with gantry spelled cantry on the spine of the cloth of the nobel prizewinning authors controversial bestseller and basis for the academy awardwinning film. Book has light edgewear and a adiagonal water mark on the back cover.
From elmer gantrys relations to lulu bains, from harry zenzs almost frank hint that he was an atheist, frank perceived that a preacher can be a scoundrel or a hypocrite and still be accepted by his congregation. I liked how it was based only on the second half of the book. Elmer gantry is a satirical novel written by lewis in 1926 and published by harcourt in march 1927. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Elmer gantry mass market the elliott bay book company. Bookplate with keats quote, the poetry of earth is never dead, on front endpaper. If only sinclair lewis could be alive and covering the 2016 campaign for president.
His works are best known for their perceptive and critical views of american free enterprise and materialism. This study guide consists of approximately 22 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of elmer gantry. Sinclair lewis worldfamous satire of religious hypocrisy and the excesses of the. In 1926, lewis novel, elmer gantry was published and promptly banned.
The book itself could be considered at the low side of acceptable. For the better part of a century, the title of sinclair lewiss phenomenally successful and often reviled novel elmer gantry 1927 has been a byword for religious fraud and bunk evangelism. Elmer gantry, lewis had begun to plan a more positive novel with a labor. About sinclair lewis 18851951 the author was born as harry sinclair lewis in 1885 in sauk centre, minnesota. Elmer gantrys velvet opera, at various times also known as velvet opera, was a british rock band active in the late 1960s. Book is bound in blue clothcovered boards with orange title. Harry sinclair lewis february 7, 1885 january 10, 1951 was an american author. Elmer gantry, 1927 pagination from the bison book paperback edition he was born to be a senator. Sinclair lewis god rest his soul certainly knew his topic. The book, elmer gantry, 1927, by sinclair lewis, is a much more in depth study of faulty personalities and of fanaticism, hypocrisy, and the gullibility of the public, than the movie. While the pages are okay, the first inside pages are torn off the spine.
Taken from the classic sinclair lewis novel of the same name, director richard brooks garnered an oscar for best screenplay for his adaptation, and burt. Fellow that couldnt believe the bible, least he could do was not to disturb the. Elmer gantry is a 1960 american drama film about a con man and a female evangelist selling religion to smalltown america. Adapted by director richard brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by sinclair lewis and stars burt lancaster, jean simmons, arthur kennedy, shirley jones and. Published in 1926, this is the story of a professional good man, a preacher and pastor in those first decades of the 20th century before the great depression. Universally recognized as a landmark in american literature, elmer gantry scandalized readers when it was first published, causing sinclair lewis to be invited to a jail cell in new hampshire and to his own lynching in virginia. The legal profession does not suit the unethical gantry, who then becomes a notorious and cynical alcoholic. Menckenstyle atheistic journalist, and edward andrews as george babbitt, a character borrowed from another sinclair lewis novel. He was renowned as an american novelist, playwright and short story. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis american literature, classic literature, classic books, elmer gantry. In 1930, he became the first american to be awarded the nobel prize in literature, for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of characters. Take his speech from ingersoll, that rotten old atheist that saidwell, anyway, he criticized the bible and everything. Sinclair lewis as set down in the good book elmer gantry in which this author of the early 20th century condemns organized religion, most notably the baptist church.
Harry sinclair lewis 18851951 appears twice on this list, the first time in 1921 for his novel mainstreet. Shirley jones oscar winning performance in elmer gantry. Mcknight had not told me why lewis needed a new secretary, and indeed. A new york times article from 2008 described elmer gantrys seventeenyear search for a full production as filled with bad luck, horrible road trips, hatinhand humiliations, hubris. Elmer gantry, is initially attracted by booze and easy money though he eventually renounces tobacco and alcohol and chasing women. Elmer gantry ebook by sinclair lewis 9781773234847 rakuten. Elmer gantry and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle.
Lewiss depiction of elmer and his immersion in the evangelical world is the strongest aspect of the book. Wed get sick on too many cookies, but ever so much sicker on no cookies at all. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Universally recognized as a landmark in american literature, elmer gantry scandalized the generation in which it was wri. It might have been supposed that lewiss form of sociological realism, in which he wove innumerable details from contemporary life into his narrative, would date badly and that his books. Elmer gantry is a satirical novel written by sinclair lewis in 1926 that presents aspects of the religious activity of america in fundamentalist and evangelistic. Elmer gantry is a conniving, hipocrite much like many of the fundamental evangelists who are still doing the rounds today.
This was followed by the two novels considered by many to be his finest, babbitt 1922 and arrowsmith 1925, which was awarded the pulitzer prize in 1926, but declined by lewis. His portrait of a goldentongued evangelist who rises to power. A new biography of sinclair lewis, whose novels have been regarded as old but not. It isnt what you earn but how spend it that fixes your class. Light marks on pastedowns where items previously removed, corner creases to few pages, otherwise very good to near fine lacking dust jacket. See more ideas about sinclair lewis, elmer gantry and books. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis literary apothecary. Composer robert livingston and librettist herschel garfein had begun planning an opera based on sinclair lewis elmer gantry in 1990. Sales were further stimulated when boston banned it and the evangelist billy sunday dubbed lewis satans cohort a satire of american religious life, elmer gantry may be seen as a cautionary tale for born again america parker, 12122. This book elmer gantry is a novel written by sinclair lewis. He never said anything important, and he always said it sonorously. Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards. Elmer gantry, a flawed preacher for the ages elmer gantry, the traveling evangelist who loved whiskey, women and wealth, was conceived by sinclair lewis.
Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis, first edition abebooks. Some were offended by the suggestion that a hypocrite and charlatan could be a successful, evangelical preacher. Between the publication of main street and elmer gantry, lewis published his two of his seminal works, babbit 1922 and arrowsmith 1925. Published in 1926, elmer gantry is a classic fiction novel by sinclair lewis. Set in the 1920s, the novel is a satire of american religious attitudes at the time. In 1930, following elmer gantry 1927 and dodsworth 1929, sinclair lewis became the first american author to be awarded the nobel prize for distinction in world. Although elmer is not a very nice person and he only becomes worse as he grows in power and.
Sinclair does do a lot right in this book, however. His works are known for their insightful and critical views of american. For over a year now it had been murmured through the churchworld that no speaker was more useful to the reform organization than the rev. He gives an inside story of the way tent meetings were organised in the midwest of america in the early part of the last century. Sinclair lewis february 7 1885 january 10 1951 was an american novelist, shortstory writer, and playwright. Also appearing in elmer gantry are arthur kennedy as an h. It was published in various languages including french. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis elmer gantry, long tedious and really cynical. Elmer gantry, by sinclair lewis universally recognized as a landmark in american literature, elmer gantry scandalized the generation in which it was written, causing sinclair lewis to be invited to a jail cell in new hampshire and to his own lynching in virginia. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis goodreads share book. Second issue, with gantry on book spine corrected from cantry.
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