The first edition of the novel was published in 1925, and was written by sinclair lewis. A fasttalking traveling salesman with a charming, loquacious manner convinces a sincere evangelist that he can be an effective preacher for her cause. The novel was denounced by many religious leaders and banned in some u. Sinclair lewis, in full harry sinclair lewis, born feb. Qualifying purchases could enjoy no interest if paid in full in 6 months on purchases of. She descended on minneapolis and, with the support only of such sects as the full gospel assembly, the nazarenes, the church of god, and the wesleyan methodists, she risked her savings in hiring an armory and inserting twocolumn sixinch advertisements of herself. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis 1927 hardcover book 16th printing. Elmer gantry, the traveling evangelist who loved whiskey, women and wealth, was conceived by sinclair lewis in a bestselling 1927 novel. His portrait of a goldentongued evangelist who rises to power within his churcha saver of souls who lives a life of duplicity, sensuality, and ruthless self. The main characters of this fiction, classics story are. In 1930, he became the first writer from the united states and the first from the americas to receive the nobel prize in literature, which was awarded for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of characters. He won the nobel prize for literature in 1930, the first given to an american.
Elmer gantry ist ein sozialkritischer entwicklungsroman des literaturnobelpreistragers sinclair lewis aus dem jahr 1927. Written over 90 years ago, elmer gantry still manages to entertain and challenge. The title character of elmer gantry starts out as a greedy, shallow, philandering baptist minister, turns to evangelism, and eventually becomes the leader of a large methodist congregation. Elmer gantry is the portrait of a silvertongued evangelist who rises to power within his church, yet lives a life of hypocrisy, sensuality, and ruthless selfindulgence. The story is set in the middle united states and begins in the early twentieth century.
Elmer gantry, as the title suggests, is an most insincere and hypocritical preacher of the faith. Next lewis published elmer gantry 1927, which depicted an evangelical minister as deeply hypocritical. The title character of elmer gantry starts out as a greedy, shallow, philandering baptist minister, turns to evangelism, and eventually becomes the leader of. Sinclair lewis, quote from elmer gantry eddie fislingers church was an octagonal affair, with the pulpit in one angle, an arrangement which produced a fascinating, rather dizzy effect, reminiscent of. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis 1st edition 1927 1st printing hardcover.
Elmer gantry, is initially attracted by booze and easy money and chasing women. Sinclair lewis elmer gantry easton press 1st edition 1st printing. We might be tempted to think that the corruption evident in modern televangelists is a new occurence. Pdf elmer gantry book by sinclair lewis free download. He was eloquently drunk, lovingly and pugnaciously drunk.
The early part of the 20th century was full of evangelical activity. Elmer gantry is a very real portrayal of a man who is ecstatic about his religion, but it is all an outward show for profit. The book has been awarded with audie award for literary fiction. The title character starts out as a greedy, shallow, philandering baptist minister, turns to evangelism, and eventually becomes the leader of a large methodist congregation. Sinclair lewis, elmer gantry signet classics sinclair lewis won the nobel prize for literature in 1930, the first american to do so, for his ability to create, with wit and humour, new types of. Sinclair lewis s dialogue, although firmly of its time is authentic and well written. Sinclair lewis arrowsmith, elmer gantry, dodsworth 1st. Elmer gantry is a satirical novel that presents aspects of the religious activity of america in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s. Qualifying purchases could enjoy no interest if paid in full in 6 months. Sinclair lewis worldfamous satire of religious hypocrisy and the excesses of the roaring.
Elmer gantry, novel by sinclair lewis, a satiric indictment of. After various forays into evangelism, he becomes a successful methodist minister despite his hypocrisy and serial sexual indiscretions. Universally recognized as a landmark in american literature, elmer ga. Published in 1926, elmer gantry is a classic fiction novel by sinclair lewis. In my copy of elmer gantry, one sentence is underlined six times. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 428 pages and is available in hardcover format. His portrait of a goldentongued evangelist who rises to power. This tale of a hypocritical preacher who prefers money, booze and women over saving souls is today considered a classic. Elmer gantry is a really well written novel authored by sinclair lewis in the 1920s. But he found the sentiments in the tract useful in his sermon, and the thirty dimes he spent for lovely photographs of burlesque ladies.
He kept from flunking only because jim lefferts drove him to his books. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Over the past few weeks, ive enjoyed sinclair lewis novel elmer gantry as an. The sentence that followed interested me even further. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Elmer gantry download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Elmer gantry never knew who set him thirty dimes, wrapped in a tract about holiness, nor why. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading elmer gantry.
Elmer gantry is a novel that presents aspects of the religious activity of america in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public toward it. A 1970 broadway musical adaptation, titled gantry, opened and closed on the same night, february 14, 1970. Whereas, in elmer gantry, lewis turns religion into a business. The first four references are part of the language. In our books change series, historians of religion consider books that have changed us or have themselves been changed. 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. Free download or read online elmer gantry pdf epub book.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of elmer gantry by sinclair lewis. The main character is a buffoon who uses people up. Location 52 at that point, i knew then that the book would make for one fascinating read. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis, first edition abebooks. With burt lancaster, jean simmons, arthur kennedy, dean jagger.
Elmer gantry is a 1960 american drama film about a con man and a female evangelist selling religion to smalltown america. Elmer gantry musiker eigentlich dave terry, britischer musiker. The 1960 film of the same name starred burt lancaster as gantry and jean simmons as sister sharon falconer. In 1927, american novelist sinclair lewis published elmer gantry. French translation of sinclair lewiss classic parody and critique of early twentiethcentury american religiosity. Novel by sinclair lewis, a satiric indictment of fundamentalist religion that caused an uproar upon its publication in 1927. Elmer gantry and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle.
Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. 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. The first edition of the novel was published in 1927, and was written by sinclair lewis. Although he is often exposed as a fraud, gantry is never fully discredited. 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.
The book has been awarded with pulitzer prize for novel 1926. Lewis went on to win the nobel prize for literature, and. He had, in fact, got everything from church and sunday school, except, perhaps, any longing whatever for decency and kindness and reason. Elmer gantry is a novel that presents aspects of the religious activity of america in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public. For the better part of a century, the title of sinclair lewis s phenomenally successful and often reviled novel elmer gantry 1927 has been a byword for religious fraud and bunk evangelism. It might have been supposed that lewis s form of sociological realism, in which he wove innumerable details from contemporary life into his narrative, would date badly and that his books. A little story about the bad old days is illustrative. Sinclair lewis a project gutenberg of australia ebook ebook no 0300851h. Btw, listen for the satirical self criticism toward the end of the novel.
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