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Main Street

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Main Street

by LEWIS, SINCLAIR

  • Used
  • first
Condition
First Edition; first printing. A good copy; inscribed by Louis Untermeyer, "For Lesley [Frost], on condition that she will let R
Seller
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Newton, Massachusetts, United States
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About This Item

New York: Harcourt, Brace and Howe, 1920. First Edition; first printing. A good copy; inscribed by Louis Untermeyer, "For Lesley [Frost], on condition that she will let Robert read it. L.U. October, 1920.

Synopsis

Main Street by Sinclair Lewis is a satirical novel concerning small town America. The story follows Carol Milford, a liberal and free-spirited woman, as she marries Dr. William Kennicott and settles in his hometown of Gopher Prairie, Minnesota. Upon arrival, Carol is shocked by the conservatism and general backwardness of Gopher Prairie—which is loosely based on Lewis’ hometown of Sauk Centre, Minnesota. The residents of Gopher Prairie seem more interested in gossip than larger cultural or social issues, which frustrates Carol. In various attempts to reform the town, she implements one improvement project after another, all of them ending in failure. In the end, Carol realizes that her frustrations with the individuals of the town should really have been directed towards its institutions and that although she was been beaten, she has kept the faith. Lewis initially seems to be attacking his small town roots in the novel, but his satire is double-edged; Main Street is not only a critique of simple townspeople, but also of the superficial intellectuals who look down on them. Main Street was not expected to be a commercial success. Lewis anticipated selling 10,000 copies; Harcourt, Brace and Howe anticipated 20,000. In the first six months of 1921, Main Street sold over 180,000 copies. Main Street is ranked 68th on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century. The novel was initially awarded the Pulitzer Prize for literature that year, but the Board of Trustees overturned the decision and gave the prize to Edith Wharton for The Age of Innocence instead. (In 1925, Lewis rejected the Pulitzer Prize for Arrowsmith because he felt that he had deserved the prize for Main Street.) 

Read More: Identifying first editions of Main Street

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Details

Bookseller
Peter L. Stern & Company, Inc. US (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #
12899P
Title
Main Street
Author
LEWIS, SINCLAIR
Book Condition
Used - First Edition; first printing. A good copy; inscribed by Louis Untermeyer, "For Lesley [Frost], on condition that she will let R
Publisher
Harcourt, Brace and Howe
Place of Publication
New York
Date Published
1920
Bookseller catalogs
FROST, ROBERT;

Terms of Sale

Peter L. Stern & Company, Inc.

Items are returnable for any reason for a full refund. Please inform us within three days of receipt and provide the reason for the return.

About the Seller

Peter L. Stern & Company, Inc.

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio member since 2009
Newton, Massachusetts

About Peter L. Stern & Company, Inc.

With more than 35 years experience in the rare book trade, Peter L. Stern and Co., Inc. has established itself as a highly regarded firm of antiquarian booksellers.

Specializing in 19th and 20th century literature, signed and inscribed books, and manuscripts we maintain a high quality inventory. Our shop is located in the heart of Newton Centre where we are open by chance or appointment

In the long-standing tradition of the rare book trade we continue to mail regular catalogues to our customers. We are easily accessible via the MBTA Green Line's D Branch. We travel widely and attend both international and local book fairs.

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Inscribed
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