I constantly held the hope that our Carol would transform into an individual whom I could tolerate. However, what I got was a highly judgemental little woman.

There was not a single thing in this book that was worthy of my precious time.

Nevertheless, I persisted and finished reading it, still hoping that she would unearth the joy of mothering. Or at the very least, she would have the sense to leave her husband so that he could have the opportunity to find someone more deserving of his love and attention.

It's truly disheartening to see a character like Carol, who seems so oblivious to the harm she is causing and the potential for growth and change that lies within her.

Perhaps in the end, she will learn from her mistakes and become a better person, but for now, I can only sigh and wonder what could have been.

This book left me with rather complex and mixed feelings.

I must admit that I didn't have a great affinity for the main character initially. As a result, it took me quite some time to get through the book, and I never really felt that sense of excitement when I picked it up again. However, there were certain aspects of the book that I did enjoy.

One of the things I liked was the insights it provided. For instance, when one relocates to a new place, there is the question of finding the balance between accepting those around you and maintaining your individuality. In this particular story, it's about a college-educated woman who moves to a small rural community in the early 1900s.

At the same time, the book also touches on many issues that women still deal with today. There's the need for individuality, the enjoyment or lack thereof of housework, the importance of keeping mentally fit, and the desire to fit in while not conforming. Additionally, there are various social issues such as feminism, work ethic, capitalism, small town networks, and class systems.

I firmly believe that this book would be an excellent choice for a discussion group. There are numerous points within it that are worthy of pondering and analyzing. The most frustrating aspect, though, was that Carol, the main character, constantly feels that everyone is judging her, and with that judgment comes a dismissal of her ideas. Yet, she does precisely the same thing to everyone she meets. Through her eyes, all the characters in the book seem to be very one-dimensional, and you get the feeling that you're missing a part of the context.

Overall, despite its flaws, this book offers a lot of food for thought and could lead to some very interesting discussions.

I have had this book on my shelf for what seems like forever, and yet I still do not know what it was that kept me from reading it.

Was I in need of an introduction to Sinclair Lewis? More likely, there were just too many other books clamoring for my attention, and they won out.

But I am truly glad that I finally took this visit to Main Street, Gopher Prairie.

Carol Milford, the daughter of a judge, grew up in Mankato, Minnesota. She was orphaned in her teens, graduated from college, and attended a library school in Chicago, where she was exposed to many radical ideas and lifestyles.

After serving as a librarian in Saint Paul, Minnesota for a few years, Carol marries Will Kennicott, an older and fairly successful small town doctor from Gopher Prairie.

All of Carol's high-flown dreams of designing a town, changing the world, or at least living a semi-refined life are overwhelmingly quenched by the cliques and stubborn conservatism (as Carol perceives it) of G.P.

Main Street is deeply satirical. The opposing positions of Carol v. the Town of G.P. are sharply drawn for emphasis, and yet who cannot see these self-same tendencies today?

Outstanding! I raced through this book, and yet at the same time, I did so reluctantly, knowing that there is only one first reading of an all-time favorite book like this.

Most highly recommended! It explains so much about America today.

I definitely liked this book and would highly recommend it to others. There is an abundance of thought-provoking content within its pages that can be explored and discussed from numerous different angles. So, what are the main topics covered in this book?

First and foremost, it delves into the contrast between life in small towns and life in cities. This is what the book is said to predominantly focus on. Love is another significant theme, although it's not a clichéd, overly sentimental love story. Instead, it explores the process of maturing, becoming an adult, and learning how to navigate the real world, as opposed to a world filled solely with idealistic dreams. It's about growing up, not just during the teen years but in the years that follow. Figuring out who you truly are, how you're going to live your life, and how to merge your dreams with reality are all integral parts of this exploration.

Furthermore, the book touches on various aspects of relationships, women's rights, and the universal need for personal fulfillment. It also emphasizes the importance of appreciating culture, art, and the value of beauty. Additionally, friendship plays a role in the narrative. I could probably continue to add more elements to this list!

For me, one of the most appealing aspects of the book is the fair portrayal of opposing views. You get to see both the advantages and disadvantages of each side, which provides a well-rounded perspective.

It ultimately comes down to the question of what one should do when a husband and wife have different preferences regarding where to live. Is one person necessarily wrong and the other right? How can they reach a compromise that allows both to lead a satisfying life? After all, we only have one life, and we must strive to be content with it, not just satisfied but truly liking it!

This book is an excellent choice for group reads as it is likely to引发 diverse views and lively discussions. I'm certain that the debate will be engaging and thought-provoking.

However, I only gave this book three stars. It could have been tightened up as some parts felt a bit拖沓. A third of the content could or should have been eliminated, not necessarily just at the beginning or end but throughout the narrative. I was able to understand the views of the husband, wife, and their friends perfectly, and I believe that fewer examples could have sufficed.

The narration of the audiobook by Brian Emerson was okay. It means that while I didn't have any major complaints, I also didn't love it. The narrator has a tendency to almost sing the words, and I wasn't particularly fond of the melody. I would have preferred if he had simply read the words in a more straightforward manner. Nevertheless, I was able to understand everything, and the speed was just right. The narration is not a reason to avoid the audiobook; it just didn't enhance my enjoyment of it.

I must admit that I was initially hesitant to read this book. I have a deep love for life in the countryside, but I'm also aware of how small-town folk can sometimes exhibit petty behavior. On the other hand, I also appreciate life in a big city, valuing art, culture, design, and beauty. Beauty holds great significance. I was unsure if both sides could be accurately depicted in an unbiased and fair way.

This book was published in 1920, and the author, Sinclair Lewis, received the Nobel Prize in 1930. He was, in fact, the first American to receive this prestigious award. Lewis was truly ahead of his time as the book doesn't feel outdated. I think this is because, despite the changes in societal standards and circumstances, human needs remain essentially the same.

**Main Street by Sinclair Lewis**

Main Street is a satirical novel penned by Sinclair Lewis and published in 1920.

It is perhaps his most renowned work, satirizing small town life. This book played a part in Lewis eventually receiving the 1930 Nobel Prize for Literature.

The story revolves around the life and struggles of Carol Milford Kennicott in the small town of Gopher Prairie, Minnesota.

Carol comes into conflict with the small-town mentality of its residents.

The book was first read in 1972.

Sinclair Lewis was an American novelist, short story writer, and playwright. He was the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

"Main Street" is a satirical novel that depicts the life and challenges of Carol Kennicott in a small town, highlighting the contrast between her aspirations and the limitations of the small-town environment.

The book was published by Panter Books in 1961 and has 445 pages.

Overall, "Main Street" is a significant work that offers a critical look at small town life and the human condition.

There are two insults that no human being can tolerate: the claim that he lacks a sense of humor and the even more impertinent assertion that he has never known trouble.

Sinclair Lewis focuses his attention on a small town in Minnesota. The subject matter could easily become mundane, but his talent for creating characters and highlighting their significant interactions (even if they appear to be ordinary moments in time) results in an overall impression that is extremely powerful. I have a strong connection with Carol, the main character through whose eyes we view the town. She is an outsider, an intellectual who attempts to "reform" the town, but her efforts are distorted or blocked by a group of people who perceive her as arrogant and socialist. They are unable to see their own flaws yet criticize everyone who is different, whether it's the poor immigrants living on the outskirts, the beautiful young women who color their hair and wear more fashionable clothes, or the people who dare to try to rise above their social station. Of course, Carol is also judgmental.

“'You must conform to the popular code if you believe in it; but if you don't believe in it, then you MUST conform to it!'”

“A fifteen-minute argument ensued about the oldest topic in the world: Is it art but is it pretty?”

Lloyd James narrates the audiobook and does an outstanding job of bringing the humor to life and reproducing the many accents found in Gopher Prairie.

The story was adapted into a film in 1923, but the film is now lost.

Read this book for free through Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/543/54...

\\"A bomb to blow up smugness\\", this is how one woman in Sinclair Lewis's work hopes to call her child, and it also accurately describes this book. I was amazed that a book could be both quiet and bombastic. Lewis's work covers over a decade of Carol Milford's life, as her dreams are continuously dashed. She comes to Main Street in America with grand socialist plans, but Main Street has no tolerance for them.

Lewis's message is about socialism, similar to Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath. It's also about accepting difference, class struggle, and especially feminism. He attempts to create a feminist hero in Carol, though at times he may be a bit heavy-handed, but it's not enough to detract from the book's overall quality. The message here shares some commonalities with Middlemarch. Characters like Carol find fulfillment in living a real life with a sense of self-respect.

Some critics argue that Main Street is plotless, but I think this is a narrow view. It's like Madame Bovary, an intimate look at a dissatisfied woman by a man who doesn't fully understand. However, Lewis manages to create a great novel without relying on big, page-turning drama. To his credit, he doesn't make the characters obvious archetypes. Carol is flighty and changing, and even the terrible ladies of Main Street have depth. Main Street is often funny and brilliantly written, though it can be a bit thudding at times. It was a surprise hit when published, considering its direct attack on half the country.

A sharp-eyed and rather scathing picture of small-town middle-western life in the 1930s is presented. It offers a vivid illustration of the contrast between the conservative/rural and the liberal/progressive points of view. Surprisingly, not much has changed in 80 years. Many of the thoughts, opinions, and even the very words of the residents of Gopher Prairie could have been lifted straight from conservatives' news stories and websites today. This shows the enduring nature of certain ideological divides. The small town, with its traditional values and ways of life, stands in contrast to the more progressive ideas that were emerging during that time. The people of Gopher Prairie seemed to be resistant to change, clinging to their conservative beliefs. However, as time has passed, it is interesting to note that these same ideas still persist in some quarters. This raises questions about the role of progress and the ability of society to move forward.

I'm late to the party on this excellent novel.

It is set in the fictional small town of Gopher Prairie, which is based on Sauk Centre MN where Sinclair Lewis grew up, and not far from where I live.

Our heroine and protagonist, Carol Milford, was born in Mankato MN. She goes to college in Minneapolis and then to library school in Chicago before getting hired as a librarian in St. Paul. She is introduced to her future spouse by a mutual friend at a party in St. Paul (just like I was!). Will Kennicott is a doctor in Gopher Prairie. The whole rest of the novel consists of progressive, liberal-leaning Carol trying to fit in in Gopher Prairie with its more conservative, set-in-their-ways folks. (Ironically, I also packed up and moved to the small town of Monticello MN from Minneapolis as my future spouse was a college student at St. Cloud State (MN) and Monticello was half-way between where we both lived.)

Set in the early 1900s from just before WWI to about the start of Prohibition, Main Street is a fascinating glimpse into small-town Midwestern life of the time. The lives of the Kennicotts are told in great detail, as are the workings of the town through the experiences of the citizens Carol interacts with throughout the novel. There are numerous memorable characters, which I think is amazing given that this novel isn't *that* long. You feel like you are there and you know everyone. And if you yourself live or lived in a small town, you will feel right at home as human nature doesn't change much. I think a lot of urbanites who grew up in small towns will also find this novel especially relatable. Sinclair Lewis was a great writer and storyteller, and once I was roped into Carol's narrative, I was fascinated and kind of anxious to learn how this was going to turn out for her. This is primarily a serious novel that touches on and addresses an array of subjects of the times - economics, immigrants, labor unions, politics, religion, gender roles and inequities, social standings, etc. - but I was surprised how much humor Lewis weaved into this novel, too. And I loved the shout-out to the greatest American nobody knows of: Robert Ingersoll.

I listened to this in Audible (currently FREE) and I must say that the narration by Lloyd James was fantastic. The number of voices and accents he performed for the wide range of characters was incredible - from the calm and gentle Dr. Kennicott, to the hysterical gossip Mrs. Bogart, to the opinionated atheist Swede Miles Bjornstam and everyone in between. Wow. He made this novel a great listen!

I give this novel 4.5 stars.

Fun facts: Sinclair Lewis was friends with John Steinbeck and in Steinbeck's Travels With Charley he describes how he drove from Minneapolis to Sauk Centre to visit Lewis. This was before Interstate 94 so Steinbeck no doubt drove through Monticello past my back yard on his way north.

On our dogcation tour of Minnesota with our late beloved Keenan last spring, we had planned on heading to Sauk Centre after visiting the Charles Lindbergh home and farm grounds in Little Falls MN but spent too much time there so missed out on seeing Sauk Centre Main Street and the historical marker on their Main Street, and Sinclair Lewis's house and museum. I hope to get there this summer. Can't wait to see Main Street.

The Sauk Centre high school team name is the "Main Streeters", shortened to "Streeters" on their uniforms / jerseys. Some locals did not like Lewis's portrayal of small-town MN, though. The book was banned from the library in nearby Alexandria MN at the time!

Sinclair Lewis penned Main Street in 1920. Growing up in a small town much like the fictional Gopher Prairie in the novel, he wrote with a sense of disdain for its conformity, political conservatism, intolerance, and limited culture.

It is through Carol Kennicott that Lewis presents a rather dim view of small towns. Carol, having graduated from college and working as a librarian in St Paul, met Will Kennicott, a doctor from Gopher Prairie. Kennicott quickly persuaded Carol to marry him and move to Gopher Prairie. He serves as a foil to Carol's plans to reform and enlighten the small town as he believes the town and its life are perfect just as they are.

At times, Lewis writes with some nuance as he describes Carol's failures at reform. Carol can be patronizing and is surprised by some of the well-read residents. However, the main theme is the narrow-mindedness, conformity, and intolerance that Carol experiences. When she dares to suggest a different opinion from the prevailing one that farmers ask too much for their crops, she is silenced. When she hosts a party in her newly decorated house, she is the subject of behind-the-back gossip about spending too much and not focusing on a home's comfort. When she stands up for a young woman school teacher who is unfairly blamed for alcohol at a dance, she is ignored.

But often overlooked in most discussions of Main Street is the ending. Carol had left Kennicott and Gopher Prairie to live in Washington DC. However, she discovers that every city has its own small town values. She is genuinely happy when visited by a couple from Goose Prairie. And when Will comes to visit, she eventually agrees to return. When she does return, there is initially some gossip about her, but this is soon dismissed by the prevailing attitude that Carol is a good influence on the town.

When I first read this novel years ago, I was disconcerted by this ending. But now, I have a better understanding. While Lewis clearly criticizes Main Street values, it is not exclusive to Main Street. As seen in his other works, his rebuke extends to much of what he observes in life, whether in Main Street, big city rotary clubs, big business, or big churches.

Recently, I've developed a profound interest in America.

The numerous and often nasty conflicts between the major political parties, the unceasing greed even among the extremely wealthy, the blatant racism directed at black people, immigrants, and Muslims, the rampant spread of lies, and the denial of science - all these aspects have made me acutely aware of my desire to better understand my country and its past.

This is precisely the reason why I picked up "Main Street". And I firmly believe that I have gleaned a great deal of knowledge about present-day America from this book, which is set in the 1910s.

The central character is Carol. She conceives a plethora of ideas about how she wishes to improve the world during her college years and while working in big cities. Subsequently, she marries Will and relocates with him to commence a life in his small town in the Midwest. She endeavors to enhance the town by joining various groups and advocating for art, poetry, and intellectual discussions. She attempts to bring about improvements in the schools and city hall. She even tries to form a dramatic society. However, everything she undertakes culminates in failure, leaving Carol in a state of despair.

It is truly astonishing to me to observe how contemporary the people she associates with appear, with their self-satisfaction, their pettiness, and their inclination to gossip maliciously about anyone who defies their norms. The town's elite has little to offer in terms of positive remarks about the poorer segments of the town, save for derision. Political movements aimed at empowering women or uniting farmers to work towards change are swiftly quashed.

It is only after Carol departs and secures a job in Washington D.C. that she is able to return and discover a novel approach to effecting change from within the existing structure.

Inspired by this, I am now on the lookout for other American novels similar to "Winesburg Ohio". I would be extremely grateful to receive other recommendations.

I read this many, many years ago and remember that I didn't like it at all.

It was just so boring. The story seemed to lack any real excitement or engaging elements.

I found myself constantly losing interest and having to force myself to keep reading.

The characters were not very well-developed, and I couldn't really connect with them on any level.

The plot was predictable and didn't offer any surprises or twists to keep me on the edge of my seat.

Overall, it was a very disappointing read, and I have no desire to revisit it again.

Even after all these years, the memory of how uninteresting it was still lingers in my mind.

I'm sure there are many other books out there that would be much more enjoyable and worth my time.

Maybe I'll give them a try instead.