The virtuoso of verbal brilliance exhibits a style that is loud, glaring, and clashing. Bellow's erudite magniloquence has a wide range, filled with jazzy scherzo.

However, upon a second reading, I discovered that this book's relish and disgust of contemporary culture and art were less appealing. It brings to my mind an ancient tale in which someone is unable to resist the urge to look at the corpses and relish the sight, no matter how disgusting it may be.

The initial allure of the vivid language and the complex exploration of themes seems to fade a bit on closer inspection. The contrast between the captivating style and the somewhat less engaging content creates a sense of dissonance.

Perhaps it is a testament to the complexity of the human experience and the difficulty in fully capturing and communicating the essence of contemporary culture and art in a way that remains consistently engaging. Nevertheless, the virtuoso's words still hold a certain charm and power, even if the overall impact is not as strong as initially perceived.

While Saul Bellow确实有一些更为简洁的作品，但我认为他最为人所知的还是那些描绘20世纪中期美国的宏大流浪汉史诗。在《洪堡的礼物》中，查理·西特林是一位来自芝加哥的有抱负的作家。他借了高中恋人的积蓄（这个事实直到400页后我们见到她时才被提及），乘坐巴士前往格林威治村，去成为当时波西米亚天才诗人洪堡的追随者。然而，诗人洪堡很早就耗尽精力并疯了，而我们的主人公查理却意外地在百老汇获得成功，随后作品又被改编成电影。当我们再次见到他时，他已步入中年，回到了芝加哥，成为了文学界的名流，但也开始逐渐失去创作的动力。

他在职业生涯中期积累的财富也开始逐渐耗尽，因为他遇到的每个人都以一种近乎荒谬的方式利用他。虽然我们不会将作家和书中的角色混淆，但两者有着几乎相同的背景，并且都在性革命的高峰期接近60岁，这让我不禁想知道，我们是否应该同情这个角色与女性的关系。书中对这些女性的描述都充满了热情，但西特林却没有赋予她们任何文学或哲学思考的能力——然而，贝娄却将书中一些最深刻的对话放在了她们的嘴里。

The Peak of American Literature in the Last Century

I can only tell you: read it, reread it.... There is everything: irony, compassion, humanity. It allows us to look at the world with more intelligent eyes.

American literature in the last century was truly remarkable. It encompassed a wide range of themes and styles, from the gritty realism of some works to the fantastical and imaginative flights of others. The great American writers of that era had a unique ability to capture the essence of the human experience, to explore the depths of our emotions and the complexities of our society.

Whether it was through the powerful prose of a classic novel or the thought-provoking poetry of a renowned poet, American literature offered a window into the soul of the nation. It made us laugh, it made us cry, and it made us think. It challenged our assumptions and expanded our perspectives, helping us to see the world in a new light.

So, if you haven't already, I encourage you to pick up some of the great works of American literature from the last century and discover for yourself the magic and beauty that lies within. You won't be disappointed.

"The Gift of Humboldt" by Saul Bellow is an amazing and talented book. In fact, it's more than a book; it's a piece of bright and wonderful life on paper. Here, there is literally everything. Answers to puzzling questions, advice, teachings, jokes, extravagance, love, and philosophy. And both the Pulitzer Prize and the subsequent Nobel Prize are completely deserved here.

What I like about Saul Bellow is that he accelerates towards the end of the novel. His writing style is such that with each page, it gets more and more interesting, more and more complex and intricate. And at the end, it's completely unexpected. But not in a way that the ending is overwhelming, but rather that the entire book is overwhelming, astonishing, and turns out to be not what it seemed at the beginning or even in the middle.

At first, "The Gift of Humboldt" seems like a story about the friendship of two writers, which, in principle, is not uncommon, and one might wonder what's original about it and what could be astonishing? Over the years, we observe the fates and relationships of two writers - Charles Citrine and Humboldt Fleisher. Bellow prepares their friendship, shows the complex relationships between men as they are, honestly, with all the details. After reading "The Gift of Humboldt", it becomes clear that there is no such thing as "female" or "male" friendship. There is true friendship and complex friendship... and hundreds of other kinds, but it is definitely not divided by gender.

Once upon a time, Humboldt Fleisher was a unique and rare poet, a handsome man and a legend, and Charlie Citrine was his young admirer. Years later, Citrine rakes in money after the success of his play on Broadway, while Humboldt is a jealous alcoholic with a manic-depressive psychosis, periodically ending up in the hospital. Moreover, the phases of mania, during which he writes brilliant poems, are becoming rarer for him, and the phases of depression are becoming more frequent and longer.

But, of course, it's not all that simple... Citrine's play is mediocre, and he knows it, and Humboldt knows it, and everyone else does too. Humboldt's works, on the other hand, are truly talented, extraordinary, and will live on for ages. These two are each other's advisors, assistants, best friends, and competitors. Over the years, we see what their friendship turns into.

Interestingly, Saul Bellow clearly wrote Charles Citrine with himself in mind - both were born in June, both are writers, and lived in Chicago. And the funniest thing is that although the novel "The Gift of Humboldt" was published in 1975, Saul Bellow also received the Legion of Honor from the President of France in 1983, which Citrine already had in the novel. As if he predicted it...

Most of the action takes place in Chicago, and the plot weaves in poker, blackmail, wrecked cars, women, and gangsters. One of the gangsters, Rinaldo Cantabile, has become almost my favorite character! The book is very cinematic, and I still don't understand where filmmakers are looking and why no one has filmed it yet. By the way, a small spoiler - closer to the end, there will indeed be a real movie.

And also, here and there are paragraphs that I want to copy by hand and hang on the wall in a frame, a touch of philosophy, reflections, discussions in the spirit of Sartre, and even, my God, Rudolf Steiner and a passenger on reincarnation and the immortality of the soul. Such is "The Gift of Humboldt" by Saul Bellow.

This book cannot be read in a week (well, okay, it can be, but why?). The point is that you apply each paragraph to yourself, compare it with your life, immerse yourself in reflection following the heroes, change, realize something. And this, as you can see, is no longer just reading, but work. Quality work requires time.

Of course, I recommend it.

Poet, thinker, voracious drinker, pill-popper, genius, manic-depressive, complex and fascinating, a larger-than-life character…

This is a torrential novel in the form of a monologue that initially focuses on the conflicted yet deeply affectionate relationship between the narrator, the successful playwright Charlie Citrine, and the eponymous Humboldt (to whom the contradictory intellectual and human qualities listed above are attributed).

However, soon the narrative expands like an oil spill, involving and presenting us with a parade of characters engaged in frenzied and disruptive initiatives, all more or less aimed at the pursuit of the American material dream with dollars (more often potential than real), and in which the passive and unfortunate Citrine is systematically dragged along, deriving nothing but extortions and frustrations.

Amid this whirlwind of hungry women (divorced wives intent on squeezing the maximum alimony possible or beautiful lovers inclined to unrestrained luxury) and visionary men (pseudo-entrepreneurs each with their "genius" project in the drawer, rapacious villains, unscrupulous lawyers, relatives and old acquaintances who resurface from the past), Citrine can only react by retreating into himself, through bizarre anthroposophical theories and other metaphysical reflections that capture his mind in the most unexpected places and situations.

Indeed, it will be one of the improbable initiatives favored by the craziest of the actors in this tragicomedy that will lift the protagonist on the verge of total bankruptcy: that posthumous Gift of Humboldt that will ultimately give a different meaning to all the vicissitudes, resentments, and betrayals faced during the narration and the very existence of Citrine.

This synthesis does not do justice to the qualities of Bellow's rich and entertaining work, which lie mainly in the effervescent and sometimes hilarious dialogues and the overwhelming theatricality of the bizarre characters with which the narrative is stuffed; less enjoyable in the long run (the arc of a full 600 pages of the novel) seemed to me the philosophical digressions sometimes repetitive and overly abstract in contrast to the sometimes brutal concreteness of the events narrated.

It is the absolute truth to say that I don't feel capable of writing a comment on this book. Bellow has a dense and allusive language, rich in metaphors that allow the reader to enter the thoughts and emotions of the protagonist, creating an engaging and profound reading experience. The text is also enriched with literary and philosophical references, and the very subject matter of the novel with its numerous and unforgettable protagonists enables Bellow to skillfully blend different literary genres, from the picaresque novel to the satirical comedy, or the philosophical drama: all lightened by a very ironic humor. However, it is by no means easy to disentangle the complex relationship between the artist and society, where the creative genius is inevitably suffocated by commercial pressures, the search for success, and the complications of everyday life. Thus emerges the figure of a tormented artist, divided between the desire for recognition and success and the search for an authentic, unassailable, and pure truth, and this is present in both Citrine and Humboldt himself. I omit the entire story and the various events and write only that this famous gift of Humboldt is a complex legacy that prompts Citrine to embark on a journey of introspection and personal growth. It is a gift that forces him to question his certainties but at the same time offers him the possibility of redeeming his life and giving meaning to his existence. A well-deserved Pulitzer Prize (1976) and, of course, the Nobel Prize!!

Bellow presents me with highly diverse reading experiences. "Dangling Man" was astonishingly fresh, yet I abandoned the labyrinth of "Augie March" after 100 pages. "Herzog" was challenging yet brilliant. And this one, well, I must admit, I also left it unfinished after 140 pages.

Bellow is undoubtedly a talented writer. Some episodes are truly outstanding, intense, beautifully crafted, and full of wit. However, there are also these rather messed-up characters and situations that seem to lack purpose and end.

This book seems to go in circles, with the friendship, or rather the master-pupil relationship, between the successful but shallow writer Charlie Citrine and the ingenious, erudite poet von Humboldt Fleischer as the focal point.

Perhaps the reason it didn't resonate with me is my own fault: I'm simply tired of all this midlife-crisis-related stuff. Sorry, Saul. (2.5 stars)

This book is rich in literary references and parallels. Proust and Nabokov, two of my favorites, immediately come to mind.

Proust is the more obvious connection. Bellow mentions him frequently, and Charlie Citrine is similar to Marcel, the narrator in Proust's work. Both have a love for beauty, relationships, and seem to follow a similar path. Humboldt is like Charlie's Swann. Like Marcel, Charlie takes many wrong turns in his search for spiritual fulfillment, but it is art that ultimately frees him.

I also thought a great deal about Nabokov. Bellow's lineage is similar to Nabokov's, and they share some metaphysical inclinations in their works. Both authors use significant violet colors and describe colors in general with intensity, especially violet and its symbols. Towards the end of his career and life, Nabokov pulled back the veil more and more to reveal the overlap between the worlds of the characters, the author, and the reader. I believe we are meant to infer a similar overlap in life. Bellow explores similar territory but in his own style, which is a bit grittier than Nabokov's and more explicit in suggesting that there is more to the world than what we can see with our eyes or through microscopes or telescopes.

There are also some interesting poetic references in the book, but I don't know enough to fully understand them. Perhaps on the next reading, I will be able to sift them out and gain a deeper appreciation for the literary complexity of this work.

Twenty-five years ago, this was almost my favorite book. However, my doubts about Bellow have grown since then. The cantankerous hopelessness of his last years, my inability to tolerate the appalling treatment of female characters when I tried to re-read Herzog recently, and the various things I've read online (especially his son Greg's memoir) have clouded my judgment. I should also mention that I've always found The Adventures of Augie March unreadable after the first hundred pages or so, and even those were exhausting. So I kind of put Bellow aside. But recently, I decided to take on Humboldt's Gift, and I've once again become, if not a Bellow devotee, at least no longer an unbeliever. Yes, it's a fine novel.

It was difficult for me to handle the novel as a whole - it has a lot of substance to unpack - so I broke it down into sections. The plot involves Charles Citrine, a public intellectual like Saul Bellow, but not a novelist. Charlie is famous for a successful Broadway play/movie he wrote ten years before the events of the novel, and scholarly biographies of Woodrow Wilson and someone else equally exciting. His cultural influence gives him access to politicians like Kennedy. During the novel, he is still living well off movie royalties, etc., but is being sued into bankruptcy by his ex-wife and spending too much on his beautiful, difficult mistress Renata. There are also two kids, but they are mostly just there to make room for soul-searching and trips to Europe. Lost loves haunt him, like Naomi Lutz from his adolescence and Demmie Vonghel, who died in a jungle plane crash.
Years ago, young, ambitious Charlie was friends with a poet, Von Humboldt Fleisher, whose reputation was made by a brilliant first book. But Humboldt, troubled by madness, pills, and booze, slides down the cultural-intellectual-academic ladder until he dies in a NYC flophouse. This is based on the real-life biography of Delmore Schwartz, a friend of Saul Bellow's. There are flashbacks throughout the novel of their friendship and its breakdown.
Meanwhile, in 1972 Chicago, Charlie gets into trouble with a small-time hoodlum named Cantibile, who makes his life miserable. But Charlie also feels that he needs Cantibile to wake him up. In one of the more clumsy and implausible plot twists, Bellow has this hoodlum married to a woman who is doing a Ph.D. on Von Humboldt Fleisher, which leads to Charlie's reunion with Humboldt's widow Kathleen.
By the end of the novel, I didn't care much for the plot, although it was okay for the first half or two-thirds. I like anything related to failed, dissipated, or dead poets. But by the end, Bellow was in a hurry, and the characters were being moved around everywhere. Ex-lovers, ex-wives, an older brother, and a ridiculous friend all play important roles. Charlie gets dumped by Renata, who leaves her kid with him in Madrid. Charlie thinks, grieves for lost love, and is kind to the kid. Hearts change, minds move. Humboldt's "gift" turns out to be an implausible movie "treatment" and a plagiarized movie script that becomes a blockbuster hit. Humboldt's undeserving friend and ex-wife make some money and learn some lessons about life.
There is a lot to complain about in the plot, but in a novel like this, who cares about the plot? It just doesn't matter. I do wish Bellow didn't use his secondary characters to set up Charlie's long monologues - I felt sorry for some of them. They are often given completely implausible conversations. But who cares? It's worth it, I think.
The novel is also full of big ideas, like the nature of poets and poetry, sloth, boredom, and anthroposophy. Bellow's descriptions are brilliant, like the one of the Chicago bathhouse and its patrons. The novel also explores friendship, its beauties and how it fades. The entire story hinges on the friendship between Humboldt and Charlie, but there are other friendships too, like the one between Charlie and Thaxter. Friendships can fossilize, but how can we stop or reverse this process? Anthroposophy? Paying attention to the spring flowers in the cemetery? Love?

The country holds great pride in its deceased poets. It derives an intense sense of satisfaction from the poets' attestation that the USA is overly tough, disproportionately large, excessive in every way, and extremely rugged, with the American reality being simply overpowering. Moreover, being a poet is regarded as something related to school, something associated with skirts, and something connected to the church. The feebleness of the spiritual forces is manifested in the childishness, madness, drunkenness, and despair of these martyrs. Orpheus had the power to move stones and trees. However, a poet is unable to perform a hysterectomy or send a vehicle out of the solar system. Miracles and power no longer pertain to him. Consequently, poets are loved, but they are loved precisely because they are unable to succeed in this realm. They exist to illuminate the enormity of the dreadful chaos and to rationalize the cynicism of those who assert, "If I were not such a corrupt, unfeeling bastard, creep, thief, and vulture, I couldn't endure this either..."

This perception of poets seems rather one-sided. While it is true that poets may not possess the practical skills to perform complex medical procedures or undertake scientific feats, their contributions to society are no less significant. Poets have the ability to touch the hearts and souls of people, to express the inexpressible, and to offer unique perspectives on life and the human condition. Their words can inspire, comfort, and challenge us, and they can play an important role in shaping our cultural and social values.

In conclusion, we should not dismiss poets as mere dreamers or failures. Instead, we should recognize and appreciate their unique talents and contributions, and strive to create a society that values and supports the arts and humanities.

This book has firmly found its place on my all-time favorite bookshelf.

It is truly one of those remarkable books that appears to be communicating directly with me, touching upon my very sense of life and resonating deeply with my sense of humor.

I can't quite fathom how I would react if I were to encounter Charles Citrine in person. However, I am certain that if I were to get to know him, I would absolutely adore him.

And then there's Humboldt. Oh, what a character he is!

His presence adds yet another layer of depth and intrigue to the story.

I simply love mister Bellow!

His writing is so captivating and engaging that it draws me in and keeps me hooked from beginning to end.

Each character he creates is so vivid and real that I feel as if I could step right into the pages of the book and interact with them.

This book is a true gem and I will cherish it always.

I really found myself enjoying this mid-century classic despite myself.

Although it is written without chapter breaks, which I can find very offputting, it seems to be written in a stream of consciousness.

The story is told from the perspective of Charles Citrine, a lifelong Chicago native and literati.

As the narrative unfolds, we are introduced to his girlfriend, ex-wife, brother, organized crime members, and quite a few lawyers.

Charles Citrine may not be the most likable of men, but I did enjoy his journey.

His experiences and relationships provide a rich and complex tapestry of life in mid-century Chicago.

The author's use of language and his ability to create vivid characters and settings make this a truly engaging read.

Despite its lack of traditional chapter breaks, the story flows smoothly and keeps the reader hooked from beginning to end.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys classic literature or is interested in exploring the social and cultural history of mid-century America.