Free Air by Sinclair Lewis

Free Air by Sinclair Lewis

Bored of the parties and luxuries that come with her socialite lifestyle, Claire Boltwood longs for something more authentic in her life. Desperate for adventure, Claire and her father decide to travel from New York City to the Pacific Northwest in their automobile, a new privilege enjoyed by the rich. Though he is a clever businessman, Claire's father knows nothing about cars, so he encourages Claire to drive, challenging the gender stereotypes of the early 20th century. Starting in New York City, Claire and her father hit the open road, feeling exhilarated and free. As they travel northwest, they eat food from cuisine below their usual standards, see new sights, and face everyday problems that people of their privilege usually do not. Among these problems is an unexpected trouble with their car, and so the Boltwood's are forced to stay in a small town nearby as they leave their automobile in the hands of a mechanic named Milt Daggett. Born and raised in the small, unassuming town, Milt is one of the few people within the town that aspires for more in his life. But, he was caught in a rut before he met Claire. As the two grow closer and inspire drastic changes in the other's personality, Claire and Milt realize that the unfortunate circumstances that led to their chance encounter might have been the best thing to ever happen in their lives.

With surprising sentimentality and authenticity, Sinclair Lewis' Free Air awakens a yearning in its reader's soul. Featuring detailed descriptions of the Boltwood's travels and the people they meet, Free Air creates a visceral reading experience. Set during the early 20th century in various states in America, Lewis depicts themes of class, feminism, and egalitarianism as Free Air provides an intimate look into American culture.

This edition of Free Air by Sinclair Lewis features an eye-catching new cover design and is printed in a modern font to cater to contemporary audiences.

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The son of a country doctor, Harry Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951) was born in Sauk Centre, Minnesota. His childhood and early youth were spent in the Midwest, and later he attended Yale University, where he was editor of the literary magazine. After graduating in 1907, he worked as a reporter and in editorial positions at various newspapers, magazines, and publishing houses from the East Coast to California. He was able to give this work up after a few of his stories had appeared in magazines and his first novel, Our Mr. Wrenn (1914), had been published. Main Street (1920) was his first really successful novel, and his reputation was secured by the publication of Babbitt (1922). Lewis was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for Arrowsmith (1925) but refused to accept the honor, saying the prize was meant to go to a novel that celebrated the wholesomeness of American life, something his books did not do. He did accept, however, when in 1930 he became the first American writer to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. During the last part of his life, he spent a great deal of time in Europe and continued to write both novels and plays. In 1950, after completing his last novel, World So Wide (1951), he intended to take an extended tour but became ill and was forced to settle in Rome, where he spent some months working on his poems before dying.

Michael Meyer, PhD, a professor of English at the University of Connecticut, previously taught at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the College of William and Mary. His scholarly articles have appeared in such periodicals as American Literature, Studies in the American Renaissance, and Virginia Quarterly Review. An internationally recognized authority on Henry David Thoreau, he is a former president of the Thoreau Society and the coauthor of The New Thoreau Handbook, a standard reference. His first book, Several More Lives to Live: Thoreau's Political Reputation in America, was awarded the Ralph Henry Gabriel Prize by the American Studies Association. In addition to The Bedford Introduction to Literature, his edited volumes include Frederick Douglass: The Narrative and Selected Writings.

Gary Scharnhorst is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English at the University of New Mexico, editor of American Literary Realism, and editor in alternating years of American Literary Scholarship.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781513279213
ISBN 10	1513279211
Title	Free Air
Author	Sinclair Lewis
Series	Mint Editions
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Mint Editions
Year published	2021-04-01
Number of pages	218
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.