Elmer Gantry

by Sinclair Lewis
Elmer Gantry  
published 1998 by Phébus
first published 1927
binding Hardcover
isbn 2859405461   (isbn13: 9782859405465)
date added
12-18-06



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Ken
Ken rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
02/26/08

Sinclair Lewis' writing always sticks with me. Perhaps it is because he so wonderfully savaged American culture, laying out all its ills, prejudices, and hypocrisies as a feast for the reader. The characters he presented to us--Elmer Gantry, George Babbitt, Samuel Dodsworth, and Will Kennicott-- were bright smiling neighbors that revealed the grotesque in American values.

Of these Elmer Gantry, the title character of Lewis' 11th novel, still rings the most true, if for no other reason than that...more
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Nathan
05/10/08

Read in April, 2008
Extremely well researched, provocative, satirical look into the power of a preacher who cares infinitely more about his power than his preaching. It pointed out to me that there were corrupt televangelists long before there was television. It's not a Christian book, and it can make one feel bad about his faith, but it can also be useful to help us, "no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftines...more
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Valerie
Valerie rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
10/15/07

bookshelves: read-in--07
Read in October, 2007
Elmer Gantry is a womanizing troublemaker who manages to become a successful preacher despite his frequent questionable conduct, and often destroying the lives of those around him along the way.
This is really a fantastic book and one that, although it was written 80 years ago, is still quite fresh and thought-provoking. It explores religion and the lives of those who deliver it to us in a way few authors would dare.
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Joe
Joe added it
10/25/07


this book is very relavent today with the evangelicals becoming so important in america although their day has seemed to have passed. lewis told us about many evils in our society many years ago with ARROWSMITH- problems with the medical field, BABBIT- problems with the business world,MAINSTREET- problems in small town america.
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Gina
Gina rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
02/16/08

A book dripping with the hypocrisy of a self serving minister. The main character is a man without morals, scruples, or compassion. An accurate portrayal of some of the scandals in the past years of sanctimonious evangelists who made fortunes at the expense of gullible, vulnerable individuals.
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Gina
01/15/08

Read in September, 2005
Excellent character study about a hypocritical, charismatic preacher who uses his position to manipulate and take advantage of others. Given some of the scandals in evangelical ministries in recent years, this character could be based on real-life if it hadn't been written so long ago.
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Chuck
05/21/08

Read in January, 2007
Sinclair Lewis' story of a charlatan evangelist preacher is all too relevant today. The book is a bit longish, but the story moves along well; for those with less patience, there's a 1960 film version (that won several Oscars); also, an operatic production opened in Nashville in 2007.
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Whitney
Whitney rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
09/04/07

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in May, 2007
recommends it for: yes
I have never read anything by Sinclair Lewis before and like reading something thathad a definte time and place to it. A bit like Leap of Faith, except for not that funny, and way more serious. :)
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John
John rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
06/11/08

What a Scoundrel Elmer was. This book is as good as "Babbit" or "Main Street" by Lewis and reminded me somewhat of "All the Kings Men" by Robert Penn Warren, one of my all time favorites.
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Catie
06/10/07

bookshelves: americanliterature
recommends it for: religious people
This book really gives religious people something to think about. I think that religious corruption as portrayed in this story is extremely prevalent to today's society.
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Mountaingoat
Mountaingoat rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
07/01/08

A still-spot-on and very funny portrait of bible-thumping venality - and this written decades before Falwell, Baker and their corrupt, conniving pseudo-christian cronies.
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Noah
Noah rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
03/15/08

bookshelves: fiction
Read in February, 2008
This was great. I'm looking forward to Emma becoming a preacher so that I can watch her morals evaporate. Happy Birthday, sis!
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Meagan
Meagan rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
10/25/07

bookshelves: currently-reading
I am enjoying this book, just as I am enjoying "Babbit". My edition is from 1927, purchased at a delightful used bookstore.
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Dottie
Dottie rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
01/19/08

bookshelves: 1944-1966
Wild, fire and brimstone preacher man Gantry. What a story. Powerful reading and the film with Lancaster is a classic.
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Chris
Chris rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
09/15/07

Read in March, 2004
this book challenged my faith, my motives, and my musings more than any other in college... weird how that happens.
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HRZ
HRZ rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
02/26/08

bookshelves: currently-reading
reminds me of stories pops used to tell from his fire and brimstone tent revival ministry days.. sans the laughs..
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Bob
Bob rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
04/08/08

Read in April, 2008
i just rediscovered sinclair lewis. i'm only reading his books from here on out. natch.
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Marius
10/31/07

bookshelves: novels
Read in October, 2007
Fundamentalist Christians in the US weren't all that different a hundred years ago.
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Jenny
05/09/08

Brutal. Hilarious. Fantastic. Sinclair Lewis, where have you been all my life?
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NanTze
NanTze rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
06/30/08

Read in January, 2000
One of the best written and most disturbing books you'll ever read!
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book data (includes all editions)

avg rating (all editions): 3.96 (221 ratings)
avg rating (this edition): 4.01 (163 ratings)
number of reviews: 25






other editions

Elmer Gantry (Signet Classics)
Elmer Gantry (Paperback)
Elmer Gantry (Paperback)