Arrowsmith

Sinclair Lewis, 1925

Date read: 5/1/23

This was one of those novels I feel would be improved if about the first 35 percent was removed. Modern novels start with the action. Older novels start with the great-grandparent of the main character.

Overall, I thought this novel was... detailed. Lewis clearly knew an awful lot about medicine and laboratory work. He also clearly knew the pitfalls of university life and scientific competition.

The main character, Martin Arrowsmith, is just as selfish and horrible as the main characters of all the other LLL books. His differences lies in his awareness of his awfulness. He is entirely aware he is an awful person who causes his own misery.

No female in this novel is a fully fleshed person, not even Martin's long-suffering wife Leora. The action is always done by men, even when a woman is the driving factor.

Overall it was a lot of detail about laboratory work and hundreds of pages with an awful man.

Length: 599 on Google Books

Rereadability: only if I need to brush up on laboratory standards

Classic: I really don't know.