Why people recommend it
Herzog by Saul Bellow is a celebrated modernist novel following a beleaguered intellectual who writes frantic, unsent letters to friends, enemies, and historical figures while suffering a midlife crisis. On the Lex Fridman Podcast, David Wolpe expressed his deep admiration for Saul Bellow, singling out Herzog as a brilliant example of a character-driven novel that contrasts sharply with other works of literature. On The Book Review, Sam Tanenhaus discussed the novel in the context of its original publication, noting that it stands as Bellow's most famous book and the work that truly brought him widespread fame and fortune. On another episode of The Book Review, Greg Cole mentioned choosing the novel as his beach reading companion during a trip. The book remains a cornerstone of mid-century American fiction, lauded for its rich psychological depth, its brilliant prose, and its razor-sharp exploration of modern alienation, intellectual paralysis, and the chaotic search for personal meaning.
Who recommended it
- Sam Tanenhaus Discussed
- Greg Cole Discussed
- David Wolpe Recommended
Sam Tanenhaus — 1 mention
“yes this one concludes with a publication of Herzog which is probably still Bellow's most famous novel and the one that really did bring him Fame and Fortune”
Greg Cole — 1 mention
“and this time around I did that with Sal Bell's Herzog which became my beach reading for most of this trip”
David Wolpe — 1 mention
“I also love Saul Bellow, especially 'Herzog.' But that's a very different kind of thinking—person's novel. I read a lot of mysteries, and a lot of other kinds of fiction and literature.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
- ... Trotzdem Ja zum Leben sagen
- A childhood, the biography of a place
- Alexander Hamilton
- And the good news is--
- Beauty's Kingdom
- Boy erased
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“no actually u i was past the sirens onto the Cyclops part which Ed on Twitter last weekend opens with a a passing reference to a character named Moses Herzog who then Sal Bell stole the name for Herzog”
“you'll remember that I was reading Herzog while I was on vacation a couple of weeks ago”