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Every book Bob Gottlieb recommended on podcasts
Bob Gottlieb appeared on The Book Review to discuss various literary classics and the fascinating history of early cinema. During the episode, Gottlieb explored the life and career of Greta Garbo, highlighting her origins as an uneducated peasant girl from Sweden who was discovered by a famous director and featured in the biggest Swedish film of her time, Selma Lagerlöf's 'The Saga of Gosta Berling'. In addition to Scandinavian cinema history, Gottlieb spent significant time discussing the prolific and impactful work of American novelist Sinclair Lewis. He drew parallels between the explosive, cyclone-like emergence of Greta Garbo on the global stage and the immense, unprecedented international and domestic success that Sinclair Lewis achieved when he published 'Main Street' at the dawn of the twentieth century. Furthermore, Gottlieb enumerated several of Sinclair Lewis's most enduring and widely read novels that continue to captivate audiences today. His curated list of Lewis's lasting contributions to literature featured prominent titles such as 'Main Street', 'Babbitt', 'Arrowsmith', 'Elmer Gantry', 'It Can't Happen Here', and 'Dodsworth'. Through these discussions, Gottlieb showcased his deep appreciation for early twentieth-century culture, literature, and the historical figures who left an indelible mark on the arts.
Books recommended by Bob Gottlieb
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Arrowsmith
Discussed“but when you think about the books that are still read today babbit Main Street Aros Smith Elmer Gantry it can't happen here dodsworth”
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Babbitt
Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis is a satirical novel that exposes the vacuum of middle-class American conformity, commercialism, and complacency through the hollow life of real estate broker George F.
Discussed“but when you think about the books that are still read today babbit Main Street Aros Smith Elmer Gantry it can't happen here dodsworth”
Where to get it
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Dodsworth
Dodsworth by Sinclair Lewis is a classic American novel that examines expatriate life, marriage, and industrial ambition through the journey of a retired automobile manufacturer traveling through Europe.
Discussed“but when you think about the books that are still read today babbit Main Street Aros Smith Elmer Gantry it can't happen here dodsworth”
Where to get it
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Elmer Gantry
Discussed“but when you think about the books that are still read today babbit Main Street Aros Smith Elmer Gantry it can't happen here dodsworth”
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It Can't Happen Here
It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis is a 1935 political satire novel that explores the rise of fascism and authoritarianism within the United States during a fictional political campaign.
Discussed“but when you think about the books that are still read today babbit Main Street Aros Smith Elmer Gantry it can't happen here dodsworth”
Where to get it
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MAIN STREET
MAIN STREET by Sinclair Lewis is a satirical novel about provincial American life that exposes the narrow-mindedness and cultural conformity of small-town existence.
Discussed“somehow in between them they are closest in this to my mind in the sense that both of them hit the world like a cyclone when they emerged when Sinclair Lewis wrote Main Street overnight probably the most successful novel of the early part of the 20th century in America and abroad”
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The Saga of Gosta Berling
Discussed“first of all she knew who she was which was a uneducated peasant girl from Sweden who lucked in through catching the attention of a very famous director Mar Stiller who featured her in the biggest movie ever made in Sweden up till that time The Saga of ghost barley”
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Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Gottlieb on ‘Garbo’ and ‘Babbitt’ | The Book Review | 2024-07-18 | 10 |