Specify Books To Kingsblood Royal
Original Title: | Kingsblood Royal |
ISBN: | 9997412486 (ISBN13: 9789997412485) |
Edition Language: | English |
Sinclair Lewis
Hardcover | Pages: 160 pages Rating: 3.98 | 649 Users | 91 Reviews
Define About Books Kingsblood Royal
Title | : | Kingsblood Royal |
Author | : | Sinclair Lewis |
Book Format | : | Hardcover |
Book Edition | : | First Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 160 pages |
Published | : | January 1st 1997 by Random House Inc (T) (first published 1947) |
Categories | : | Fiction. Classics. Literature. American. Race |
Narrative Conducive To Books Kingsblood Royal
A neglected tour de force by the first American to win the Nobel Prize in literature, Kingsblood Royal is a stirring and wickedly funny portrait of a man who resigns from the white race. When Neil Kingsblood, a typical middle-American banker with a comfortable life, makes the shocking discovery that he has African blood, the odyssey that ensues creates an unforgettable portrayal of two Americas, one black, one white.As timely as when it was first published in 1947, one need only open today's newspaper to see the same issues passionately being discussed between blacks and whites that we find in Kingsblood Royal, says Charles Johnson. Perhaps only now can we fully appreciate Sinclair Lewis's astonishing achievement.
Rating About Books Kingsblood Royal
Ratings: 3.98 From 649 Users | 91 ReviewsDiscuss About Books Kingsblood Royal
I found this only because I was looking for a book published the year I was born. I note from Wikipedia that some Americans wanted this withdrawn from publication at the time. Hard to read because of the prejudice on every single page... but an interesting find. writing style a little dated, but content good.Incredible. Kingsblood Royal is the story of the political and social awakening of Neil Kingsblood, a white middle-class nobody who accidentally discovers that he has black ancestry. Sinclair Lewis continues to amaze me with his perception as a critic and his abilities as a storyteller. The novel is set in Minnesota in 1944 and while the intolerance of the time is captured perfectly, I wonder how much (or how little) the story would change were it set in the present day. Highly recommended.
Neil Kingsblood is an affluent white male who recently returned to the mythical town of Grand Republic, Minnesota after being wounded in World War II. After he settles into his predictable life of a rising bank executive, he is asked by his father, who believes that they have distant relatives in the English royal family, to research his genealogy. Instead Neil learns that his ancestor, thought to be a French voyager, was actually black, which makes him 1/32 black. He keeps the news from his
Really enjoyed this book. It shows, there actually has been some growth in the intelligence of bigoted Americans since the time the book has written. There is so very much further to go in the road to intelligence about people who are just wearing a different colored skin or hair or religion. If only the brains were taught from the beginning, we would all have a better world.
4.25 starsNot as flowing and engaging in its prose as most of Lewis' novels. And the end is way too melodramatic. But Kingsblood Royal was an extremely audacious work at its times, even banned for some years by people who were uncomfortable about the truths with which it deals. In my opinion, the book should be taught more frequently in college American Literature classes.
Some writers go out with a fizzle, writing pap until they sputter out to die, and other writers go out with a bang, and damn it doesn't get more explosive than Sinclair Lewis' "Kingsblood Royal". Written with the help of Walter White, President of the NAACP as technical consultant, Kingsblood Royal meets American racism head on and doesn't let up until the 349th page.A well-to-do young white couple from small town America treat their black maid like a thief and name their dog "Nigger". They're
I was amazed by this book. As I read it, I was constantly struck by the thought that this man, Sinclair Lewis, was so far ahead of his time in terms of the way he viewed society and justice. I'm not sure why this book doesn't get more attention as a great one.
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