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Title: of merit
Review: Most argue that the late Sinclair Lewis works shows an author whose powers have seriously declined. Though I don't disagree, I still think Cass Timberlane is worth reading. It serves as an interesting contrast to the earlier novels. Lewis still has his acrid and acerbic view of American life - he skewers Minnesota and New York City with equal ease. However, he seems to see, at the end of his career, that there is some redemptive moment in life. True, you might find this rather sentimental, but I see it as a synthesis of his earlier Menckenism with the later romance of the swing era. Indeed, this book has many elements of the twenties, but they are tempered by the forties. Having just read Wolfe's Of Time and the River, I noticed that Wolfe was apparently influenced by Lewis. Even as Wolfe surpassed Lewis in achievement, he also brought his novels to a resolution that left an impression of hope and survival.
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