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Studs Lonigan: A Masterpiece of Urban Realism in the Penguin Twentieth Century Classics Series

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Studs Lonigan (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)

by James T. Farrell

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2439 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	898 pages

James T. Farrell's Studs Lonigan is a powerful and unflinching portrayal of working-class life in early 20th century Chicago. This Penguin Twentieth Century Classics edition features a comprehensive and notes, making it an essential read for students of American literature and social history.

A Trilogy of Urban Realism

Studs Lonigan is a trilogy of novels that follows the life of William "Studs" Lonigan, a young Irish-American boy growing up in the slums of Chicago. The trilogy consists of Young Lonigan (1932),The Young Manhood of Studs Lonigan (1934),and Judgment Day (1935). Farrell's spare, naturalistic prose style captures the rhythms of working-class speech and the harsh realities of life in the slums.

The trilogy opens with Studs as a young boy, full of dreams and ambition. As he grows older, however, he becomes increasingly disillusioned with life. He drops out of school, gets involved in petty crime, and eventually becomes an alcoholic. Farrell's unflinching portrayal of Studs's downward spiral is a powerful indictment of the social and economic forces that shaped the lives of working-class Americans in the early 20th century.

A Critical and Commercial Success

Studs Lonigan was a critical and commercial success upon its publication. The trilogy won the National Book Award in 1933 and was praised by critics for its realism and its insights into the lives of working-class Americans. Farrell's trilogy has also been adapted into two films, a television series, and a stage play.

A Penguin Twentieth Century Classic

In 1957, Penguin Books published Studs Lonigan as part of its prestigious Twentieth Century Classics series. The Penguin Twentieth Century Classics series includes some of the most important and influential works of literature from the 20th century. Studs Lonigan is a worthy addition to this series, and it remains an essential read for students of American literature and social history.

About the Author

James T. Farrell was born in Chicago in 1904. He grew up in the slums of the city, and his experiences there formed the basis for his writing. Farrell's work is known for its realism, its insights into the lives of working-class Americans, and its social criticism. Farrell died in New York City in 1979.

Studs Lonigan is a powerful and unflinching portrayal of working-class life in early 20th century Chicago. This Penguin Twentieth Century Classics edition features a comprehensive and notes, making it an essential read for students of American literature and social history.

Studs Lonigan (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)

by James T. Farrell

4.5 out of 5