Larry Darrell returns to Chicago from the battlefields of World War I, but find himself unable to settle into a conventional social life or a marriage with his fiancée, Isabel Bradley. While his peers seek wealth and status in the American stock market, Larry rejects a lucrative career to seek the meaning of his existence. He travels to Paris, works in a coal mine, and eventually treks to India, where he studies Vedantic philosophy under a Hindu guru. His renunciation of material comfort creates a sharp contrast with the social climbing of characters like Elliott Templeton, an aging snob who defines his life through European aristocratic circles and invitations to the right parties.
This novel serves readers who are interested in the tension between Eastern spirituality and Western materialism. Those who study the history of the Lost Generation or the introduction of Indian mysticism to Western literature will find a detailed case study in Larry’s detachment. The reader gains a perspective on the sacrifices required to live an unconventional life and a window into the vacuum left by the collapse of traditional meaning after a world war. It is for those who prefer social observation paired with philosophical inquiry.
Deep, inward-looking, contemplative and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1944
- Language
- EN
