Henderson the Rain King

by Bellow, Saul; Kirsch, Adam

• ISBN13: 9780143105480
• ISBN10: 0143105485
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-12-24
• Publisher: Penguin Classics

Summary

BELLOW EVOKES ALL THE RICH COLOR and exotic customs of a highly imaginary Africa in this acclaimed comic novel about a middle-aged American millionaire who, seeking a new, more rewarding life, descends upon an African tribe. Henderson’s awesome feats of strength and his unbridled passion for life win him the admiration of the tribe—but it is his gift for making rain that turns him from mere hero into messiah. A hilarious, often ribald story, Henderson the Rain King is also a profound look at the forces that drive a man through life.

Author Biography

Saul Bellow (1915–2005) is the author of nearly twenty works of literature, including Seize the Day, The Adventures of Augie March, The Victim, Herzog, and Humboldt’s Gift. He taught at the University of Chicago and Boston University. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1976.

Adam Kirsch is a senior editor at the New Republic and a columnist for the Tablet. He lives in New York City.