 First edition cover | |
| Author | Saul Bellow |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Viking/Penguin Books |
| Publication date | 1997 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 104 |
| ISBN | 0-670-86075-1 |
| OCLC | 36017249 |
| Dewey Decimal | 813/.52 21 |
| LC Class | PS3503.E4488 A63 1997 |
The Actual is a 1997 novella by the American author Saul Bellow.
Plot synopsis
Like most of Bellow's fiction, the story centers on the lives of a group of passionate and anxious people living in Chicago. Harry Trellman has formed a friendship with the fabulously wealthy Sigmund Adletsky. Sigmund aims to bring Harry together with Harry's childhood sweetheart, Amy Wustrin.
Reception
Publishers Weekly called it "(a) kind of an affectionate, latter-day 'Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock", in which "plot (is) secondary". Kirkus Reviews considered it to be "witty" and "sharp", with "vividly sketched characters" but "perfunctory" plotting. In the Guardian, Martin Amis called it "scrupulously written".
References
- The Actual, reviewed at Publishers Weekly; published April 28 1997; retrieved December 9, 2018
- The Actual, reviewed at Kirkus Reviews; published March 1, 1997; archived online May 20, 1997; retrieved December 9, 2018
- "Don't call him mellow Bellow". the Guardian. 1997-08-17. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
| Novels and novellas by Saul Bellow | |
|---|---|
| Bibliography |
 | This article about a 1990s novel is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. See guidelines for writing about novels. Further suggestions might be found on the article's talk page. |