National Network for Equitable Library Service

This National Book Award winning novel traces five days in the life of a man whose wife has recently left him for his best friend.

Tommy Wilhelm is separated from his family, at odds with his father, failed in his career, and in a financial mess.

Augie is a poor but exuberant boy growing up in Chicago during the Depression. While his friends all settle into chosen professions, Augie demands a special destiny.

For years, they were the best of friends: Humboldt, a grand, erratic figure, and Charlie, a young man of frenzied and noble longings.

Saul Bellow evokes all the rich colors 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