Mr. Sammler's Planet
Saul Bellow · 1915–2005 · Canada / USA
Why it matters
An elderly Holocaust survivor navigates late-1960s Manhattan's chaos (riots, moon landings, a pickpocket he can't stop watching) as a lone voice of Old World order. Bellow's National Book Award winner is his bleakest, most conservative reckoning with the era's upheaval.
At a glance
philosophical novelpsychological novel
Difficulty 7/10slow pace313 pagesDense essayistic digressions on philosophy and history slow an otherwise compact plot.
Deep dive
A one-eyed Holocaust survivor watches late-1960s Manhattan come apart, and Bellow can't decide whether he's diagnosing the era or just furious at it.
Where to go next
Saul Bellow · 1953The Adventures of Augie MarchLvl 7Fast paced
Saul Bellow · 1964HerzogLvl 7Slow burn
Saul Bellow · 1975Humboldt's GiftLvl 6Slow burn
Philip Roth · 1969Portnoy's ComplaintLvl 5Fast paced
Fyodor Dostoevsky · 1866Crime and PunishmentLvl 6Fast paced
Isaac Bashevis Singer · 1960The Magician of LublinLvl 5Medium pace