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Free Air (Fall River Press Edition) Unknown Binding – December 9, 2010

by sinclair-lewis (Author)

4.1 276 ratings

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Watched over by her too solid beau, Claire Boltwood lives a life of gracious leisure and nut-centered chocolates among the best of Brooklyn Heights society. Still, she has certain questions about why she’s alive. So when her widowed, plutocrat father is told that he needs rest, Claire convinces him to take a road trip to visit cousins in Seattle. When their spiffy roadster gets stuck in the mud in Minnesota, a local mechanic, Milt Daggett, comes to their rescue. A down-to earth fellow, he nonetheless gives up all to follow her to Seattle, saving her from bears, flat tires, and that solid New York beau. With wry humor, Sinclair Lewis satirizes the upper classes and pokes gentle fun at the common folk as well. First serialized in The Saturday Evening Post , this cheerful 1919 novel pays homage to early car travel, the freedom of the (unpaved) road, and that ubiquitous “Free Air" sign at service garages across America.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Fall River Press (December 9, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Unknown Binding ‏ : ‎ 241 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1435133269
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1435133266
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 0.01 ounces

Customer Reviews:
4.1 276 ratings

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276 global ratings

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COH

A breath of fresh air!

Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2012

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I don't even remember how I found this little gem but it is absolutely delightful, like a breath of fresh air. A bit like an old black and white movie, a bit period comedy, poignant, off-beat...and a bit astonishing. When I mentioned it to one of my best and most literate friends, she declared, "I love that book." So read Fresh Air and pass the word on, for no other reason than for a fun change of pace!

4 people found this helpful

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Frank Donnelly

A Really Entertaining, Old Fashioned Reading Experience

Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2017

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This is a dated, but really enjoyable novel published in 1919 in a serial format. It is set in the American West and is a romance / adventure novel. A lady drives a automobile from Minneapolis to Seattle. She is accompanied by her father who is in ill health and does not drive. Much of the way is extremely rural. The lady, a sophisticated city lady, has to overcome many misadventures, including, but not limited to changing tires and general maintenance of a vehicle. Along the way she also finds romance. It sort of reminds me of a type of modern movie wherein middle aged men set off on motorcycles to travel across America.

According to Douglas Brinkley, in his biography of Henry Ford, this novel is semi biographical. It is based on the honeymoon of Sinclair Lewis and his wife. I have been reading some of early novels of Sinclair Lewis before reading his later, more iconic novels. Thus far I have read "The Job", 1917, and "The Innocents", 1917. I liked both of them about the same. I liked this novel more than either of them.

There is a lot of humor in this novel. There is a lot of rural vernacular that is often matched with the more sophisticated speech of urban people. There is a lot of very descriptive narrative about scenery. My personal sense is that I can see the maturation of Sinclair Lewis as an author.

As of yet I have not read the most iconic novels of Sinclair Lewis. I am really looking forward to it. I am quite sure the maturation continues. As much as I like this novel, it is not of "Nobel Prize" stature.

On the other side, I need to point out that I have read a LOT of American novels and short stories from the early twentieth century. I enjoy them very much. However, there is a distinct difference in what was "politically correct" from then to now. One of the most prominent ways this is observable is in ethnic references. This is in no way limited to Sinclair Lewis. It is extremely prevalent in the fiction that I have read. A reader will find it here. I just state this in case one is concerned about this and wishes to avoid an unpleasant surprise. I am not in favor of censorship. I wish to read books the way they were written. It has a positive effect on me. It has made me more sensitive to certain issues that at some point in the past I mistakenly thought were exaggerated. The more I study, the more I feel I get it. Therefore I read these books, make note of certain ethnic and racial terms but try to enjoy the reading experience and learn at the same time. Thank You...

12 people found this helpful

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Ava Mattei

do it!

Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2014

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Great read! Although i cannot remember reading (cause i have read quite a few books since i bought this one) it I know it was good. Highly recommend!

Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2012

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Great story line, great character development, enjoyable throughout. Just imagining what it would be like to undertake a cross-country road trip in the early 1900's, with no frequent gas stations or rest stops, or even decent roads, adds to the adventure. You will enjoy this one.

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Don Kidwell

"She was used to gracious leisure, attractive uselessness, nut-center chocolates, and a certain wonder as to why she was alive."

Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2015

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Infinitely more light-hearted than "The Jungle" (that book leaving me images that have stayed with me to this day) including passages that I really enjoyed such as "Claire tried to give him a smile, but the best she could do was to lend him one" , "Which is worse, not to tip when a tip has been expected; or to tip, when the tip is an insult?" and "He did not talk much, normally, but when he thought things ought to be done, he was as annoying as a machine-gun test in the lot next to a Quaker meeting." Unless you'd rather seek this out as part of a collection I'd say this is a great buy in and of itself and a very enjoyable read!

3 people found this helpful

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LG

It is at times funny, sad

Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2015

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I ordered this book because everyone was reading it on the TV series Boardwalk Empire. It was for the time (published in 1919) controversial, outrageous, and new. The concept of the book is none of those at this point in time, but still holds up. It is at times funny, sad, and heartwarming...a surprise, and a delight. And the Kindle edition was free.

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Mjeanp

Lewis writes great women characters

Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2012

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The first chapter was so good, i knew i was in for a treat. That chapter is written almost entirely in Claire's head/thoughts. When i read Lewis' Main Street i was amazed at how perceptive he was of women's thinking in 1920. This book was written in 1919 and again i am amazed. He must have had good relationships with his women family members or friends, and good dscussions to be able to understand their thinking.

This road trip gives us good detail on what it would have been like to try to drive across the country, especially the west, in 1916, few roads and those that there were were bad. He gives a wonderful perception of how being able to drive gave women a sense of freedom and power.

I'm only a third of the way through and a lot of it is light and humurous, but it's a fun read.

One person found this helpful

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Richard K. Green

An American Romance

Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2015

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A thoroughly engaging, unapologetically dated courtship between city girl and country boy. Watching Claire and Milt grow up together and find themselves through each other is as satisfying a fairy tale as I've read. In bold colors and with broad brushstrokes Mr. Lewis paints a vivid and loving portrait of early 20 Century America.

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Top reviews from other countries

Reid a.

The print is miniature

Reviewed in Canada on January 13, 2024

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Missing parts of the story and text in miniature so you need a looking glass to read it

baz

Now that's what i call motoring...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 15, 2017

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Let go of today and travel back in time when the Automobile was the true adventure. Unbelievable now, to think of the trials and tribulations of motor transport in "the good old days". Now its an absolute grind just to get somewhere because of traffic volumes. Wish i could have the chance of a journey like our heroine. Proper top read.

One person found this helpful

Sarah Hague

Pioneering charm

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 21, 2020

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Lovely road trip set in about 1913 with Claire and her father travelling from New York City to Seattle in a Gomez-Deperdussin roadster who met along the way Milt and his old Teal bug.
The story describes not only the trials and tribulations of driving across the US at that time, with unreliable cars, fragile brake pads that had to be relined frequently, and stops to top up petrol, oil and water, but the dire state of the roads, and even worse quality of roadside hostels. It was in true pioneering spirit that such an adventure was undertaken!
Claire and her upper class upbringing meets true American Milt who saves from the various sticky situations Claire and her father find themselves in. He decides as soon as he sees her to go to Seattle too, and their love story unfolds gently with each demonstration of good sense, mechanical expertise and a dash of heroism.
Of course there's competition for Claire's love from the ever so sensible, much older, much richer, much more suitable Jeff.
Claire's handling of the car in difficult circumstances, her adventures along the freedom of the road change her little by little, so when they eventually all arrive in Seattle there are some wonderful scenes of social comment, criticism and humour.
Very enjoyable.

One person found this helpful

Bernard

Early novel is a good entertainment

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 20, 2010

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Published a year before Main Street brought him fame, Sinclair Lewis gave the public this entertaining novel.
It's very much an early Road novel, circa 1916, maybe it's the FIRST road novel, preceding Jack Kerouac by a few decades, and the many imitators that followed.
Clair Boltwood, the heroine, is a pioneer woman of the car driving community, driving cross-country through America with her father as passenger, they come across many dilemmas and all sorts of people during their trip from Minneapolis to Seattle. They meet Milt Dagget along the way , who saves the day on many occasions, and upon arriving in Seattle, Milt has to deal with Clair's snobby relatives.
There is a happy ending, and one regrets leaving Milt and Clair as the book comes to a close.

6 people found this helpful

wat dabney

on the road before the beatniks

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 8, 2017

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good characterisation in this very early road trip story, my favorite sinclair lewis book.

2 people found this helpful

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