Henderson the Rain King

E490284

Henderson the Rain King is a 1959 novel by Saul Bellow that follows a wealthy, restless American’s existential quest in Africa, blending comic adventure with philosophical reflection.

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Henderson the Rain King canonical 1

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf novel
adaptation radio adaptation
author Saul Bellow NERFINISHED
awarded National Book Award for Fiction nomination NERFINISHED
containsElement comic adventure
philosophical reflection
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
criticalReception considered one of Bellow’s key novels
widely acclaimed by literary critics
deweyDecimalClassification 813/.5/4
followedBy Herzog NERFINISHED
genre comic novel
novel
philosophical fiction
picaresque fiction
hasISBN 9780141188805
hasLiteraryForm prose
hasMottoOrRefrain I want, I want, I want
hasPageCount approximately 300 pages
hasSubjectMatter encounters with foreign cultures
personal crisis
wealth and privilege
hasSymbol rain as symbol of renewal
includedInLists 20th‑century American classics
influenced later American postmodern fiction
libraryOfCongressClassification PS3503.E4488 H4
literaryMovement postwar American literature
mainCharacter Eugene Henderson NERFINISHED
narrativePerspective first‑person narration
notableCharacter King Dahfu NERFINISHED
originalLanguage English
partOfAuthorOeuvre major work of Saul Bellow
precededBy Seize the Day NERFINISHED
protagonistDescription restless and dissatisfied with his life
wealthy middle‑aged American
publicationDate 1959
publisher The Viking Press
surface form: Viking Press
setting Africa NERFINISHED
United States of America
surface form: United States
settingDetail fictional African tribes
targetAudience adult readers
theme clash of cultures
comic treatment of serious philosophical issues
existential quest
search for meaning
spiritual transformation
timePeriodInFiction mid‑20th century

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Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Saul Bellow notableWork Henderson the Rain King