The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit

by Sloan Wilson Narrated by Patrick Lawlor

Overview

Universally acclaimed when first published in 1955, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit captured the mood of a generation. It was a national bestseller that was made into an award-winning film, it was translated into twenty-six languages, and its title has become a permanent part of our cultural vocabulary. Today, it is more relevant than ever.



Here is the story of Tom and Betsy Rath, a young couple with everything going for them: three healthy children, a nice home, a steady income. They have every reason to be happy, but for some reason they are not. Like so many young men of the day, Tom finds himself caught up in the corporate rat race-what he encounters there propels him on a voyage of self-discovery that will turn his world inside out. At once a searing indictment of corporate culture, a story of a young man confronting his past and future with honesty, and a testament to the enduring power of family, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit is a deeply rewarding novel about the importance of taking responsibility for one's own life.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Though it's cited in nearly every book and article about the culture of the 1950s, few readers under 65 know Sloan Wilson's The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit firsthand. The 1955 bestseller is being reissued with a new introduction by Jonathan Franzen-and, indeed, the story of disappointed Westport, Conn., strivers Tom and Betsy Rath anticipates the novels of suburban anomie by Franzen and his contemporaries. Dreaming of a bigger house for his wife and three kids, WWII veteran Tom leaves his job with an arts foundation to be a well-paid public relations executive at the United Broadcasting Corporation. But corporate ladder climbing and consumer rewards leave him miserable. Though his sentimental conclusion now seems dated, Wilson's portrait of the martini-soaked malcontents is sharp, memorable and still resonant today.

From the Publisher

"Lawlor's narration is well-paced, steady, and captures both the blunted emotion and plodding pace of bourgeois life in 1950s Southport, Connecticut." ---Publishers Weekly Audio Review

SEPTEMBER 2010 - AudioFile

A promising new job brings troubling challenges for the rising public relations man in Sloan Wilson's 1950s classic. Patrick Lawlor delivers the novel, which reads like a morality play, with a blend of nostalgia, innocence, and satirical wit. His narration can be broad at times, but it’s effective. Lawlor's voices fit the characters well. The production opens with Jonathan Franzen's analysis, which would have been better left to the end to give listeners a chance to discover the work for themselves. The production ends with Wilson's comments, recorded in 1983, in which he makes a case for the book’s continued relevance. The story of one man's inner conflicts may be even more relevant in today's economic turbulence. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170890651
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	08/17/2010
Edition description:	Unabridged

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