Preface

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 An essay on Sinclair Lewis written by Robert Cantwell(1), appeared in critical essays edited by Mark Schorer in 1962. (pp 111-119)

He described the achievement of Sinclair Lewis as ".... a recording of a historian of the America's catastrophic decline of the middle class society". This had given me the impetus to investigate and project my thesis on this subject after a study of the fiction of Sinclair Lewis.

I had grown from strength to to strength under my Director of Research, Dr. N Krishna Rao, Professor, Department of English, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam. His critical advice, a continuous evaluation from time to time, with a steady personal interest and encouragement had inspired me to formulate this thesis. His help is quite instrumental in shaping my research acumen.

Yet another helping hand was extended by Dr. (Prof.) Isaac Sequira, Research Counselor at the American Studies Research Center, Hyderabad. A free and prolonged discussion of the topic had taken place during my stay at the ASRC in the summer of 1990. I am very thankful to him. 

I am indebted to the Librarian, ASRC for the services rendered. Without his help, I could have made no progress at all.

I am also grateful to Dr. M S Rama Murthy, Head of the Department of English, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam for his kind cooperation in recommending the necessary extension of time. 

I look back in great respect and gratitude to Sri Mokkapaty Ramakrishna, M.A., my teacher, and the former Head of the Department of English, Sir C R Reddy College, Eluru for the painstaking review of the first draft of my thesis enthusiastically. 

I am indebted to the Librarian-in-Chief, American Center Library, Madras, for the kind extension of their library facilities to me, through all these years.

I am also grateful to the Librarian, State Regional Library, Guntur for permitting me to use their library facilities.

Also I am thankful to Sir Subhas Chandra Bose, Lecturer in Library Science, C.R College, Chilakaluripeta for kindly making available every book of value to me.

I am indebted to the Management of C.R. College, Chilakaluripeta for encouraging me to continue this research.

Last but not the least is the fraternal encouragement extended to me by my brother Sri B. V. Krishna Rao and my sister-in-law, Smt Sarojini. At the base of it all, stands the unflinching support of my dear wife, Smt Lalitha Devi, Head, Department of Telugu, SPDBT Jr. College, Eluru.

I am specially thankful to Sri S. Nageswara Rao, without whose patient typewritten work of high quality, I could never have completed this work.


Date:                                                                                                                    (B. Venugopal)

(1) Robert Cantwell: "Sinclair Lewis, a biographical essay" - A collection of Critical Essays, Editor Mark Schorer, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. Prentice Hall, 1962. (pp 111-119)

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