Humboldt's GiftHumboldt's Gift
Score Classic
What it's about
Charlie Citrine is a successful, middle-aged Chicago writer whose life is falling apart: a nasty divorce, a gangster who's smashed his car, a young girlfriend. He keeps remembering Von Humboldt Fleisher, the brilliant, charismatic poet who was his mentor and friend in New York, and who died broke and forgotten. Then he discovers Humboldt has left him a gift.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize, and Bellow won the Nobel Prize the following year. It's a funny, sprawling novel about art and money.
You'll love it if you liked
Herzog
The Adventures of Augie March
A Moveable FeastGood to know
It's long and full of philosophical digressions. Humboldt is based on the poet Delmore Schwartz.
By the numbers
- Readers17 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller32 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #215 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #522 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1814 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Saul Bellow
The Adventures of Augie MarchHerzog
Henderson the Rain KingIf you like this, read next
The Color Purple
The Caine Mutiny
East of Eden
I, Claudius
A Room of One's Own
Angle of ReposeExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Humboldt's Gift worth reading?
Yes. It won the Pulitzer Prize, and Bellow won the Nobel Prize the following year. It ranks #1,814 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Humboldt's Gift about?
Charlie Citrine is a successful, middle-aged Chicago writer whose life is falling apart: a nasty divorce, a gangster who's smashed his car, a young girlfriend. He keeps remembering Von Humboldt Fleisher, the brilliant, charismatic poet who was his mentor and friend in New York, and who died broke and forgotten. Then he discovers Humboldt has left him a gift.
How long does it take to read Humboldt's Gift?
About 12 hours (496 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Humboldt's Gift won?
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner (1976).
What should I read after Humboldt's Gift?
If you liked it, try Herzog by Saul Bellow, The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow or A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway.