The Complete Works of Nathanael West

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This edition features an exclusive Introduction and Notes by Henry Claridge, Senior Lecturer at the University of Kent. The four novels included represent the complete longer works of a remarkable American writer. West's vision of modern America is both terrifyingly comical and critical, exposing the superficiality of much popular culture. His most notable work, Miss Lonelyhearts, opens the collection and presents a unique perspective on New York during the early Great Depression through the lens of an ‘agony aunt’ who offers advice to troubled readers. A Cool Million serves as a caustic satire that dismantles the ‘rags to riches’ myth. West's final novel, The Day of the Locust, provides a comic yet apocalyptic view of 1930s Hollywood fantasies. The volume concludes with West's surreal and parodic debut, The Dream Life of Balso Snell. Claridge’s introduction situates West's work within the context of the Great Depression, his experiences in Hollywood as a screenwriter, and his Eastern European Jewish heritage, including influences from Dostoevsky. The text is accompanied by extensive annotations, a note on the textual history of West's writings, and a guide for further reading, catering to both students and general readers.