Harry Sinclair Lewis (; February 7, 1885 – January 10, 1951) was an American
novelist,
short-story writer, and
playwright. In 1930, he became the first writer from the United States to receive the
Nobel Prize in Literature, which was awarded "for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of characters." His works are known for their insightful and critical views of American
capitalism and
materialism between the wars. He is also respected for his strong characterizations of modern working women.
H. L. Mencken wrote of him, "[If] there was ever a novelist among us with an authentic call to the trade ... it is this red-haired tornado from the Minnesota wilds."