Walker Percy was one of the most prominent American writers of the twentieth century, and winner of the 1961 National Book Award.
Percy’s National Book Award–winning classic: A young man, torn between the forces of tradition and change, searches for meaning in post-war America
On the cusp of his thirtieth birthday, Binx Bolling is a lost soul. A stockbroker and member of an established New Orleans family, Binx’s one escape is the movie theater that transports him from the falseness of his life. With Mardi Gras in full swing, Binx, along with his cousin Kate, sets out to find his true purpose amid the excesses of the carnival that surrounds him.
Buoyant yet powerful, The Moviegoer is a poignant indictment of modern values, and an unforgettable story of a week that will change two lives forever.
“A brilliant novel . . . Percy touches the rim of so many human mysteries.”
“Clothed in originality, intelligence, and a fierce regard for man’s fate.”
“Percy is a brilliantly breathtaking writer.”
Walker Percy (1916–1990) was one of the most prominent American writers of the twentieth century. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, he was the oldest of three brothers in an established Southern family that contained both a Civil War hero and a US senator. Acclaimed for his poetic style and moving depictions of the alienation of modern American culture, Percy was the bestselling author of six fiction titles—including the classic novel The Moviegoer (1961), winner of the National Book Award—and fifteen works of nonfiction. In 2005, Time magazine named The Moviegoer one of the best English-language books published since 1923.
1989 - Jefferson Lecture
1988 - T.S. Eliot Award
1986 - St. Louis Literary Award
1986 - Campion Award
1983 - Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1980 - Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1961 - National Book Award
1941 - Columbia University - M.D.
1937 - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - B.S.