Plot Summary

Golden Boy

Clifford Odets
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Golden Boy

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1937

Book Brief

Clifford Odets

Golden Boy

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1937
Book Details
Pages

72

Format

Play • Fiction

Setting

New York City • 1930s

Publication Year

1937

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Golden Boy, a play written by Clifford Odets, follows Italian American Joe Bonaparte's boxing career. Joe's transition from being a skilled musician to becoming a top prizefighter causes strain on his relationship with his father, complicates his love life, and alters his personality. The Group Theatre originally produced the play on Broadway in 1937.

Melancholic

Challenging

Emotional

Dark

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.1

391 ratings

57%

Loved it

33%

Mixed feelings

10%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Clifford Odets' Golden Boy garners praise for its compelling exploration of ambition and personal conflict, with dynamic characters and sharp, authentic dialogue. Critics commend the poignant portrayal of dreams versus ethics in the American Dream narrative. However, some find the plot predictable and the ending unsatisfactorily abrupt. Overall, it remains a powerful, thought-provoking drama.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Golden Boy?

Readers who appreciate intense character drama, moral dilemmas, and the struggle between artistic dreams and financial aspirations will enjoy Clifford Odets' Golden Boy. Fans of works like Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman and John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men will find similar thematic resonance and emotional depth.

4.1

391 ratings

57%

Loved it

33%

Mixed feelings

10%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

72

Format

Play • Fiction

Setting

New York City • 1930s

Publication Year

1937

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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