Savage Holiday. Illustrated

Richard Wright

• Publisher: Andrii Ponomarenko
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9786178616687
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Education Theory & Practice
• Index: Psychology

Savage Holiday is a gripping and psychologically intense novel by Richard Wright, best known for his exploration of race and identity in American society. In this illustrated edition, Wright turns his attention inward, examining the mind of a white, middle-class man whose carefully controlled life unravels with deadly consequences. The novel follows Erskine Fowler, a repressed and isolated insurance clerk who has recently retired and is searching for peace and purpose. Beneath his calm exterior lies a troubled psyche haunted by guilt, sexual anxiety, and emotional emptiness. When he becomes entangled with his landlady and her troubled son, a shocking act of violence shatters his illusion of control. Unlike Wright's more well-known works that focus on racial injustice, Savage Holiday explores universal themes of mental instability, moral conflict, and existential dread. The novel reveals how conformity and repression can lead to psychological collapse, regardless of race or status. Wright's prose is precise and penetrating, offering a chilling portrait of a man driven by forces he barely understands. The included illustrations add atmosphere and visual depth, enhancing the novel's dark psychological tone. Savage Holiday stands as a bold and unsettling departure from Wright's typical themes, offering a powerful study of the human condition and the thin line between order and chaos.

Table of contents

• PART ONE: ANXIETY
• PART TWO: AMBUSH
• PART THREE: ATTACK