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Overview

Seize the Day is a novella by Saul Bellow, first published in 1956. It tells the story of Tommy Wilhelm, a middle-aged man who is struggling with his career, his relationships, and his own sense of self-worth. As Wilhelm faces a series of misfortunes and confronts his own failures, the narrative explores themes of identity, the pursuit of happiness, and the harsh realities of the American Dream. The novella is set in New York City in the 1950s, against the backdrop of post-World War II American prosperity and the anxieties of the Cold War. 

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