The story is set in the small town of Gopher Prairie, Minnesota, a fictionalised version of Sauk Centre, Minnesota, Lewis' hometown. It relates the life and struggles of Carol Milford Kennicott as she comes into conflict with the small-town mentality of the residents of Gopher Prairie. The novel takes place in the 1910s, with references to the start of World War I, the United States' entry into the war, and the years following the end of the war, including the start of Prohibition.
Main Street was initially awarded the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for literature, but the board of trustees overturned the jury's decision. The prize instead went to Edith Wharton for The Age of Innocence. In 1926, Lewis refused the Pulitzer when he was awarded it for his novel Arrowsmith. In 1930, Lewis was the first American ever awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. In the Nobel committee's presentation speech, both Main Street and Arrowsmith were cited. The prize was awarded "... for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humour, new types of characters."
This case laminate collector's edition includes a Victorian-inspired dust jacket.
