Brilliant rendering of a classic capitalist

A few outstanding non-fiction books (also in audio on this site) pointed me here. The Oligarchs by David Hoffman, a laser-sharp tale of USSR's failed socialism giving way to a new wild frontier of capitalism, noted that many of its heroically creatively-capitalist (and later billionaire) figures, lacking many books in the old censored USSR, avidly read this book as a fundamental text. Also, Trump: The Greatest Show on Earth by Wayne Barrett, at each chapter opening, quoted from the sequel to this book, The Titan, about the same main character, Frank Cowperwood. The Titan is next up for me.

I'm not much for novels. This is a rare exception, as it is a history-book of Civil War through Gilded Age times, from a very particular (and very credible) view, and a treatise on a figure epitomizing remorseless climbing capitalism. The spare, muscular prose has a steady and sharp cadence fitting its main character. Now I comprehend the mentality and the moves of the gilded age giants.
The narration is quite worthy of the content, and an ideal fit.

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2 people found this helpful

Not too much about trading. But must read anyway

If you want to be a great stock operator- must read. I loved the narrator.

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Outstanding classic, great narrator

Geoffrey Blaisdell, the narrator, brings Dreiser's characters and 1870's Philadelphia setting alive in this compelling study of a maverick stock operator.
This is what "Wall Street" or "Bonfire of the Vanities" should have been.

If you're looking for insight into the world and minds of the "Masters of the Universe", you'll find that human nature is timeless, and that the American financial and legal systems, which Dreiser describes in detail, haven't changed that much.

The book opens shortly before the US Civil war and ends with the panic of 1873, when financial houses in New York and Philadelphia rose to prominence funding the Union's side of the Civil war and the subsequent railroad boom.

The books character's are strongly drawn and compelling - especially the protagonist, Frank Cowperwood, and his mistress Eileen Butler. Dreiser's prose is a thing of beauty and his eye for detail is unmatched.

I'm proud of Blackstone for reviving this worth book, and hope they will record all three in the series.

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13 people found this helpful

READS LIKE 2012 HEADLINES!

Do not be misled by the title. This is a novel. It is about generational families and their ways of surviving when uncontrollable events threaten their ways of life. The book was first published in 1912. It is set in the last quarter of 19th Century. The too big to fail financial houses in that era had names like Cook, Vanderbilt, Gould, Morgan etc.. The newspaper headlines then might have appeared in today’s Wall Street Journal. This was the period after the ending of the Civil War and at the beginning of the Great American Expansion to the West; a period marked by unrest, social change and financial turmoil. As always in periods of change, there are great opportunities for the building of great fortunes for those with the required intellect, insight, and discipline and for the fortunes accumulated in the past to melt away as new players and rules enter the game.

The main characters are in Philadelphia with financial contacts in New York City, Boston and other commercial centers on the East Coast. The triggering event for the story was in the great Midwest: The Great Chicago Fire. The destruction of the financial, commercial, transportation and manufacturing districts triggered a financial panic for banks and securities houses from Chicago to Wall Street.

Dreiser uses this setting to develop and illustrate his classic tale of love, money, power, politics, greed, lust, broken homes and prison time for the weak and for the strong. It is the story of an intellectually gifted young man who is rapidly rising in the financial and social worlds and is dealt a staggering blow when he cannot get the resources to allow him to stay afloat during the panic triggered by the Great Chicago Fire. Dreiser shows how in times of crisis the character of people is revealed, whatever their rungs on financial, political and social ladders may be. The tale he tells is compelling and is as relevant today as it was in 1912.

Theodore Dreiser is an American Classic writer and this is one of his best. I recommend it for the writing and for the narration. It is a great read (listen).

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wonderfully writen

This was the best book i listened to on audible and i would advice you to buy this work of art if you have a interest in the condition and rules of the financial world of long ago where politicians was cheap and capital is might and demanded complete respect

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A man's novel?

Loved this novel and loved Blaisdell as narrator. This was my first experience with Dreiser and for whatever reasons was expecting something much dryer (yah yah, I see the pun) but was really surprised how impassioned and quick the novel moved, no doubt Blaisdell played a significant role in this. I will definitely be looking into other Dreiser novels in the future.

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Opposite of Atlas Shrugged

This is the first book in a three book series (The Trilogy of Desire). The third book (The Stoic) is not in Audible format at the time of this review. I enjoyed the second book better. and Dreiser's American Tragedy even more,

This book follows a business man in late 1800's America as the apparent protagonist. We watch him wheal and deal, cheat and lie, and betray everyone around him, including his family and wives, as he becomes wealthy and powerful. The author in this series, as he did in American Tragedy, uncovers the dark underbelly of American capitalism. I certainly wonder if Rand's Atlas Shrugged was a direct response to Dreiser's earlier works.

Written in 1911 this novel seems essentially modern. Although quite long, and a bit tediously detailed, I enjoyed the prose and the schemes of the apparent protagonist, while the hidden, true protagonist is the unpolluted American dream. The true protagonist is shown only in glimpses of the few honest characters.

The narration is quite good.

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Couldn’t stop listening!

One of the best novels I ever read, this will be in my favorites.
Outstanding narration.

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2 people found this helpful

Enjoyed

Enjoyed the story. A celebration of the desire to make money and womanize in late Victorian America.

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Ready for The Titan!

Dreiser is such the storyteller! Though lengthy are his words with much melody. One can still follow the drama with relative ease.

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2 people found this helpful