The Financier: A Novel

"The Financier: A Novel" by Theodore Dreiser is a story set in the late 1800s that follows Frank Algernon Cowperwood, a driven young man in Philadelphia, as he navigates the changing world of money. The book looks at themes like wanting to be rich, how society works, and the questionable choices people make when trying to get ahead in a world that values making money. From his childhood, Frank shows a strong interest in how money and the economy work. The early parts of the story show his life growing up in a normal family, how his dad wants to do well in banking, and how Frank starts to understand the ways of business and life, including a key moment with a lobster and a squid that teaches him about how the powerful take advantage of the weak in the money world. As Frank gets older, it's clear he's smart, determined, and a natural leader, which prepares him to enter the world of finance and deal with the many people who will influence his future.