The Lever: A Novel

"The Lever: A Novel" by William Dana Orcutt is a tale from the early 1900s about people chasing their dreams and figuring out where they fit in, all while dealing with love and money. The story kicks off with Alice, a young woman who feels stuck. She wants to do big things with her family's business, but back then, not many women had that chance. Then there's Allen, her old friend, who's trying to choose between a life in politics or making money. In a chance encounter one day, these old friends meet in a carriage and memories come back from when they were children. Alice wants to be part of the business world, even though at the time it was difficult for women to acheive this. As the story goes on, the dialogue highlights their hopes and disappointments. Alice really wants to make her mark, and the relationship between the characters shows ambition, social expectations, and the conflicts along their journey.