The Pit a Story of Chicago (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781432620714)

The Pit is a novel written by Frank Norris, originally published in 1903. The story is set in Chicago during the late 1800s and follows the lives of two main characters, Curtis Jadwin and Laura Dearborn. Jadwin is a wealthy speculator who has made his fortune in wheat trading, while Dearborn is a young woman from a well-to-do family who becomes Jadwin's love interest.The novel explores the themes of greed, love, and the corrupting influence of money. Jadwin becomes obsessed with making even more money, even at the expense of his relationship with Dearborn. Meanwhile, Dearborn struggles with her own desires and the expectations of her family and society.The novel also delves into the workings of the Chicago Board of Trade, where Jadwin and other traders engage in cutthroat competition to make profits. The characters are caught up in the frenzied world of trading, where fortunes can be made or lost in an instant.The Pit is a classic American novel that provides a vivid portrait of Chicago during a time of rapid growth and change. It is a powerful commentary on the forces that drive human behavior and the consequences of unchecked ambition.1905. The overriding theme in Norris' fiction is the impact of industrialization on peaceful agricultural communities and the consequent chaos in the lives of people who lived in these communities. Norris's cautionary tale about the addictiveness of speculating on the Chicago wheat market and the power that it has over the rest of the world, The Pit is a a historical/romance book featuring Laura Dearborn who has moved to Chicago from Boston. Almost immediately, she is beset by a variety of suitors. However, she is most taken by Curtis Jadwin, a sophisticated businessman who is influential on the Chicago Board of Trade. After marrying Laura, the conservative speculator, makes a nice profit on the wheat market, but then becomes obsessive over controlling it. As the story unfolds, his wealth grows in a short period of time and for a while he captures the market. Ultimately, though, the market corrects itself and he must save his fortune as well as his wife, Laura, whose love begins to flee from lack of attention from Jadwin. Overall this is a good read whose themes transcend to current times. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Author: Frank Norris
ISBN-10: 1432620711
ISBN-13: 9781432620714
Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
Language: English
Published: 07/26/2004
Pages: 428
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.75lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 1.06d