A ruthlessly ambitious mogul finds his life derailed by the financial
panic of 1873 in this classic novel by the author of An American
Tragedy.
Frank Cowperwood's story begins at an auction sale in Philadelphia,
where an unassuming bid for seven cases of soap quickly makes him a
large personal gain in just one day. Having grown up among the
ruthlessness and glamour of the Gilded Age, Frank finds he has a taste
for turning a profit, no matter who gets in his way. Embarking on a life
of callous stock brokering, shady political intrigue, sordid crimes, and
passionate affairs, Cowperwood walks on the edge--until the Great
Chicago Fire and the financial panic that follows send him down a
perilous path.
The Financier, the first in a trilogy, is based on the life of tycoon
Charles Tyson Yerkes and provides both a glimpse into a fascinating
period in American history and a timeless portrait of the dark side of
human nature.