The Titan (1914) is a novel by Theodore Dreiser. The second
installment of Dreiser's Trilogy of Desire, The Financier has
endured as a classic of naturalist fiction and remains a powerful
example of social critique over a century after its publication.
Preceded by The Financier (1914) and followed by The Stoic (1947),
The Titan captures the greed at the heart of the Gilded Age, a time
when tycoons rose with total impunity to take over swaths of American
industry. Based on the life of Charles Yerkes, an influential
businessman who funded the development of railway systems in Chicago and
London, The Titan is a masterpiece of twentieth century American
literature that continues to resonate today. Following his release from
prison, Frank Cowperwood exploits the recent Panic of 1873 to purchase
stocks at a reduced price, turning a profit and becoming a millionaire
once more. Unable to remain in his native Philadelphia, however, he
moves to Chicago with his young lover, secures a divorce with his
estranged wife, and sets his sights on a failing street-railway system.
Elbowing competitors out of the way, Cowperwood takes control of
Chicago's burgeoning transit system and reaches new heights as a man of
means. When news of his past becomes known to the local elite, he
becomes a pariah at social gatherings. Slowly but surely, his grip on
the city of Chicago begins to loosen, as does the strength of his
marriage. Wracked by doubt, brought down by his lustful ways, Cowperwood
begins to question the trajectory of his ambitious life. The Titan is
a story of romance, greed, and betrayal that says as much about a single
man as it does about the values of an entire society. With a beautifully
designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of
Theodore Dreiser's The Titan is a classic of American literature
reimagined for modern readers.
