Allan Montague, a lawyer from Mississippi, arrives in New York City with his family to seek a career in the legal field. Through his brother Oliver, he is introduced to the ultra-wealthy socialites of the Gilded Age. The narrative details specific extravagances, such as thousand-dollar dinners for dogs and elaborate parties held in private mansions. Montague witnesses how industrial fortunes are liquidated through reckless gambling, fashion rivalries, and predatory investment schemes. Sinclair focuses on the mechanical waste and moral decay inherent in the leisure class.
Readers interested in the economic history of the early twentieth century read this book to understand the social habits of the American aristocracy. It appeals to those studying the relationship between inherited wealth and corporate corruption. The reader walks away with a clear picture of how New York’s upper crust manipulated the stock market to fund their lifestyle and how urban social hierarchies functioned during this specific era. It serves as a documentary-style critique of institutionalized vanity.
Outward-looking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Evidence Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1908
- Language
- EN
