First published 1995
The roaring twenties grip America in a fever of wealth and excess. A young man from the Midwest climbs toward success only to find it becomes his downfall. Around him, an immoral woman transforms herself into a Hollywood star, chasing glitter and fame. An advertising prodigy rides a dangerous spiral of corruption that threatens to consume him. Meanwhile, an idealistic young woman confronts harsh realities that shatter her innocence. Each character navigates a landscape of big business deals and illegal liquor, where prosperity flows freely but justice remains scarce. Their paths intersect in a nation drunk on material gain, where the promise of the American dream curdles into something bitter. Dos Passos weaves their stories together through shifting perspectives and narrative techniques that capture the frenzied pace of the era. As these lives unfold, they reveal how unbridled capitalism can poison a society's soul, leaving characters trapped between their ambitions and their humanity.
Genres: fiction, drama, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, business, american, crime
Vibes: fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: corruption, downfall, shattered-innocence
Setting: America, Hollywood
Period: Roaring Twenties
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