The Financier

The first volume in Dreiser’s celebrated Trilogy of Desire, The Financier tells the story of Frank Cowperwood, the son of a banker whose forays into the world of finance bring him incredible loss and fortune. Set during the aftermath of the American Civil War, Frank’s exploits cause him to become involved in several notable historical events, including the Great Chicago Fire and the Panic of 1973. Modeled after tycoon Charles Yerkes, Frank remains a compelling character whose financial failures and successes still delight readers to this day.