About the book

Albert Barslow begins his account at a political convention in Chicago, distracted less by national affairs than by his new happiness with Alice. His friendship and partnership with Jim Elkins soon connect private hopes with the transformation of Lattimore, a Western town promoted by bankers, speculators, and railway interests. The title's magic belongs to finance and organization: men create prosperity by persuading others to believe in a place and its future. Quick supplies a broad social cast, from farmers and newspaper people to distant holders of capital. Romantic attachments develop within the same network of obligations as business ventures, making the story a study of how apparently limitless opportunity distributes its benefits, responsibilities, and risks among a community.

Speculation and growth
Business and friendship
Private hopes and public fortunes

Why read it

Barslow's intimate narration connects the grand language of civic development with the relationships that make its consequences personal.

English Grosset and Dunlap edition with 1904 and 1907 copyrights

Contents and reading sections

About the book

Why read it

Read next