description: Set against a vividly depicted background of fin de siécle New York, this novel centers on the conflict between a self-made millionaire and a fervent social revolutionary-a conflict in which a man of goodwill futilely attempts to act as a mediator, only to be forced himself into a crisis of conscience. Here we see William Dean Howells's grasp of the realities of the American experience in an age of emerging social struggle. His absolute determination to fairly represent every point of view is evident throughout this multifaceted work. Both a memorable portrait of an era and a profoundly moving study of human relationships, A Hazard of New Fortunes fully justifies Alfred Kazin's ranking of Howells as "the first great domestic novelist of American life."
language: English
title: A Hazard of New Fortunes
titlecomplete: A Hazard of New Fortunes
characters: Isabel March, Berthold Lindau, Colonel Woodburn, Basil March, Conrad Dryfoos
genres: Classics, New York, Fiction, Novels, School, Classic Literature, American Fiction, Literature, 19th Century, American
ratings_count: 846
series: March Family Trilogy
publisher: Signet Classics