The Pit: A Story of Chicago [Hardcover]

Frank Norris (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1971

But Laura, preoccupied with looking for the Cresslers, hardly listened. Aunt Wess', whose count was confused by all these figures murmured just behind her, began over again, her lips silently forming the words, "sixty-one, sixty-two, and two is sixty-four." Behind them the voice continued....

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Frank Norris (1870-1902), an American novelist and journalist, born in Chicago, Illinois. An avid reader of Emile Zola and Edgar Allan Poe, most of his works belong to the naturalist genre. As a reporter, he wrote about the Boer War and the other conflicts of South Africa, as well as the upheavals in Cuba. Although he never voiced his socialist views, they are reflected in his fictional works. He continued his career as a journalist while writing fiction frequently and was successful in both pursuits. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 421 pages
• Publisher: Bentley Publishers (December 1971)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0837604079
• ISBN-13: 978-0837604077
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,123,814 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Historical Novel on Chicago, September 17, 2001

By 

mchenryed - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pit: A Story of Chicago (Hardcover)

The Pit is a story about the Chicago Wheat market during the early 1900's. Norris writes a historical / romance book in which Laura Dearborn finds herself in Chicago from Boston. Almost immediately, she is beset by a variety of suitors. However, she is most taken by Curtis Jadwin, a sophisticated businessman who is influential on the Chicago Board of Trade.

After marrying Laura, the conservative speculator, after making a nice profit on the wheat market, becomes obsessive over controlling it. As the story unfolds, his wealth grows in a short period of time and for a while he captures the market. Ultimately, though, the market corrects itself and he must save his fortune as well as his wife, Laura, whose love begins to flee from lack of attention from Jadwin.

I found this book very slow at the beginning. However, once the market traps Jadwin, the book becomes exciting and the pages fly by. Laura is a realistic character, although I didn't have a lot of sympathy for her - she come off rather spoiled and hapless. Norris's point about the addictiveness of speculating on wheat futures and the power that it has over the rest of the world is evident. A solid book and worth reading by those who like that period of time or are interested in Chicago's history.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For love of money . . ., April 24, 2006

By 

Bomojaz (South Central PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pit: A Story of Chicago (Penguin Twentieth Century Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

The second novel in an unfinished trilogy (THE OCTOPUS was the initial volume), it's the story of how a man's ruthless business ambitions drive a wedge between himself and the love of his wife. Curtis Jadwin speculates in the Chicago wheat market; his successes propel him into wanting to "corner the market," which he proceeds to do. In the wake of all that "desire of the moth for the star," as Shelley put it, is the detritus of ruined men committing suicide, failed health, and Jadwin's own crumbling marriage due to neglect. Indeed, his wife Laura almost succumbs to the attentions of another man, Sheldon Corthell, but is brought back to her husband's side when he becomes ill. The scenes with Laura are the least successful because they are the most melodramatic. Norris felt the need, of course, to put things on an even keel again before the story's close; thus Jadwin loses all his money on a poor gamble regarding a banner wheat harvest that sends the market reeling, which brings on his illness and the loyal Laura. All's well that ends well, as the couple head West to start a new, though financially poorer, life (in 1903 it was still possible to do that). Norris is at his best in the wheeling and dealing that occurs in the Chicago exchange: the writing there is exciting and crisp. This tale of greed vs. marital love is a good one, though not as powerful as THE OCTOPUS.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Pit by Frank Norris, January 28, 2012

By 

Allan Knee - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Pit: a Story of Chicago (Paperback)

The book arrived in excellent condition - and the print and size was exactly what I was looking for. I am very pleased with this purchase.