Journey in the dark

Journey in the Dark chronicles the life of Sam Braden from his humble origins in Wyattville, Iowa to life as a successful businessman in 1920s and 1930s Chicago. In some ways a typical rags to riches story, Journey in the Dark almost transcends the formula of its structure with its superb evocation

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of early 20th-Century America and Flavin's fluid and richly detailed prose. The story is also driven by a strong sense of morality. While still a young boy, Sam Braden yearns for riches from the moment he understands that the poverty of his upbringing imposes limits on what he can do and what he can have. But the path to financial success is neither smooth nor straightforward, and he is constantly aware that the acquisition of wealth means taking advantage of the misfortune of others. Braden's is a life of triumph and tragedy that comes full circle when he retires to Wyattville to live with his spinster sister. Flavin's novel may not tell us anything we did not already know, but it was good enough to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1944.

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