One of the great works of the modern American imagination.
- Alfred Kazin. When a charlatan and his money-hungry wife win the lottery, their good fortune rapidly turns sour in this riveting tale of avarice, degeneration, and death. Based on a true incident that occurred in San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century, this cult classic was among the earliest novels in American literature to present a compelling, realistic view of human nature at its most basic level.