Every Man a Speculator - by Steve Fraser (Paperback)

From the Back Cover

Americans have experienced a love-hate relationship with Wall Street for two hundred years. Long an object of suspicion, fear, and even revulsion, the Street eventually came to be seen as an alluring pathway to wealth and freedom. Steve Fraser tells the story of this remarkable transformation in a brilliant, masterfully written narrative filled with colorful tales of confidence men and aristocrats, Napoleonic financiers and reckless adventurers, master builders and roguish destroyers. Penetrating and engrossing, this is an extraordinary work of history that illuminates the values and the character of our nation.

Review Quotes

"Written with verve and passion. . . . offers a remarkable array of insights into the history of American capitalism." - Eric Foner, DeWitt Clinton Professor of History, Columbia University

"Big, boisterous, biting, and brilliant. . . . both page-turner and scholarly tour de force." - Walter A. McDougall, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Freedom Just Around the Corner

"Remarkable. . . . Fraser tells the tale in high style." - Sean Wilentz, Dayton-Stockton Professor of History, Princeton University

"Should be widely read by scholars, students, and anyone interested in America's ambivalent relationship with big business and big finance." - David Nasaw, author of The Chief

"Comprehensive, considered, and literate: a real accomplishment." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Fraser gives a thorough analysis of this scandal-ridden menagerie as reflected in books, movies, and the political arena." - Booklist (starred review)

"Full of fascinating anecdotes, captivating characters, and references to 200 years of popular and high culture." - USA Today

"An engaging epic. . . . Every Man a Speculator is The Iliad set on Wall Street, its literary gravity pulling you along with the sweep of its narrative and the stylishness of the telling." - Boston Globe