The Turmoil

Bigger, newer, faster. Demolish and rebuild, then demolish and rebuild again. Smoke, soot, and noise are the badges of prosperity, and growth is for growth's sake. The first book in what would become known as Booth Tarkington's "growth trilogy" is about a small midwestern town rapidly transforming into a modern industrial city. The once-wealthy Vertrees family is fading into poverty, being displaced by the Sheridans, champions of business. But the obsession of Sheridan's patriarch with growth and prosperity brings with it the seeds of tragedy.Public Domain (P)2022 Mark Nelson