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Brewster's millions
First published 1902 · 354 pages
A frantic, high-society farce where the ultimate challenge is trying to lose a fortune as quickly as possible.
What it feels like
Reading this classic comedy feels like watching a meticulously choreographed stage farce set in the opulent drawing rooms of the Gilded Age. The narrative moves at a brisk, breathless clip, mirroring the protagonist's frantic desperation to rid himself of an unwanted fortune. Instead of dread, the atmosphere is soaked in a breezy, theatrical irony where every attempt at financial ruin hilariously backfires into greater success. The prose is light and witty, capturing the absurdity of extreme wealth and the bizarre social rules of turn-of-the-century high society. It is a delightfully low-stakes romp that will charm readers who love the screwball energy of P.G. Wodehouse or the ticking-clock adventures of Jules Verne, offering a timeless, laugh-out-loud exploration of money and happiness.
- Mood
- frantic
- opulent
- breezy
- theatrical
- Tone
- wry
- farcical
- lighthearted
- ironic
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the absurdity of wealth · unintended consequences · the burden of secrets · materialism versus happiness
- The writing
- The prose is breezy and theatrical, relying on sharp situational irony and the exaggerated manners of turn-of-the-century high society.
- The arc
- The journey moves from frantic, overwhelming anxiety to a chaotic but ultimately heartwarming sense of liberation.
- Who it's for
- Anyone who delights in classic screwball comedies, Gilded Age high jinks, and low-stakes farces where the biggest threat is accidental financial success.
Content notes
- period-typical attitudes
About the book
Filmed from a copy of the original publication held by the University of Manitoba, Elizabeth Dafoe Library, Winnipeg. Ottawa: Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions, 1997.
Translation of: Brewster's millions.
Description from Open Library.
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