The Octopus by Frank Norris

[placoors]

Slick Vik's post earlier today (Savage Inequalities) led me to this section about book topics that I did not know about.

 

Anyway...I read The Octopus by Frank Norris about 15 years ago in college and remember it being a pretty good read.

 

The Octopus: A Story of California is a 1901 novel by Frank Norris and was meant to be the first part of an uncompleted trilogy, The Epic of the Wheat. It describes the wheat industry in California, and the conflicts between wheat growers and a railway company. Norris was inspired to write the novel by the Central Pacific Railroad and the Mussel Slough Tragedy. In the novel he depicts the tensions between the railroad, the ranchers and the ranchers' League. The book emphasized the control of "forces"—such as growing wheat and the power of railroad monopolies—over individuals. Some editions of the work give the subtitle as alternately, A California Story.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Octopus:_A_Story_of_California

 

Another old favorite:

 

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

[Cookiie]

I read that novel too. Can't remember when but it must have been over a decade ago. The title looked familiar and when I looked it up I remembered it. It's a really great story and although it's old, I find that it's still relevant. 

[Leanne]

I haven't read that book but I was intrigued by the title and I think I just might search for it and read it. I hope I can find it in an ebook format.