The Lion and the Mouse; a Story of an American Life

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Klein, Charles, 1867-1915

Contributor:

Hornblow, Arthur, 1865-1942

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"The Lion and the Mouse; a Story of an American Life" by Charles Klein and Arthur Hornblow is a novel written in the early 20th century during a time of significant economic and social turbulence in America. The story delves into the life of John Burkett Ryder, a powerful and wealthy railroad magnate whose unscrupulous methods and obsession with wealth come into conflict with the ideals of honesty and morality represented by Judge Rossmore. The opening of the novel sets the stage in the bustling offices of the Southern and Transcontinental Railroad Company, capturing the tension as directors prepare for a crucial meeting. Their fears are focused on a legal injunction affecting the railroad's operations, a situation exacerbated by Ryder's increasingly corrupt tactics and the unyielding integrity of Judge Rossmore. Key characters are introduced, including Ryder, alongside his son Jefferson, who ultimately diverges from his father's unethical business practices to seek a different path, illustrating the generational conflict over morality and the cost of wealth. The complexity of their relationships and the rich backdrop of early 20th-century capitalism provide a gripping narrative as the story unfolds. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team

Notes:

There is an improved edition of this title, eBook #14204

Reading ease score: 72.6 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.

Release date is 2004-02-01