
The volume gathers Brann’s razor‑sharp essays that pull back the curtain on a world of opulent idle rich and exhausted wage‑workers. Through the lens of a flamboyant financier lounging on a yacht while his employees scrape by on a few dollars a day, the author sketches a portrait of a society convinced it is entering a ‘business revival’ that is, in fact, a mirage.
The prose mixes sardonic dispatches, a letter from a beleaguered railway clerk, and vivid metaphor to lay bare the contradictions of high tariffs, the gold standard, and political spin. Brann’s humor cuts deep as he exposes how inflated securities values mask a widening gap between the privileged few and the masses forced into overtime for meagre pay.
Listeners will find a compelling blend of historical detail and timeless critique, inviting reflection on how rhetoric about prosperity can hide systemic hardship. The work remains a lively, thought‑provoking journey into the economics and ethics of an era that still echoes today.
Language
en
Duration
~9 hours (567K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
1996-06-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1855–1898
Best remembered as the fiery editor of The Iconoclast, this late-19th-century journalist built a reputation for fearless attacks on hypocrisy and corruption. His combative style made him famous across Texas and beyond, and it also helped lead to the violence that ended his life.
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