
audiobook
by T. S. (Timothy Shay) Arthur
Two recent college graduates, Lawrence and Lloyd, step onto the world’s stage with very different upbringings and expectations. Lawrence, the son of a frugal grocer, has been groomed for wealth and status, while Lloyd, raised by a diligent watchmaker, carries a quieter conviction that true success lies in usefulness and service. Their friendship, forged in youth, now faces the first real test as they discuss the paths ahead—law, commerce, medicine—and what it truly means to “rise in the world.”
The opening chapters set up a lively debate between ambition and principle, revealing how family values and personal ambition shape each man’s vision of the future. As they prepare to leave the college halls, listeners are invited to consider whether prosperity alone defines greatness, or if a deeper purpose can guide a life of fulfillment. The story promises a thoughtful exploration of class, character, and the choices that determine a man’s legacy.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (209K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United States: Baker & Scribner (Hubbard & Burgess), 1847.
Release date
2023-08-03
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1809–1885
Best known for the temperance novel Ten Nights in a Bar-Room and What I Saw There, this hugely popular 19th-century American writer built his career on vivid moral tales drawn from everyday life. His stories were written for a broad audience and often aimed to spark sympathy, reform, and conversation.
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