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McTeague

A Norton Critical Edition
By Frank Norris
Series: Norton Critical Editions
0.0 (0 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
McTeague by Frank Norris is a gripping study of social ambition and moral decline set in San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century. The story follows McTeague, a simple and honest dentist whose life spirals into chaos as he encounters greed and obsession. As fortunes change, relationships unravel, and a dark descent ensues, the novel explores themes of human nature and the corrupting power of wealth.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3099
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're interested in exploring themes of greed and the darker side of human nature. It offers a vivid portrayal of life in 19th-century San Francisco and is known for its unflinching realism and dramatic character development. If you appreciate stories with complex characters and moral dilemmas, you might find this novel intriguing.

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The text of this edition presents, fully annotated, the 1899 First Edition text of McTeague, a significant example of American literary naturalism and a commentary on turn-of-the-century American cultural values.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Contexts focuses on the novel's sources and composition. Included are newspaper accounts of a San Francisco murder, a description of Norris' Polk Street neighbourhood, which figures prominently in McTeague, an examination of the relationship between the novel and naturalism, and a discussion of the book's genesis, from its origin as a Harvard assignment to Norris's revision of it upon his return to San Francisco.

Criticism has been revised to include major recent assessments of the novel. Two seminal pieces from the previous edition have been retained—Ernest Marchand's account of McTeague's 1899 reviews and Donald Pizer's essay on naturalism.

Six essays and four stills from Erich von Stroheim's film version of McTeague are new. The new essays are by Don Graham, William E. Cain, Barbara Hochman, James L. Caron, Mary Lawlor, and Donna M. Campbell.

A Chronology and an updated Selected Bibliography are included.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

McTeague by Frank Norris is often praised for its vivid portrayal of human greed and the destructive power of obsession. Set in San Francisco, the novel uses rich detail and naturalism to depict the unraveling of its characters' lives. Some readers appreciate its gritty narrative and psychological depth, while others find its stark realism unsettling. The novel remains a significant work in American literature for exploring the darker aspects of human nature.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780393970135

Publisher: WW Norton & Co

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 15 January 1997

Country: United States

Imprint: WW Norton & Co

Edition: Second Edition

Illustration: Illustrated

Contributors:

  • Edited by Donald Pizer

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 25.0mm

Width: 132.0mm

Height: 213.0mm

Weight: 364g

Pages: 432

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction Frank Norris General Fiction Literary Fiction Series: Norton Critical Editions

About the Author

Donald Pizer was Pierce Butler Professor of English Emeritus at Tulane University. He was the author of The Novels of Theodore Dreiser, Realism and Naturalism in Nineteenth-Century American Literature, The Theory and Practice of American Literary Naturalism, and The Novels of Frank Norris, among others.

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