Sealskin and Shoddy: Working Women in the American Nineteenth Century Labor Press, 1870-1920, Vol. 96 Book

An individual "pursuing his own interest…frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it." That quote from the 18th century economist and philosopher Adam Smith pertains to Frank Cowperwood, the hero of Thedore Dreiser's trilogy, of which "The Titan" is the second novel. I haven't read the other books, but from reading The Titan I'd say Cowperwood's interest(s) are money, power, art and women, though not necessarily in that order.
Does society benefit from Cowperwood's vigorous pursuit of his interests? I'd say yes and no. Yes, to the extent he provides late 19th century Chicago with improved public transportation. And his burgeoning art collection seems destined for some art museum. No, in that his sharp dealing and political shenanigans, which often cross the line into illegality, i.e. bribery and extortion, and aggressive womanizing, often directed at the wives and daughters of rivals, associates and acquaintances, adds to the Gilded Age culture of corruption.
Dreiser called his Cowperwood novels a Trilogy of Desire, and desire or lust for wealth, sexual fulfillment, art and glory as motivating forces is what these novels are about. The Titan is set in the period 1876-1898, a time of robber barons and financial buccaneers, boom and bust, machine politics, graft, rapid settlement of the West, urban growth, industrialization, immigration, social upheaval, racism and class warfare. There were reformers and crusading journalists, but in this novel, they are for the most part portrayed as self-serving hypocrites.
Dreiser's prose has been criticized as "turgid" and "clunky," and I partly agree. He's at his worst when he tries to be literary and philosophical, often coming across as long-winded, flowery and sentimental. On the other hand, at his best his prose is clean, direct and compelling, which may be traced to his roots as a journalist. Moreover, as a reader and writer of historical fiction I find his descriptions of the time and place fascinating, especially in his detailed description of manners, morals, fashions and technological change, including the early telephones, gas and electric lighting, streetcars, elevated railways and the first automobiles.
All in all, not my favorite Dreiser'I prefer Sister Carrie'but in my opinion still worth reading.