Get-rich-quick Wallingford. A Cheerful Account of the Rise and Fall of an American Business Buccaneer

First published in 1908, this comedic novel follows the exploits of Wallingford, a charismatic and cunning businessman who, through a series of elaborate scams and get-rich-quick schemes, builds a fortune only to see it slip away due to his own greed and mismanagement. Despite his ignominious downfall, Wallingford remains a lovable rogue who embodies the American spirit of optimism and opportunism.