The Honest Broker

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The Vault

Purity by Jonathan Franzen

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Ted Gioia
Jan 01, 2000
∙ Paid

Why do so many long novels of the current day echo the ghost of Dickens past? Donna’ Tartt’s massive The Goldfinch was filled with Dickensian elements, notably its orphan protagonist, its coming-of-age-amidst-thieves plot, and the recurring appearance of various eccentric characters at unexpected junctures. Earlier this year, Stephen Jarvis delivered hi…

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