JR by William Gaddis
The novel is a satirical critique of capitalism, narrating the story of an 11-year-old boy who builds a vast financial empire from his school's payphone. Using the adults around him as pawns, he manipulates the system to his own advantage, turning junk bonds into high profits. The narrative unfolds almost entirely through dialogue, making it a challenging but rewarding read. The book is a commentary on the American dream, exploring themes of greed, exploitation, and the dehumanizing effects of capitalism.
The 3852nd greatest book of all time
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- Published
- 1975
- Nationality
- American
- Length
- Long
- Pages
- 726
- Original Language
- English
- Avg User Rating
-
(5.0)
- Alternate Titles
- - J R
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This book is on the following 7 lists:
- 17th on 20th Century's Greatest Hits: 100 English-Language Books of Fiction (Larry McCaffery)
- 20th on 100 Best Novels in English Since 1900 (Counterpunch)
- 59th on In Which These Are the 100 Greatest Novels (ThisRecording.com)
- 95th on 4chan’s Literature Board’s Aggregate Top 100 Books for the Decade 2014 - 2024 (Reddit)
- 2266th on Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- National Book Award - Fiction (National Book Foundation)
- The 100 Greatest American Novels, 1893 – 1993 (Jeff O'Neal at Bookriot.com)