The Big Money

The roar of the 1920s. Fortunes made and lost. America at its most extravagant—and ruthless.

In the explosive final volume of John Dos Passos’ landmark U.S.A. Trilogy, the dream of limitless wealth, collides with the harsh realities of power, corruption, and human fragility. Set during the booming 1920s and the crash that followed, The Big Money weaves together the lives of ambitious aviators, ruthless financiers, Hollywood starlets, labor organizers, and ordinary people swept up in the frenzy of speculation, celebrity, and excess.

Using his revolutionary “camera eye” technique, vivid Newsreel montages, and sharp biographical sketches of real figures (including Henry Ford, William Randolph Hearst, and Isadora Duncan), Dos Passos creates a panoramic portrait of a nation intoxicated by money, speed, and modernity. As characters chase success, love, and meaning, the novel exposes the glittering surface and dark underbelly of American capitalism—its triumphs, betrayals, and devastating human cost.

A masterpiece of modernist fiction and one of the most ambitious novels of the 20th century, The Big Money completes the U.S.A. Trilogy’s sweeping critique of American society with power, innovation, and unflinching honesty.

• First published in 1936
• The concluding novel of the groundbreaking U.S.A. Trilogy (The 42nd Parallel, 1919, and The Big Money)
• A landmark work of literary modernism and social commentary

Available in multiple formats:

• Paperback & Hardcover: Elegant print editions presenting the complete, unabridged text, ideal for your bookshelf.
• Ebook: DRM-free EPUB compatible with Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, and all major e-readers.
• Audiobook: Professionally narrated, complete and unabridged, perfect for immersive listening.

A powerful and essential American classic for readers who appreciate bold literary experimentation, sweeping social panoramas, and timeless insight into the American Dream, or the perfect capstone to the U.S.A. Trilogy.

About the Author

John Dos Passos (1896–1970) was an American novelist, playwright, and artist, widely regarded as one of the most innovative voices of the Lost Generation. A master of modernist techniques, his works combine fiction, journalism, and documentary styles to capture the complexity of American life. Best known for the U.S.A. Trilogy, Dos Passos drew from his experiences in World War I, his leftist political roots, and later conservative shift to create enduring literature that chronicles the social, economic, and cultural forces shaping 20th-century America.