Picking up where Volume 1 left off, A Hazard of New Fortunes — Volume 2 turns up the heat on everyone in the Bascomb family's orbit. The central drama swirls around their new literary magazine, Every Other Week. It's supposed to be a noble venture, but it's funded by the stubborn, newly-rich coal magnate, Mr. Dryfoos, who cares more about his daughter's social climbing than editorial integrity. The staff is a volatile mix: the principled editor Basil March, the artistic genius Beaton, and the passionate German socialist Lindau. Their clashes over art, politics, and pay aren't just office gossip—they're a microcosm of America's growing pains.

The Story

The plot thickens as personal and public crises collide. Dryfoos, trying to control his daughter's life, causes major family strife. Meanwhile, a devastating streetcar strike erupts in New York City, paralyzing the metropolis. This isn't just background noise. The strike forces every character out of their comfortable debates and into the chaotic, often violent, reality of the labor struggle. Lindau, the old revolutionary, is drawn directly into the conflict. The climax is brutal and unexpected, a moment of public violence that leaves the magazine's staff shattered and questioning everything they thought they knew about their work, their city, and each other. The aftermath is a quiet, powerful reckoning.

Why You Should Read It

What grabbed me is how current this all feels. Howells writes about the awkward space between having principles and making a paycheck, something anyone in a creative field will recognize instantly. The characters aren't heroes or villains; they're complicated people trying to justify their choices. Basil March's internal struggle—to be a good man while working for a difficult boss in a divided city—is incredibly relatable. The strike chapters are some of the most tense and immediate writing I've encountered from this period. You can feel the anxiety in the streets.

Final Verdict

This book is perfect for readers who love rich, character-driven historical fiction that doesn't read like a history lesson. If you enjoyed the social dynamics of The Age of Innocence but wished it had more grit and street-level drama, you'll find a lot to love here. It’s also a great pick for anyone interested in the roots of America's ongoing conversations about wealth, work, and inequality. Fair warning: it's a thoughtful, talky novel—not a swashbuckling adventure. But if you let yourself sink into its world, the payoff is a profound understanding of a time that shaped our own.