The Big Town: How I and the Mrs. Go to New York to See Life and Get Katie a Husband

244 pp. A story about a small-town boy named Eddie Higgins who moves to Chicago to make a name for himself. He dreams of becoming a successful businessman and living the high life in the big city. As Eddie navigates the cutthroat world of Chicago's business and social scenes, he meets a cast of characters who will either help or hinder his progress. He falls in love with a wealthy socialite named Marjorie Schuyler, but their relationship is complicated by their different backgrounds and social status. Eddie's rise to success is not without its setbacks, and he soon finds himself embroiled in a scandal that threatens to ruin his reputation and his dreams. He must decide whether to fight back or give up on his ambitions and return to his small hometown. The Big Town is a satirical look at the American dream and the pursuit of success in the early 20th century. Lardner's witty and incisive writing style skewers the excesses and follies of the era's wealthy elite while also sympathetically portraying the struggles of those trying to make their way in the world.