Brewster's Millions by George Barr McCutcheon
He hosts an all expenses paid luxury cruise to Europe for fifty guests and showers them with expensive gifts. When he's mugged in a dark alley, he insists that the thugs also take the $300 stashed away in his back pocket...
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He hosts an all expenses paid luxury cruise to Europe for fifty
guests and showers them with expensive gifts. When he's mugged in a
dark alley, he insists that the thugs also take the $300 stashed
away in his back pocket. He flies into a rage whenever one of his
employees suggests cutting costs. Every time he places a bet, he
wins, causing him even more despair! In Brewster's Millions by
George Barr McCutcheon, a classic riches-to-rags tale, Montgomery
Brewster is bound by the terms of an eccentric uncle's will to
spend one million dollars completely within a year so that he can
lay claim to an even bigger fortune. Published in 1902 under the
pseudonym of Richard Greaves, the book was actually written on the
basis of a bet between the writer and his publisher! Best known for
his seven novels set in the fictional East European country of
Graustark, McCutcheon convinced his publisher that a good plot did
not need a well-known name to become a best-selling novel. He
accepted the $100 bet, wrote Brewster's Millions in six weeks flat
and submitted it under the name of Richard Greaves. The rest, as
they say, became publishing history. In just two months, the book
sold more than 150,000 copies and earned its author lifelong fame.
The book also marks a shift from the British-centric literature
that was popular in America in the early years of the 20th century.
The plot is ingenious and racy. Monty Brewster is a young man in
modest circumstances, who inherits $1 million from his grandfather.
A few days later, a wealthy uncle also dies, leaving an even bigger
fortune to Monty. However, there's a catch. The late grandfather
and uncle were sworn enemies and under the terms of the uncle's
will, Monty must spend his entire inheritance of $1 million within
a year to claim his uncle's fabulous fortune. This proves more
difficult than Monty imagined. He cannot donate excessively to
charity, give away too much to beggars or “lose” his money
gambling. In fact, he has uncanny luck while gambling and manages
to win every time he plays! With a romance woven into the plot, it
takes readers on a merry ride to the unexpected climax. Brewster's
Millions has been adapted to stage, film and television round the
world. Hollywood itself made its first movie based on the book in
1914 and the latest version in 1985. The book is indeed a fun read
for all ages!
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