Dream Road: A Hundred Years of Pioneering on Wall Street

Author: Howard M. Wakler (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Wall Street, as one of the most famous streets in the United States, has an inextricable connection with American history, the development of capitalism, and the ups and downs of financial markets. There is no other street that can compare to it, nor has any other place given birth to such myths or so many dreams and aspirations. This book, based on original archival research, rich historical photographs, and vivid narration, provides a best-selling history of one of America's great symbols, while also offering a critical evaluation of Wall Street's role in the political, economic, and cultural development of the United States. Author Wakler captures the key figures who shaped the early development of Wall Street—not only the well-known personalities but also the less famous ordinary people. He traces the broader history of social development and its own objective structural evolution. He focuses on the New York Stock Exchange, the most important institution on Wall Street, but does not overlook the histories of other banks and exchanges. He explores the ways Wall Street influences politics and how it is, in turn, influenced by more powerful political forces around it. He also analyzes the complex relationship between Wall Street and two other streets—Pennsylvania Avenue and Central Street—which represent the power of the U.S. government and its people. Wall Street, as one of the most famous streets in the United States, has an inextricable connection with American history, the development of capitalism, and the ups and downs of financial markets. There is no other street that can compare to it, nor has any other place given birth to such myths or so many dreams and aspirations. This book, based on original archival research, rich historical photographs, and vivid narration, provides a best-selling history of one of America's great symbols, while also offering a critical evaluation of Wall Street's role in the political, economic, and cultural development of the United States.