The nationwide revival of interest in the works of America's Pioneer realistic novelist prompts the editors of the Modem Library to make William Dean Howells' most celebrated book available to contemporary readers. Written in 1885, The Rise of Silas Lapham was then hailed as the first study of the native self-made businessman. It traced a new phenomenon in our national life during the years following the Civil War and portrayed the ferocity of the struggle for social recognition and acceptance. With the passage of more than a half century, this novel still reflects an era in America's development and now offers a sharp, pertinent commentary on our national character.