Hernan Diaz (Essayist, Author of “In the Distance”) tells the story of one of the wealthiest men in the world. Or rather, four stories. Each portrays the life of a young stock trader who uses almost-supernatural financial insight to achieve untold wealth and the “vulgar weight” of luxury.
Below is an excerpt.
It wasn’t difficult to find a buyer in order to buy his father’s business. Benjamin encouraged two manufacturers from Virginia and one from the United Kingdom, to bid against each other. He wanted to move on from this part of his history and was happy to see the British win, sending the tobacco company back to where it came from. He was truly happy that he could work on a higher level, take on more risk and finance long-term transactions that he had not considered in the past, thanks to the sale. His wealth was inversely proportional to his possessions. All his family property, including the West 17th Street brownstone, was sold. Two trunks were made from his clothes and papers. They were then sent to the Wagstaff hotel, where he occupied a suite of rooms.
He was fascinated by the tricks money could pull off, and how it could be forced to feed itself. His character was defined by the self-sufficient, isolated nature of speculation. He found it a source for wonder and a means to himself, no matter what wealth was. Luxury was a burden. His seclusionist spirit didn’t desire the opportunity to experience new things. His unsocial mind did not value politics or the pursuit of power. He was not interested in strategy games like bridge or chess. Benjamin wouldn’t be able to explain why he chose finance. Yes, the complexity, but also that capital was an antiseptically alive thing. It can move, eat, grow, breed, fall ill, and even die. It is clean. He realized this over time. He was less involved in the details of larger operations. He didn’t have to touch any banknotes or interact with the people and things he affected by his transaction. He had to think, talk, and maybe write all he needed. The living creature would then set itself in motion, creating beautiful patterns as it moved into new realms of abstraction. Sometimes, it would follow its own appetites that Benjamin could not have predicted. This gave Benjamin an additional pleasure: the creature trying its free will. It was something he loved and understood, even though it sometimes disappointed him.
Excerpted From “Trust” by HernanDiaz. Copyright (c), 2022 Hernan Diaz All rights reserved. Without permission from the publisher, no part of this excerpt can be reproduced or printed.
More information:
