The World's Greatest Novels

The Rise of Silas Lapham

English · Radio

William Dean Howells’s The Rise of Silas Lapham follows a self-made businessman whose success brings him into Boston’s upper-class society. As Silas and his family navigate questions of status, ambition, and personal integrity, the novel examines the costs of trying to rise in a world governed by social expectations.

This radio presentation brings a work of American literary fiction to the air in dramatic form. Its focus on family relationships and moral choices offers a character-centered story, with the tensions of business and social life shaping the listening experience.

Howells’s measured, observant storytelling balances social comedy with serious reflection. The result is an intimate portrait of a man confronting what success means—and what he is willing to sacrifice to attain it.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.