Vandover and the Brute is a novel written by Frank Norris, first published in 1914. The story follows the life of Vandover, a young man from a wealthy family in San Francisco, as he descends into a life of debauchery and self-destruction.The novel begins with Vandover as a promising art student at the University of California, Berkeley. However, he soon becomes involved in a series of scandals that lead to his expulsion from the university. After returning to San Francisco, Vandover begins to indulge in a life of excess, including heavy drinking and womanizing.As the novel progresses, Vandover's behavior becomes increasingly erratic and destructive. He becomes involved in a series of failed business ventures and relationships, and his health begins to deteriorate. Despite the efforts of his friends and family to help him, Vandover is unable to overcome his self-destructive tendencies.Throughout the novel, Norris explores themes of wealth, class, and morality. He also provides a vivid portrayal of San Francisco during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Vandover and the Brute is considered one of Norris's most significant works and is often cited as an early example of American naturalism.1914. The overriding theme in Norris' fiction is the impact of industrialization on peaceful agricultural communities and the consequent chaos in the lives of people who lived in these communities. Written almost simultaneously with his great work, McTeague, Norris began writing Vandover and the Brute in Cambridge and completed it after his return to San Francisco. The influence of the great Frenchman, Emil Zola is apparent throughout the book. The novel begins: It was always a matter of wonder to Vandover that he was able to recall so little of his past life. With the exception of the most recent events he could remember nothing connectedly. What he at first imagined to be the story of his life, on closer inspection turned out to be but a few disconnected incidents that his memory had preserved with the greatest capriciousness, absolutely independent of their importance. One of these incidents might be a great sorrow, a tragedy, a death in his family; and another, recalled with the same vividness, the same accuracy of detail, might be a matter of the least moment. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.