"My desires come first"—this is the life motto of Frank Cowperwood, the main character of Theodore Dreiser's famous Trilogy of Desire . In the novel The Financier , the first part of the trilogy, which also includes The Titan and The Stoic , we meet a young Frank. His surroundings shape in him the mindset of an entrepreneur. Starting with small speculations and gradually getting involved in bold and risky operations, in the tough world of competition, Cowperwood accumulates wealth. His drive, energy, and talent turn him into a financial genius.