Trust (Pulitzer Prize Winner) by Hernan Diaz on May 24, 2022
Genres: FICTION / Family Life / Marriage & Divorce, Fiction / Historical / General, Fiction / Literary
Pages: 512
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
This is a book that you will want to focus on when you read it. This book is told in the lead up to the 1929 Wall Street Crash. This multi-layered story is told in four distinct parts, each one subtly—or, in the case of the final section, not so subtly—changing the meaning of what came before. At its core, the novel is about perception—how history is written, who controls the narrative, and what remains hidden beneath the surface of accepted stories.
Part I is a biographical novel based on the life of an infamous Wall Street trader. Part II, an unfinished draft of the autobiography the trader began writing, with the help of a ghostwriter, to “correct” the novel’s portrayal of his life. Part III is from the point of view of that ghostwriter, and Part IV … no spoilers, but it blows the lid off the whole thing. Structure nerds like myself will find much to appreciate here. Diaz isn’t just playing with form for the sake of novelty—each shift in perspective forces the reader to reconsider what they thought they knew.
Beyond its intricate structure, Trust is also a biting critique of capitalism and the myth of the self-made man. It peels back the layers of power to reveal the invisible hands shaping financial empires, as well as the personal sacrifices and manipulations that sustain them. The novel demands patience, but the payoff is immense. Diaz’s prose is elegant yet precise, making even discussions of finance compelling, while the human drama at the heart of the book keeps the reader emotionally invested.
For fans of literary puzzles and stories that challenge traditional storytelling, Trust is an absolute must-read. It’s a novel that lingers in the mind long after the final page—an ambitious, cerebral, and ultimately rewarding book that cements Hernan Diaz as a master of narrative deception.