I read this 23 years ago in college and loved it, so I thought I'd give it another go and see how time has changed my taste. While all the underlined text in my beat-up college-edition paperback is annoying, the novel has pulled me in once again. Norris grasps the contradictions inherent in American life and creates a slew of well-realized characters. Though it was published in 1901, its theme of corporate corruption tainting even the most pure seems downright timely and modern (which is pretty depressing, actually). Norris, like his hero Zola, has a knack for illuminating everyday life in his work. He died so young that he is often forgotten, but I think The Octopus is one of the best novels written around the turn of the century.