Larry Livingston

Larry Livingston is the main character of the book, fictionalized from the real-life stock speculator Jesse Livermore. His story starts as a young boy working in betting houses known as "bucket shops" in Boston. He has a knack for numbers and arithmetic and a very good memory, and is soon memorizing how various stocks behave and predicting their next actions. His ability to do this allows him to make a stake at a very young age, but he also gains a reputation for winning and is banned from speculating in Boston.

His ability to observe the behavior of the market, as well as the behavior of the people betting on the market, gives him an edge over other traders. He learns from his mistakes and is not afraid to make them, knowing he can recoup his losses one way or another and start again. He is able...