Poor White, by Sherwood Anderson

An electronic book, available online: http://www.fiction.us/anderson/porwhite/cover.html

Published in 1920. Covers the beginning of the industrial revolution while telling the story of young Hugh McVey, of Missouri, who moves to Ohio and begins to dream of making machines.

http://ndbooks.com/book/poor-white

I don't know, I'll probably reveal my ignorance here, but I didn't think this book was very good. Boring, too full of exposition, lifeless characters, and a really strange plot. There's some good stuff on the industrial revolution and the oppression of workers, equity trading, financial corruption, etc., but all in all, my advice: don't bother.