George Gissing 
Our Friend the Charlatan 

Despite being born to a working-class family, Dyce Lashmar — the ‘charlatan’ of the book’s title — has been lucky enough to wrangle a top-shelf college education. But his high hopes and ambitions crash to earth with a resounding thud when he suddenly finds himself penniless and without any prospects. Can Lashmar put his scant talents to work to get his life back on track?