Gain (novel)


Gain is a novel by Richard Powers published by in 1998. It intertwines two stories: the first is the history of Clare International, a chemical conglomerate with origins in soap manufacturing in the early 18th century; the second is of Laura Bodey, a 42-year-old divorcée living near Clare International's headquarters who develops ovarian cancer. It won the James Fenimore Cooper Prize for Best Historical Fiction in 1999.