Helpful Score: 1
Dressed in a new suit with 150 dollars in his pocket, Adam Arnring says goodbye to his family and boards a train for the West. The year is 1907. Adam is nineteen years old, a young man with stars in his eyes who has dreams of a bright future in the wide open spaces of America. Far from his New Jersey roots, Adam lands a job in a small department store in a booming Texas town. He is taken with the beautiful and untouchable Emma Rothirsch who inhabits a world whose doors are forever closed to him. But Adam is determined to fight for what he wants.
One is Emma, another is to build a lasting empire to pass on to his children and grandchildren. But just when Adam seems to be able to attain what he wants, fate intervenes. Tragedy strikes from the trenches of World War I, setting in motion a series of events which will have reprecussions throughout the years.
Adam, now the head of a growing family and a prosperous department store, succumbs to a moment of weakness culminating in an ultimate act of betrayal - one that is unforgivable. Now as a new generation of the family is born, a secret from the Arnrings' past reaches forward to shatter their lives.
Surprisingly, this is one of very few books by Ms. Plain that is completely new to me. Somehow, it never even registered on my radar that she had written a new book until this one had been out for almost a decade. I have always thought Belva Plain was a wonderful author - in my opinion, she was a natural born storyteller, able to develop the type of characters that readers could really relate to and plots that were incredibly realistic.
The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain is just such a book - I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story, and was completely swept away by it; avidly wanting to know what would happen next. I would definitely give this book an A+! and would whole-heartedly recommend it to others who enjoy reading historical family sagas.
One is Emma, another is to build a lasting empire to pass on to his children and grandchildren. But just when Adam seems to be able to attain what he wants, fate intervenes. Tragedy strikes from the trenches of World War I, setting in motion a series of events which will have reprecussions throughout the years.
Adam, now the head of a growing family and a prosperous department store, succumbs to a moment of weakness culminating in an ultimate act of betrayal - one that is unforgivable. Now as a new generation of the family is born, a secret from the Arnrings' past reaches forward to shatter their lives.
Surprisingly, this is one of very few books by Ms. Plain that is completely new to me. Somehow, it never even registered on my radar that she had written a new book until this one had been out for almost a decade. I have always thought Belva Plain was a wonderful author - in my opinion, she was a natural born storyteller, able to develop the type of characters that readers could really relate to and plots that were incredibly realistic.
The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain is just such a book - I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story, and was completely swept away by it; avidly wanting to know what would happen next. I would definitely give this book an A+! and would whole-heartedly recommend it to others who enjoy reading historical family sagas.
A well written book about how hard work and a dream can lead to success in family and business. With $150 and a train ticket to the wild west, the story begins and follows 4 generations and their loves and losses and lives.
I enjoyed this book, but something on the back cover had me looking for "past begins to unravel, revealing a shattering secret that reached back nearly a century." I kept waiting for some deep secret twist.
Don't get hung up on that, because there are secrets, and the plot thickens, but I never found this sentence to be true. I wasted a lot of thought looking for something that never came.
Don't get hung up on that, because there are secrets, and the plot thickens, but I never found this sentence to be true. I wasted a lot of thought looking for something that never came.
Classic Belva Plain!!
She is a master of the readable novel!
She is a master of the readable novel!
Beginning in the early 1900's, this is the story of the son of a poor grocery store owner who left his home to seek his place in the world. Through hard work, he becomes a very wealthy man. Along the way, he experiences love, heartache, adventure while constantly working to protect and support his wife, his children, his father, and his brothers.
I really enjoyed reading this book, very fast reading, hard to put down,
Belva Plain at her ultimate best...
A wonderful story that chronicles four generations of one family...as they journey through years of love,loss and unimaginable betrayal....
Belva Plain at her ultimate best...
A wonderful story that chronicles four generations of one family...as they journey through years of love,loss and unimaginable betrayal....
A chronicle of four generations of one family..as they journey through years of love, loss, and unimaginable betrayal.
A TALE OF FOUR GENERATIONS
I loved this. Just the insight to the early 20th century is great. It is very warm and loving.
From Publishers Weekly
In bestseller Plain's 21st novel, the son of a Jewish shopkeeper and an Irish farm girl seeks, and finds, his fortune in Texas. The saga begins in 1900, when 13-year-old Adam Arnring learns his parents had never married. His father and stepmother are good people, but he never really wanted to work in the family shop, so at 19 he hops a westbound train from New Jersey with $150 in his pocket. In the small but prosperous and growing town of Chattahoochee, Tex., he parlays his family grocery store experience and a moment of serendipity into a start-up job in a local clothing store. Thanks to years of hard work and a bit of luck, Adam takes over the business and becomes a wealthy and successful man; he even marries Emma Rothirsch, the formidable founder's beautiful and musical niece. Plains speeds forward as Adam and his family in Texas and back in New Jersey suffer the tragedies of World War I, the Great Depression and World War II. She shows Adam turn from a bachelor to a father of five, then to a grandfather and a great-grandfather. Her characters are pleasant and her plot is well paced, with dashes of intrigue, family feuds and secrets to spice things up. However, a side plot involving one of Adam's half-brothers, the hapless misfit Leo, who buries himself in mysterious books and comes to a fortune through blackmail, completely misses the mark. There's nothing revelatory here, just a lot of characters living their lives, and as such, it's an entertaining enough tale.
In bestseller Plain's 21st novel, the son of a Jewish shopkeeper and an Irish farm girl seeks, and finds, his fortune in Texas. The saga begins in 1900, when 13-year-old Adam Arnring learns his parents had never married. His father and stepmother are good people, but he never really wanted to work in the family shop, so at 19 he hops a westbound train from New Jersey with $150 in his pocket. In the small but prosperous and growing town of Chattahoochee, Tex., he parlays his family grocery store experience and a moment of serendipity into a start-up job in a local clothing store. Thanks to years of hard work and a bit of luck, Adam takes over the business and becomes a wealthy and successful man; he even marries Emma Rothirsch, the formidable founder's beautiful and musical niece. Plains speeds forward as Adam and his family in Texas and back in New Jersey suffer the tragedies of World War I, the Great Depression and World War II. She shows Adam turn from a bachelor to a father of five, then to a grandfather and a great-grandfather. Her characters are pleasant and her plot is well paced, with dashes of intrigue, family feuds and secrets to spice things up. However, a side plot involving one of Adam's half-brothers, the hapless misfit Leo, who buries himself in mysterious books and comes to a fortune through blackmail, completely misses the mark. There's nothing revelatory here, just a lot of characters living their lives, and as such, it's an entertaining enough tale.
A wonderful story proving that hard work pays off in business and love, but betrayal is always right around the corner.
This book chronicles the journey of several generations of one family; their sucesses, failures, losses etc. I've read other books by this author who is an accomplished storyteller and really enjoyed each one. This volume is no exception. Highly reccomend this book!
I love books that cover mulitple generations. I like knowing what happened to people. I knew we would have to find the long lost brother by the end but it was done in such an interesting way. Don't read ahead now.
Simply put, it was pretty boring. It was hard to get into, and you kept waiting for the story to get you caught up in it, but it didn't. It starts when they are young, ends when they are old, and not a lot in between but the basics.
Adam Arnring leaves his family in l907 and sets out with stars in his eyes with great hopes for a bright future. His two goals are to get Emma,whose doors are firmly closed to him, and the bright business career. He achieves great success, but succumbs to a moment of weakness that culminates in an unforgivable act of betrayal. The book is well-written and fast moving.
Interesting book by one of my favorite authors.
Explores the bonds that sustain families.
In 1907, Adam leaves his family and boards a train to the West. He gets a job in a department store in Texas and meets a woman, Emma. Just when he's about to begin a family business, tragedy strikes from World War I. This sets in motion a series of events that continue through the years, and a secret is revealed that reaches as far back as a century.
This is the story of Adam Arnring, a young man who heads west in 1907 to build a life for himself. He lands a job in a small department store and eventually owns the store and is very successful but makes an error in judgement and regrets it for the remainder of his life.
I loved this book and read it in 2 days.
I found this book quite interesting. But then anything by Belva Plain is a good book.
Dressed in a brand-new suit, with one hundred and fifty dollars in his pocket, nineteen-year-old Adam Arning says good-bye to his family and boards a train for the fabled West. The year is 1907. Soon Adam lands a job in a small department store in a booming Texas town and meets a woman who excites him beyond all measure:the exquisite, untouchable Emma Rothisch.
Adam is 19. Wearing a new suit and carrying $50 dollars in his pocket, he says good bye to his family and heads out to the west. It is 1907. He lands a job in a small department store in a booming Texas town. Here he meets Emma, who lives in a world whose doors are shut to him. But Adam is willing to do what is necessary to get what he wants-and he does.
Dressed in a brand-new suit, with $150 in his pocket 19 yr old Adam Arnring says goodby to his family and boards a train for the fabled west. The year is 1907. Soon Adam lands a job in a small department store in a boomimg Texas town-and meets a woman who excited him beyond all measure: the exquisite untouchable Emma Rothirsch. When another generation prepares to take its place in the family\'s empire, the Arnrings\' past begins to unravel, revealing a shattering secret that reachs back nearly a century.
Belva Olain beguiles us once again with a novel that explores the bonds that sustain families-sweeping throught the pivotal events of the 20th century
large print edition
The son of a Jewish shopkeeper and an Irish farm girl seeks, and finds, his fortune in Texas. The saga begins in 1900, when 13-year-old Adam Arnring learns his parents had never married. His father and stepmother are good people, but he never really wanted to work in the family shop, so at 19 he hops a westbound train from New Jersey with $150 in his pocket. In the small but prosperous and growing town of Chattahoochee, Tex., he parlays his family grocery store experience and a moment of serendipity into a start-up job in a local clothing store. Thanks to years of hard work and a bit of luck, Adam takes over the business and becomes a wealthy and successful man; he even marries Emma Rothirsch, the formidable founder's beautiful and musical niece.
From New York Times bestselling author Belva Plain comes a mesmerizing new novel--a tale that chronicles four generations of one family...as they journey through years of love, loss, and unimaginable betrayal.
Dressed in a brand-new suit, with one hundred and fifty dollars in his pocket, nineteen-year-old Adam Arnring says good-bye to his family and boards a train for the fabled West. The year is 1907. Soon Adam lands a job in a small department store in a booming Texas town--and meets a woman who excites him beyond all measure: the exquisite, untouchable Emma Rothirsch.
But just when Adam begins to realize his dream--to build a family business that will live on for generations--fate intervenes. Tragedy strikes from the trenches of World War I, setting in motion a series of events that echo down through the years. And now, as another generation prepares to take its rightful place in the family's legendary empire, the tenuous threads of the Arnrings' past begin to unravel, revealing a shattering secret that reaches back nearly a century.
Dressed in a brand-new suit, with one hundred and fifty dollars in his pocket, nineteen-year-old Adam Arnring says good-bye to his family and boards a train for the fabled West. The year is 1907. Soon Adam lands a job in a small department store in a booming Texas town--and meets a woman who excites him beyond all measure: the exquisite, untouchable Emma Rothirsch.
But just when Adam begins to realize his dream--to build a family business that will live on for generations--fate intervenes. Tragedy strikes from the trenches of World War I, setting in motion a series of events that echo down through the years. And now, as another generation prepares to take its rightful place in the family's legendary empire, the tenuous threads of the Arnrings' past begin to unravel, revealing a shattering secret that reaches back nearly a century.
Typical of Belva Plain's work, this is a well-developed, credible saga of several generations of an American family which began with an immigrant. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Dressed in a brand-new suite, with one hundred and fifty dollars in his pocket, nineteen-year old Adam Arnring says good-bye to his family and boards a rain for the fabled West. The year is 1907. Soon Adam lands a job in a small department store in a booming Texas town---and meets a woman who excites him beyond all measure: the exquisite, untouchable Emma Rothirsch. This is a tale that chronicles four generations of one family...as they journey through years of love, loss, and unimaginable betrayal.
new, never read, just a bit dusty
got this book in a school book swap
Purchased at the Sherman Oaks, Ca. Public Library's monthly book sale for the purpose of trading. Registered with Bookcrossing.com
