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Overview
A powerful family whose tragedies and triumphs define a nation and an era: this is the hallmark of the novels that have established John Jakes as master of the historical saga. In Homeland, Jakes has created an enthralling new dynasty - the Crowns of Chicago - contending with the awesome forces of history. Homeland is a towering epic of the immigrant adventure in America that calls to mind the rich tradition of Dreiser, Steinbeck, and Dos Passos. It pulses with a vast gallery of characters Dickensian in their vitality and distinctiveness. Among the major and supporting cast are: Paul Crown, a Berlin street boy who immigrates to America, to be caught up by the wonders of the motion pictures, and by Julie Vanderhoff, endangered daughter of a Chicago-stockyards tycoon; Joseph Crown, Paul's German-born uncle, ex-Civil War soldier and iron-willed beer baron; Ilsa, Joseph's wife, torn between old ways and the "new women" of her era; Joe Junior, the Crowns' oldest son - rebellious, drawn to the socialist movement his father hates; Rose French, tough-minded daughter of a railway worker, who tries to claw her way into high society; Julie's Aunt Willis, a fiercely emancipated woman, always involved with a new lover; and raffish, profane Colonel Sid Shadow, a born tinkerer and promoter, who sees the true potential of the movies as a mass medium. Into the lives of these characters are woven the real stories of real people: labor leader Eugene Debs; ambitious Theodore Roosevelt; ruthless Thomas Edison; two strong-willed spinsters who changed the roles of American women forever, Clara Barton of the Red Cross and Jane Addams of Hull House; young Black Jack Pershing; the aging Buffalo Bill; and more. Spanning a turbulent watershed decade in world history, 1890-1900, the action sweeps from Europe to America and across the length and breadth of a nation exploding with technological change, rapacious greed, social protest, vice, political corruption, class warfare - a nation ultiEditorials
Publishers Weekly -
The bestselling author of North and South returns with a new first-rate historical series that begins in 1890s Berlin, where young Pauli Kroner ekes out a living as a kitchen helper in a posh hotel. When his consumptive aunt dies, the orphaned Pauli books steerage to America, hoping to be reunited with his wealthy uncle, Joseph Crown, who fought for the Union Army and now heads a brewery empire in Chicago. Surviving a long, perilous journey, Pauli meets his American relatives, among them Aunt Ilsa, whose progressive views cause almost as much friction in the family as eldest son Joe Jr.'s alliance with the socialist labor movement. Pauli unexpectedly falls in love with Julie Vanderhoff, strong-willed daughter of a Chicago meat-packing millionaire who hates foreigners, further complicating the drama. Jakes portrays the Crowns, leading civic figures in Chicago, moving among a crowd of influential and important people, including Jane Addams, Teddy Roosevelt and Eugene Debs. Chock-full of fascinating period detail, his captivating story brings to life the sounds, smells and tastes of turn-of-the-century America in a manner comparable to Michener's Hawaii and Doctorow's Ragtime . An absolute must for the beach. Author tour; major ad/promo. (July)Library Journal
Jakes, the best-selling author of The Bastard (see review above) returns with his latest piece of historical fiction . Homeland , the first in a new series, focuses on the life of Paul Crown, who at age 15 leaves Germany to search for his uncle in America. A wealthy Chicago beer magnate, Joseph Crown warmly accepts Paul into his home and encourages him to join the family business. Paul, however, has other ideas and, after a falling out with his uncle, sets off to apprentice in the fledgling moving picture industry. Jakes introduces Paul to a wide range of characters, both real and fictional, who add spunk and interest to the plot. Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders, Clara Barton, and Eugene V. Debs are just a few of the legendary personalities woven into this captivating story. The colorful narration by veteran actor Edward Herrmann and background musical enhancement give an air of theatrics to this well-produced audiobook that works well as an abridgment. An excellent purchase for all public libraries.-- Gretchen Browne, Rockville Centre P.L., N.Y.School Library Journal
YA-In 1892, an orphaned German teenager, Pauli, comes to America to live with his uncle's family in Chicago. He arrives with the typical immigrant's vision of a flawless new homeland. During the next 10 years he experiences firsthand labor strife; poverty, greed, and crime in the city's slums; and suffering in the Cuban battlefields of 1898. Increasingly, his idealistic picture of the country changes until the end of the book when he sees his new homeland as a place where ``men are free.'' Likewise, the three-dimensional main characters have strengths and weaknesses, good points and faults. Theodore Roosevelt, Eugene Debs, Thomas Edison, Clara Barton, and Jane Addams make their appearances, and readers witness the growing labor-union movement, the women's-rights struggle, national expansionism, and the beginning of the moving-picture industry. The book's major drawback is its length. However, readers who are willing to invest the time will find it an interesting view of the U.S. at the turn of the century.- Shirley B. Blaes, R.E. Lee High School, Springfield, VABook Details
Published
April 1, 1994
Publisher
Bantam Books (Mm)
Pages
1200
Format
Paperbound
ISBN
9780553564990