American Dreams

Jakes makes history exciting and interesting as he weaves his well-thought-out characters into the history keeping your interest as the plot develops. I am not a history buff, but I will read each of this author's books.

I started reading this book for a project and ended up not wanting to put it down. This was my first exposure to anything that Jakes has written and I am already looking forward to reading his other books. He weaves in historical facts without the reader even realizing what he has done. This book gives the reader a feel for the time period right before the first world war, and by the end, the reader feels almost as if they could have lived through it themselves. This book was both exciting to read and educational. A welcome surprise!

As most people of my acquaintance know, in my eyes, John Jakes is king. His characters never fail to intrigue; his seamless insertion of historical facts never cease to amaze, and his intermingling of fictional characters and real-life personages is his unequaled specialty. The eight-book series, "The Kent Family Chronicles," along with the "North & South Trilogy," remain my all-time favorites in the genre of historical fiction. These are the very books that inspired me to try my hand at novel writing. For that alone, Mr. Jakes has my undying gratitude and admiration. Needless to say, any and all new offerings by this extraordinary talent are eagerly anticipated. And how I eagerly anticipated "American Dreams," which begins where the marvelous "Homeland" ended, albeit a few years later. I will admit, I experienced mild disappointment when first I began reading. Oh, not that the characters, storyline, and historical details are anything but typical Jakes magic, but I was expecting the novel to feature Paul Crown, the young man who (in "Homeland") immigrated from Germany to Chicago in the late 1800s to make a new life for himself as a moving-picture camera operator during the Spanish/American war. Since Paul had proven himself a worthy lead character, I was hoping this sequel would dwell on his further adventures. Certainly, Paul does make an appearance, but in "American Dreams" he has been relegated to more of a minor role. Mr. Jakes, instead, has opted to feature Paul's cousins from Homeland, Fritzi Crown, and, to a lesser degree, her brother Carl. My disappointment, thankfully, was short-lived. It soon becomes clear that Fritzi Crown is worthy of the starring role she is given. Though not a standard beauty, with her skinny legs, flat chest, and shock of wiry and unmanageable blonde hair, this tomboy does have a "certain something," a uniqueness that makes her unforgettable to the many persons she will meet as the story progresses. Fritzi immediately charmed me. In the opening chapter, while thwarting a possible rape beside the waters of Lake Michigan, and without the aid of her trusty weapon of choice-a sharp hat pin-Fritzi relies on her natural-born gift for imitation. "Don't let the long hair fool you, bub," she says to her would-be attacker in a replica of his manly baritone. "You've got the wrong fellow." The tramp's vast shock gives her the seconds needed to make good her escape. This talent, along with her quick thinking and unwavering determination, will eventually make her a star. With dreams of a stage career (much to her father's dismay), Fritzi soon heads for New York City. Her road, however, proves difficult, and at times, perilous. We follow Fritzi's less-than-meteoric rise to stardom, from her days as a starving thespian seeking that ever-elusive noteworthy role, to her steady gain in popularity by becoming, in her desperation, an actress in silent pictures, a medium she rather detests. As w

American Dream was a quick and delightful read. Mr. Jakes transports the reader to another time (years leading up to World War I). This was an era for which I learned the "Bare Bones" historical facts in school, but never the pulse. Turn-of-the-century political, social, labor, popular history never made this much sense. Mr. Jakes adds the "Life" to the history lessons learned in school. He weaves historical figures into the lives of his fictional characters, like no other author. Fritzi, Paul and Carl Crown don't just observe the upheavals of their time, they live it. I gained a new appreciation for Henry Ford and the birth of the American Auto Industry. The insight into the early days of the silent films and the birth of Hollywood, was a treat. The dedication to historical accuracy is fundamental and a delight to behold. Mr. Jakes is the leading writer of American Historical Fiction and I look forward to the next installment in his trip through American history. Thank you for a wonderful experience.