The Gods of Newport

A great book--typical of John Jakes historical novels. Learned a lot about Newport, and its early history. Wish I'd read the book before we visited ther a few years ago--it would have made our visit that much more enjoyable. Looking forward to the next John Jakes book.

A novel written by John Jakes always holds my attention. THE GODS OF NEWPORT is no different. Mr. Jakes is an excellent writer and in this novel he writes of the turn of the century from the 1800's to the 1900's. Newport was the "mecca center" for the rich and ultra rich. If you "made it" in Newport society, you were accepted in the social circles of New York City as well. Known names such as Vanderbilt give you the idea of just how wealthy these "Newporters" were expected to be. Sam Drive wants to be a part of this society. He wants this for his daughter, Jenny, as well as for himself. He was not of OLD MONEY but came up from the ranks of the poor. He has his sights set on a wealthy and titled husband for Jenny but she has other ideas even if she is slow to realize them. Sam builds a house in Newport and the architect tries to woo Jenny with less than satisfying results. Meanwhile, Prince Malloy sees Jenny at the local tennis club and picks her out as yet another conquest to "love'em and leave'em" to get even for the way the rich treated his deceased mother. Cupid has other ideas and when Prince and Jenny finally manage to get together, they find true love. Alas, Sam steps in and creates trouble for Prince to push him away from Jenny. He takes her to Europe and a "count" takes up with Jenny with Sam's approval. Sam even manages to get them married. Is this the end of true love? Oh, I can't tell you that but besides this main theme, there are other smaller scenarios going on so pay attention to who's who when listening to this audio book. I will say that the ending is left hanging, in my opinion. Mr. Jakes doesn't usually do this but in this one I felt he left some unanswered questions. Edward Herrmann read this novel and did a splendid job. He used different voices for the different characters which made listening to his reading very easy. No wonder he has so many theater credits to his name. If you have read other John Jakes novels, you won't be disappointed in this one. He adds yet another great book to his list of credits.

I started reading John Jake's books back in the days of the Kent Family Chronicles, and he has made a history buff of me. Jakes is a master at weaving his fictional characters into actual history. The Gods of Newport lives up to what I have learned to expect from John Jakes. I am not sure who some of the fictional characters are, although, actual people are obvious. I did not realize what went on in Newport. In his prologue, Jakes suggests a trip to Newport if you have never been there. That is now on our list of places to go.

In the late nineteenth century, Newport, Rhode Island was a vacation haven for the country's wealthiest families. It was a beacon for the likes of the Astors and the Vanderbilts, who built elaborate summer "cottages" along fashionable Bellevue Avenue. These mansions-turned-museums are now open to the public, allowing visitors a glimpse of the Gilded Age excess that once reigned supreme in this seaside resort. But even the most vivid imagination can't fully conjure the realities of Newport in its zenith --- unless you're historical fiction master John Jakes. In THE GODS OF NEWPORT, Jakes uses Newport as the backdrop for a story about class warfare --- not only between rich and poor but also old money versuses new wealth. In 1894, after the murder of his wife, self-made railroad mogul Samuel Driver is determined to break into the Newport social circle that once spurned his beloved spouse and find a rich and titled husband for his only child, Jenny. Sam and Jenny arrive in Newport, where Sam uses his vast wealth to garner allies among the elite denizens, build an opulent mansion called Red Rose, and thwart the actions of an old rival determined to exclude and humiliate him. Sam's efforts also include preventing Jenny from seeing a poor, handsome Irishman with whom she falls in love during their first summer in Newport. Part of the city's hardscrabble underclass, Prince Molloy's only sin is falling in love with a rich man's daughter. Sam contrives to keep the young lovers apart, ordering a thrashing that leaves Prince Molloy scarred physically and mentally and later forcing Jenny into a loveless marriage with a ruthless Count. In this entertaining page turner, Jakes delivers an engrossing storyline, brings to life a fascinating tableau of characters real and imagined, and gives readers a glimpse into a bygone era that epitomized both glamour and overindulgence at the turn of the twentieth century. (Be sure to read the Author's Note for additional information about what becomes of Prince and Jenny.) --- Reviewed by Shannon McKenna

A master of historical fiction has given us yet another engaging storyline, this time set just before the turn of the last century. At its core is Sam Drubermann of Ohio, who worked his way up through the ranks of railroad barons and above-the-law capitalists to become one of the exalted, the upper crust of American society. Changing his last name to Driver to escape some past nastiness, Sam vows to live by a quote he once saw posted in Jay Gould's office: "Never let them get the best of you." To clear his dead wife's name and to establish a legacy for his daughter Jenny, Sam commissions a 20-room cottage to be built at the summer playground of the elite: Newport, Rhode Island. Jenny is intrigued by the promise of being accepted in such a world, but her head is simultaneously turned by a common Irish boy named Prince Molloy. Sam attempts to thwart any relationship between Jenny and Prince, preferring his daughter to marry someone more respectable, like architect Dickie Glossop or Russian emigrant Count Ismail Orlov, an antique dealer. And Sam must also continually deal with the machinations of his old nemesis, William King Brady III. Newport society itself is a main character here. A symbol of decadence and opulence, the coastal town was a place where the "swells" could go to be amongst themselves; a place where the attention of a good woman could be won or lost over the outcome of a tennis match, and where passing another lady's carriage out of turn could be considered the most unforgivable of social gaffes. Even as Sam gets himself and Jenny more firmly enmeshed in Newport, he experiences disturbing and metaphoric nightmares. Is this level of life truly worth the cost? The title of the book comes from the admonishment of Jenny's Grandfather Penny, who warned her about the dangers of disobeying the First Commandment: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." It takes a while for Jenny to realize that Newport offers several such gods disguised as the trappings of high society: namely money, fashion, and reputation. Both she and her father learn a lot about class, about appearances, and about themselves by the close of the book. "The Gods of Newport" is among Jakes' better novels, combining just the right amount of historical reality and ficticious invention. It provides not only entertainment, but much food for thought. Why are we still in awe of the rich and famous? Would any of us really want to trade places with someone in the upper class? Perhaps Sam Driver would have done well to heed another familiar saying: Be careful what you wish for.