I have read similar novels abour immigrants and the turn of the century, but this one was of higher quality. Jales told a really good story with excellent character development. It is also the story of America in the 1890s and all the changes of that era.

The characters are well drawn and interesting. I also liked that historical figures (Edison, Teddy Roosevelt, Clara Barton, Jane Addams) also wander in and out.

The story is mostly the experiences of new German immigrant, Paul Crown. Paul is a truly interesting character and he really grows throughout the story.

I look forward to reading the sequel becuase I was sorry when Homeland eneded......

I have read other reviewers' comments, and I cannot believe how little has been stated about the pride this book engenders. It is mindboggling to consider what our forefathers accomplished as the book recounts the many setbacks they endured. The details of the book simply put it in another class, and remarkably, what surprised me most was how successful David McCullough is in making this a psychological study of not only John Adams, but other important figures too. The contrast and odd rivalry between Adams and Jefferson is epic in itself.

The author never fails to describe the motives and ethos of the many characters. His style brings to life the subject matter and draws us in very much like a good novel. David McCullough makes liberal use of the thousands of personal letters John and Abigail Adams produced to yield this uniquely personal insight. We learn that, while many of the other historical founders wrote prolifically, the Adams (Abigail and John) were unique in the way they wrote of their thoughts and feelings and always with great frankness--apparently, atypical for the time.

The way David McCullough uses the letters is remarkable--always by foreshadowing future events enough to make me want to read on. To cite one example in the way this works, take how McCullough describes the apprehension Abigail experiences during the nearly fatal first Atlantic crossing John Adams makes as he sails alone to France to join Ben Franklin. We learn through her own letters that Abigail, was conflicted about wanting to travel with John--knowing that the separation would hurt her--but also knowing that she could no more set foot on a ship at sea than plunge herself off a cliff. But as events unfold, we learn that inevitably they must be together, where ever that leads. We learn so much about her strength and how much it meant to John Adams, and we demand to know how will she meet the challenge of sailing the ocean, a journey that in today's terms must be closer to space travel than we can ever know. Odd to say, but from passages like these, you also learn a great deal about John himself. David McCollough is truly masterful in the way everything reflects back to John to illuminate his character, his morality, and even his own insecurity.

Lovers of biography will appreciate the careful way the details of Adams' life unfold against a backdrop of historic events. But foremost, through this book, we learn so much about our founders' legacy--through John Adams' desires and struggles, we learn the very meaning of being Americans. While reading this book, the events of today come into a sharp focus. It becomes possible to understand the meaning of our freedom, and, probably as John Adams would compel us with his intellect and obstinate nature to recognize, the complete obligation upon our society to use our freedom wisely and never to squander it. What can I say, I loved this multi-faceted book and feel it to be especially relevant now. Enjoy a brisk read and get David McCollough's super biography of our second President.

It helps that there hasn't been as much popular print on Adams as there has been on the other Founding Fathers (leaving aside the scholarly works). I've read a number of popular Revolutionary War-era books (e.g. "Duel") that never managed to convince me that history happened quite that way. McCullough recreates a nation's capital (three of them, in fact) that's eerily reminiscent of today's. Everything new is old again. The scheming and double-dealing in Europe is just as odious. By the end of his lone-term Presidency, Adams was about as reviled as Jimmy Carter must have been in 1980.

The unbilled co-star of this book is Abigail, whose life is described in as much detail as John's. There's also a fairly strong portrait of John Quincy Adams, who I must reluctantly admit I knew only through Anthony Hopkins's portrayal in "Amistad". Thomas Jefferson is portrayed in a more ambivalent manner, but McCullough never seems to be choosing sides and stresses that, up or down, his friendship with Adams is still one of the underpinnings of modern American government.

The side steps are equally good, whereas in other history books I might find myself skipping back to the main plot. Discourses on the geography of 1770s Philadelphia, the history of the influenza epidemic, the brief glimpses at the French Revolution, are all informative without screaming "I'm showing off!".

It all comes back to John Adams, in the end. McCullough doesn't judge him, I feel, although the book is more sympathetic than not. I opened to page 1 knowing very little about John Adams, and made it to page 649 with increased admiration for his role in history. Along the way I read lots of great historical quotes, from Adams or otherwise, and obtained much stronger insights into the Constitution than I'd had before. Today's political arena may be ugly, but Adams walked through it gracefully 200 years ago and maybe after reading about his life, we can hope that today's leaders will ultimately do the same.

The narration of Adams activities in France, Great Britain, Holland and Belgium is fascinating. This is a subject that is only briefly covered in most survey courses of American history so that the casual reader of history will find the text well worth reading. The intrigues and manipulative politicians in Europe made for a serious challenge to John Adams' abilities and for the future of the new nation. In many respects, the European attitudes the text outlines in Adams era are still present today regarding America.

The text notes that Adams recognized the critical role of a navy for gaining and then maintaining independence. The author states "That he pressed doggedly for a greater part in the war by the French navy would stand as one of his own proudest efforts, and with reason given what happened at Yorktown." During his presidency he initiated a program of navy ship construction and persuaded Congress to authorize funds to equip and man three frigates constructed during Washington's administration, but never equipped for service. These became the three famous frigates CONSTITUTION, UNITED STATES and CONSTELLATION. He further recommended to President Jefferson the establishment of a Naval Academy to which Jefferson agreed. The founding of the US Navy was one of Adams greatest accomplishments.

McCullough provides an excellent account of Adams' relationship with Jefferson. Jefferson is not pictured in the typical honorable schoolboy image, but rather the text gives a balance account of Jefferson who did not always follow the highest ethical principals especially regarding political

rivals. The author notes that Adams never knew when Jefferson, his Vice President, might be working secretly to undercut or thwart him, for Jefferson's abiding flaw, Adams had concluded, was "want of sincerity". Most interesting is the text's narration of the 1791 public controversy over Jefferson's endorsement of Thomas Paine's pamphlet THE RIGHTS OF MAN. Jefferson had endorsed the pamphlet and in private correspondence ascribed to Adams "the political heresies that have spring up among us" and then blamed the pamphlet printer for his endorsement. In 1809 at the urging of his friend Benjamin Rush, Adams wrote Jefferson, their friendship was renewed and remained strong through the rest of their lives.

The text tells of Adams less than high opinion of Benjamin Franklin who Adams considered lazy. In Adams written documents, the image of Franklin as a wholly honorable statesman/scientist is brought into question. However, Adams still had high praise for Franklin stating that if he had done nothing else then invent the lightning rod he had done the world a great service.

The text also narrates many situations which were a harbinger of the American Civil War noting the strong differences between New England and the South principally with Jefferson's Virginia. The author quotes Adams who wrote " I know it is high treason to express a doubt of the perpetual duration of our vast American empire, but a struggles between the states over slavery might rend this mighty fabric in twain."

In his easy to read narration, the author describes the political world in early America. This account is most intriguing since if only the names and the dates are changed, politics and government today is the same as in Adams age. For example. McCullough writes "Colonel Smith was in Washington. Having failed at nearly everything he ever tried, he had lately been elected to Congress" and Adams is quoted as stating "I would to God there were more ambition in the country....ambition of that laudable kind, to excel." In another example, the text notes that "The more Adams thought about the future of his country, the more convinced he became that it rested on education and wrote "The education of a nation instead of being confined to a few schools and universities for the instruction of the few, must become the national care and expense for the formation of the many." Today, politicians are debating the same topic.

To be sure John Adams had his faults and the author does not try to ignore his shortcomings in this biography. His support of the Alien and Sedition Acts was most reprehensible.Perhaps his greatest fault was that he was hard headed; however, this was tempered by Adams integrity. In today's "me first" and "what's in it for me" society, it is pleasant to read the biography of a person (even a whole family) which put public service above self interest. The reader may not agree with McCullough, but will never find the book dull reading.

Through the different paths the Crown children have followed, we learn of how hard and exciting life was during those years. Be it movie making, or racing or even aviation, grounds were being broken in every field thanks to new inventions and daring men and women.

Again, the author has used his master storytelling to present to us the characters, their ideals and struggles and how the each strived to live their life at their fullest.

Great writing and storytelling, great book!

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 with all of his previous historical work, Mr. Jakes comes through in spades, placing the reader smack dab in the center of the early motion-picture industry, from the hills of New Jersey to a one-horse town called Hollywood. While forging friendships with the likes of Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Fritzi makes a name for herself in one- and two-reelers. Her comedic timing, unconventional appearance, and chameleon-like expressions prove a powerful box-office draw. Still, despite her healthy income and growing success, Fritzi yearns to return to the stage. She doesn't want to be labeled a "film" actress, but a "serious" actress. Can she make the split with Hollywood and return to New York City, especially after she loses her heart to a movie extra?

Along with Fritzi's story, we also spend some time with her brother. Obsessed with all forms of transportation, the young Carl Crown heads for Detroit. There, he makes friends with Henry Ford, works on the racing circuit for Barney Oldfield, and forsakes love and marriage to a beautiful heiress, all for his dream to become an aviator.

In England, Paul Crown continues his career as a camera operator. Married and with a growing family, he finds himself in the company of people like Winston Churchill, filming often-violent suffragette movements in London, and capturing on newsreel footage the darker moments in human history, especially with the outbreak of the first World War.

The bottom line? Knowing how I feel about the author, do I even need to spell it out? Well, perhaps I should, in order to make it abundantly clear...

Throughout these 500 pages, Mr. Jakes delivers the goods. I daresay, out of all Mr. Jakes's female characters, Fritzi Crown came extremely close to beating out "North & South's" Madeline Main as my favorite. And believe me, that says a lot. In my humble opinion, though "American Dreams" might not be the best book Mr. Jakes has ever written, I still believe it outshines 99% of all other historicals on offer. Like all commendable historical novels, the characters in are enchanting, complicated, and utterly human. The history is detailed, convincing, and absolutely flawless. The story is occasionally amusing, ofttimes poignant, and always gripping. For anyone who has an interest in the days leading up to World War I, early auto racing and manufacturing, or the film industry in its infancy, this book is a must-read.

There, now, I've said it. And is anyone truly surprised?

Long live the king!

Trace Edward Zaber, Owner/Editor - Of Ages Past Magazine

Templeton is disciplined, focused and successful from his youth. But he buries his mother and wife in quick succession seemingly without letting those traumatic events interfere in any way with the business of business.

World War II, a defining moment for his generation, is little more than an investment opportunity for Sir John- no mention of having contributed to the war effort in any way. Was he exempt for physical or family reasons? Was he a contentious objector? Did he feel badly that others were fighting and dying while he went about building a fortune?

He leaves America for the Bahamas and becomes a British citizen. Why? He seems to have changed national allegiance with no more thought than most of us give to changing a shirt. No explanation is given, no soul searching is hinted.

In the end, this book fails to tell anything more about who John Templeton really is and the forces that shaped him than could have been gleaned from a newspaper interview. Even the chapter on Humility theology is so filled with references to "Sir John" that one wonders if the word has been given a new meaning!

Where is the humility?, where is the humanity?