Looking For A Good Book? May I Recommend ...

I just finished reading A Good American by Alex George.

My advice to you is to pick up a copy,

BlogHer Book Club

 make a pot of coffee or tea and curl up in a cozy chair for

the chance to be drawn into the sometimes funny,

sometimes tragic but always endearing lives of Frederick, Jette and

 their family.  Frederick, always the romantic, serenades his way

 into the heart of the practical Jette.  Their passion has the suspected

consequences and they soon find themselves about to be parents. 

Frederick has few prospects and no family.  Jette's life is controlled

by a domineering yet aloof mother.  What do they do?  Jette steals

a family treasure to ensure their passage to a land of hope and 

promise ~ America.

When they board the boat for America, they believe that they are

going to New York.  They soon discover that their destination will be

the port of New Orleans.  While Jette suffers through sea sickness and the

rigors of pregnancy, Frederick is busy making contacts on board and 

planning their future.  After two weeks at sea they enter the 

Gulf of Mexico.  Frederick studies the land he sees on the horizon

and his excitement about the opportunities that lie ahead are infectious.

Upon reaching New Orleans they take a Mississippi river boat

up river to Missouri because Frederick has learned that there are many

Germans living in Missouri and finding a job in the state will be easy.

On route, Jette delivers their first child and this new family

is helped by new friends in this new land who help shape their future.

Despite their enthusiasm, they soon discover that life in this new land is not 

without it's problems.  Jette must deal with the guilt of stealing from the 

parents she left behind in Germany.  While Frederick works to build their 

 future, Jette stiffens. The music that Frederick once used to serenade

 her no longer catches her heart and their devotion to one another begins

 to fade.  Two world wars, floods, racial discord and death enter the

 lives of these two young lovers from Hanover as we follow the

two generations their love spawns.  Yet always, the musical talent

 inherited from Frederick weaves a common thread in their story. 

I hope you will take the time to obtain a copy of this book

and enjoy it's magic.  Perhaps it will renew the interest in your

own family's history.  It certainly did for me.  After all, we are

all the children of ancestors who once made their way to 

this country to become good Americans.  It is our common thread.

Click this link to read what others are saying about this 

excellent novel by Alex George.  Disclaimer ~ This is a paid review for

BlogHer Book Club but the opinions are my own.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley