Family Trade

by James Carroll

Family Trade

Genres: Fiction, Espionage, Crime, Thriller, Mystery

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

James Carroll was born in Chicago and raised in Washington, D.C. He has been a civil rights worker, an antiwar activist, and a community organizer in Washington and New York. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1969 and served as Catholic chaplain at Boston University. Carroll left the priesthood to become a novelist and playwright. He lives in Boston with his wife, the novelist Alexandra Marshall, and their two children.

Reviews

[Checkman · Rating 1 out of 5]

A generational spy novel that covers thirty-five years (1945-1980). It's at it's strongest when we are with the protagonist's uncle and father in 1945 Berlin. However when the story accompanies the protagonist in 1960 Washington D.C. and 1980 Boston/Berlin it falls short. Why? Well there is no grand denouement that such a story warrants. Instead it fizzles out and is very unsatisfying. Perhaps Mr. Carroll was trying for realism, but he built up the novel to the point that I was expecting more than what I got. Second of all the protagonist is a self-obsessed whiner. A self-obsessed whiner who wallows in Catholic guilt, drinks too much and cheats on his wife. How am I supposed to get behind such a little creep? I suspect that Mr. Carroll was writing a rather personal novel (his father was in the C.I.A. and it seems that he had some serious "daddy issues" when he wrote this novel in the early eighties) and the book is just annoying after awhile. I had hoped for a multi-generational epic spy novel along the lines of Charles McCarry's Paul Christopher novels or Robert Littell's Cold War epic The Company. I for one really enjoy this genre of espionage novels, but "Family Trade" falls flat. Very very flat.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just an outstanding book. Smart, thrilling, full of surprises. The best book of Carroll's that I have read.

[L David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure when I bought this book but it was quite some time ago. I had just finished the trilogy by Ludwig Huna (if you liked Eco, you'll love Huna if you can find his books) and was scanning the book shelves when I spotted Family Trade in the corner. With nothing better to read at the moment, I started in and was quickly drawn further in where I am at this moment. It promises to be a very good and engaging story.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I raced through the first third of the book. Then the author took us back in history which was not what I expected. The final part of the book wraps ends together so things make sense. It was an ok read.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1983. A young man stumbles upon a secret about his father who works for the CIA and it puts his whole world in jeopardy.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

To blow its cover, the family trade is spycraft. The son and nephew of two spies, one from the US and one from the UK, has spent much of his life trying to figure out the roles his father and uncle have played in the past and continue in the present complex world. He is held at arms length by both of these men, never getting a straight forward answer to his many questions. Then his uncle is exposed as a double agent and slips away to Russia, Kim Philby style. His father continues his remote life style and complete dedication to his work. A beautiful young girl and her mother enter the story. I could go on and on and tell the whole story, but I think it would be better if you read the book. I thought it was a very good book and will look for more by this author.

[Betty]

I grabbed this from an old box of unread books looking for an escape book. This fit the bill. Probably 3.5 stars. Too long at 400 pages. Would have made a good movie script since a quick scene could cover pages and pages of text.

[Mary Spencer · Rating 1 out of 5]

The beginning of bad writing wrought for selfish reasons.

[Willadale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good book but vulgar language

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some secret, huh? Good book!