The Americans 1

by John Jakes

It was an era when innocence died and money ruled. And a new generation of Kents clawed for wealth as an immigrant horde poured in from across the sea.

Gideon Kent, his life on the wane, frets over his lost dynasty. Eleanor, his actress-daughter, learns what it is to love an outsider in this land of the free, while Carter drifts cross-country in search of a lazy fortune. It falls to young Will to redeem Philip Kent's American dream.

THE AMERICANS is the eighth and final installment of the Kent Family Chronicles.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

John William Jakes, the author of more than a dozen novels, is regarded as one of today’s most distinguished writers of historical fiction. His work includes the highly acclaimed Kent Family Chronicles series and the North and South Trilogy. Jakes’s commitment to historical accuracy and evocative storytelling earned him the title of “the godfather of historical novelists” from the Los Angeles Times and led to a streak of sixteen consecutive New York Times bestsellers. Jakes has received several awards for his work and is a member of the Authors Guild and the PEN American Center. He and his wife, Rachel, live on the west coast of Florida.

Also writes under pseudonyms Jay Scotland, Alan Payne, Rachel Ann Payne, Robert Hart Davis, Darius John Granger, John Lee Gray. Has ghost written as William Ard.

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sad to finish the series. I've been working on it for years. I wonder what has happened since the end of the books. I've been reading them so long they felt like family. :) It was a great set of books and really brought the history of that time to life.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband, his aunt and I read this whole series during the 1970's when they first came out - all three of us would read them in less then a weekend and couldn't wait for the next one to come out. They were so very good you felt like you were right there living the story with them!

" In the final installment of the Kent Family Chronicles, the remaining Kents seek to fulfill Philip Kent’s original American dream. As Gideon Kent’s health deteriorates, he fears for the future of his family. Their dynasty, now in ruins, stands as a tarnished symbol of all the Kents have lost in the unstable years of war and expansion. It falls to young Will to bring the family together—a task of epic scope. Only expert storyteller John Jakes could craft such a gripping finale to this beloved family saga, bringing the Kents’ drama—and the nineteenth century in America—to its riveting conclusion. "

[Vickie Oddino · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last of the Kent family Chronicles - and I am actually sad that the family story ended just before the dawn of the twentieth century. I would have loved to have learned about the next generations. I really enjoyed this series. The author did a great job weaving American history into the story of this family.

[Ayelet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad to have finally made it to the end of the series. I like the incorporation of real-life events, although the mentions are sometimes contrived. I get so annoyed with characters who wander aimlessly so I'm glad that at least some of these ones weren't like that.

[Cindy]

Actually hated to finish this series. So much history and compares to politics today.