Η Τελευταία Άνοιξη

by Cynthia Freeman

Όταν η Ανν Πόλακ γνώρισε τον αριστοκράτη δικηγόρο Φίλιπ Κάολτερ, δούλευε πωλήτρια σ’ ένα κατάστημα του Σαν Φρανσίσκο. Για πρώτη φορά ερωτεύτηκε κεραυνοβόλα και το πάθος της τη βοήθησε να ξεπεράσει τις δυσκολίες και να τον παντρευτεί. Πετυχημένη επιχειρηματίας, αλλά ταυτόχρονα άξια μάνα και σύζυγος, η Ανν μεγάλωσε κρύβοντας μέσα της μια απογοήτευση.

Ωστόσο η τύχη τής χαμογέλασε και η μικρή φλόγα ελπίδας που σιγόκαιγε βαθιά στην καρδιά της, αναζωπυρώθηκε.

Ποιος θα περίμενε ποτέ ότι ένας μεγάλος έρωτας θα την έκανε να ξανανθίσει σαν ανοιξιάτικο εντελβάις μέσα στη χειμωνιάτικη παγωνιά της ωριμότητας;

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Novels

350 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Beatrice Cynthia Freeman  (January 10, 1915 - October 22, 1988), pseudonym of Bea Feinberg, was an  American  novelist. She was born in  New York City, where, as a young girl, she began writing books but abandoned writing to pursue a career running an  interior decoration business. When poor health forced her to give up her business, she decided to dust off an old manuscript from childhood but discovered the cleaning lady had thrown it out. From memory, she rewrote the story.

Ms Freeman specialized in multi-generational stories of  Jewish  families, centering on a female protagonist. Her novel, "No Time For Tears," was No.10 on the list of bestselling novels in the United States for 1981 as determined by the New York Times. Her books were translated into thirty-three languages, selling more than twenty million copies worldwide.

Cynthia Freeman died of cancer in San Francisco in 1988,[1] aged 73.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, easy read of one woman's struggles. Woman marries to leave a bad family situation with baggage that affects the marriage, husband has issues of his own, woman turns out to be stronger than her husband. How she deals with the hand she's dealt is the crux of the story.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A youthful marriage frees Ann Pollock from an unhappy home life. While her mother-in-law doesn't initially welcome the shop girl her son loves, the thrifty bride soon proves her worth by supporting her in-laws after Phillip Coulter volunteers to serve in World War II. Crushed by the tortures of a Japanese prison camp, Phillip returns to civilian life to find his once-proud mother incapacitated by a stroke and his dreams of a bright future reduced to an ill-paying job as a law clerk. The birth of a daughter, Eva, brings joy to the Coulters, but as money worries mount, Ann takes a job in a real estate office despite her husband's objections. With each successful deal, the marriage becomes more hollow, and Ann is devastated when Phillip deserts her. Though a new love assuages her pain, that relationship disintegrates after a botched abortion leaves Eva sterile. The Coulters than reunite, and just when things start to work out, Phillip suffers a stroke, followed by Allzheimer's disease. The first third of the book offers a poignant look at an earlier era, but the constant catastrophes and labored solutions make the trials of Job seem minor...I loved this book so much....you just want to laugh, cry and be happy right along with Ann....

[Hasini | bibliosini · Rating 4 out of 5]

No book has expressed life truer than this one. It made me wanna laugh; it made me wanna scream; it made me wanna cry. Haven't read a book as good as this in a while!

[Vassiliadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Απρόσμενα καλό, αν κ η περίληψη δεν ήταν αντιπροσωπευτική. Το ένα αστεράκι αφαιρέθηκε, επειδή η συγγραφέας έπεσε δις σε αντιφάσεις, που τις εντόπισα, επειδή διάβασα το βιβλίο μέσα σε μια μέρα. Επίσης, επειδή δεν κάνει καμιά αναφορά για την εξέλιξη προσώπων, τα οποία φάνηκαν να έχουν σημαντικό ρόλο στην ιστορία (της μητριας της, του οικοδόμου, του κέιν). Λίγο υπερβολικά τα ψυχολογικά σκαμπανεβάσματα της μ οναχοκορης (τη μία έχει βαριά κατάθλιψη κ την άλλη εβδομάδα παντρεύεται ). Όμως μου άρεσε γιατί αναδεικνύει τους συμβιβασμενους γάμους, τις ανθρώπινες σχέσεις Κ πάρα πολύ η περιγραφή της ζωής των αμερικανών αιχμαλώτων.

[Dora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Καλή σαν ιστορία σε γενικές γραμμές αλλά το ύφος είναι από αυτά που λένε μόνο τα γεγονότα χωρίς να τα δειχνουν. Σε πολλα σημεία η υπερβολή είναι που καταστρέφει τη εξέλιξη της ιστορίας. Γενικώς ήταν fake

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love her books!

[Peggy]

3rd one read, I remember liking it

[Aline Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all of Cynthia Freeman's books but am always left hanging after the last sentence:(

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in California during WW2 with the trials of growing up and the tribulations of returning soldiers that are 'broken' to try and cope with the dreams of a married life! However, the spirit of forging ahead gave Ann an opportunity of prosperity, but sacrificed her family, so much so that it wasn't until she fulfilled her duty that she had a hope of finding love again with Adam. An interesting 'vanilla' love story of values; but still an enjoyable read.

[Nkwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an excellent tale of historical fiction. It was a wonderful read and clean. I was even able to recommend it to my 94 year old Mom.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Εύκολο στο διάβασμα, γεμάτο όμως υπερβολές και αναληθοφάνειες.
Ασύλληπτα και ανέφικτα όλα στην πραγματική ζωή ...

[Jessica Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading this author. I really liked it!