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Peter Fallon #2
Harvard Yard: Peter Fallon, Book 2
Peter Fallon, the hero of William Martin's bestselling novel Back Bay, has found evidence that a priceless treasure - an undiscovered Shakespeare play - is hidden somewhere in the venerable halls of Harvard University. An antiquarian who knows many of the school’s carefully guarded secrets, Fallon understands the powerful implications of the discovery. But as he delves into the school’s past - from witch hangings to the fires of the Civil War to the riotous 1960s - he learns that men and women have risked death, disgrace, and banishment in pursuit of this invaluable relic. And, as he uncovers rifts between generations, families, friends, and lovers, Fallon begins to understand something that finding this landmark manuscript is a matter of life and death.
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2003
About the author
William Martin
370 books404 followersMeet 'the king of the historical thriller' (Providence Journal). William Martin is a New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels, an award-winning PBS documentary, book reviews, magazine articles, and a cult classic horror movie, too. He is best known for his historical fiction, which has chronicled the lives of the great and the anonymous in American history while bringing to life legendary American locations, from Cape Cod to the Sierra foothills during the California Gold Rush. His latest, December '41, sweeps us across America in the weeks after Pearl Harbor and has been hailed as "propulsive," "cinematic,' and "riveting" by critics. He was the recipient of the prestigious 2005 New England Book Award, given to "an author whose body of work stands as a significant contribution to the culture of the region." And in 2015, the USS CONSTITUTION Museum gave him the Samuel Eliot Morison Award. He has three grown children and lives near Boston with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
June 13, 2014
Every time I read a novel by William Martin, I feel so lucky to have found him and have long since elevated him to my favorite author list. I’ve yet to read a bad or even an “OK” book by him. They all hold precious real estate on my best book shelf. I can now add that his Peter Fallon series is among my favorite series of all…ever. This series combines many of my favorite genres: historical fiction, historical mystery, and modern day thrillers, all in a single superb novel. They can be read as stand alones but it would be better to read them in order.
This is the second of the Peter Fallon books (following the excellent Back Bay) and the first thing I noticed is that we’ve jumped a number of years forward from the end of the last book. Peter is now a well-regarded antiquarian book dealer and has stumbled across a clue to a long lost, never before known, Shakespearean play titled ‘Love’s Labours Won’, a companion to his well-known play with a similar name. In the hands of a lesser author such a premise would strike me immediately with thoughts like ‘here we go again’ and ‘haven’t I seen this before’ and I would most probably pass it by in search of a better book to read. But since it is William Martin, I knew I was in for an amazing journey.
As in the first book of the series, chapters alternate between the present day Peter Fallon mystery/thriller plot where he hunts for further clues to the history behind the lost play, all the time being hounded by rivals willing to kill for such a valuable find, and the past whereby we get to witness history unfold and actually see what happened along the way. Every time Peter uncovers a new piece of the puzzle we get to then go back and see how that actually came to be. This leads to a fascinating, page-turning read.
There are numerous historical characters in this novel as you might imagine considering we get to travel through all of American history from 1605 to the present, following the fictional Wedge family and their caretaker approach to the Shakespearean manuscript. In 1605, a good friend to Shakespeare, Robert Harvard, received the play as a gift and it is his son, John Harvard who was instrumental in founding the first college in America. The setting for most of this novel is Harvard University and, indeed, it really becomes a character in and of itself. So many major American historical figures graduated from Harvard or taught there, or both and the novel benefits from all of them. Major events and eras such as the Puritan’s witch burning, the fires of the Civil War, the riots of the 1960’s and famous figures such as Cotton Mather, heroes of the Boston Tea Party and the Revolutionary War, through the era of Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, Joe and Jack Kennedy, etc. etc. all play out on the Harvard stage. And through it all runs the thread of the lost Shakespearean play.
I must say, I have never been a huge fan of Harvard University. Not sure why really other than a life-long image of an old stodgy institution that seemed in a world all its own and so not for a common sort of fellow like myself. But this novel really opened up my eyes about Harvard and helped me to appreciate its history and what it stands for. Just the fact that Harvard (formed initially in 1636 and known as ‘New College’) was renamed for John Harvard in 1639 because of his gift of his personal library of some 400 books is awesome. And to see the school meander its way through history, witness its ups and downs, its triumphs and controversies, is really to watch the evolution of the entire country as well.
The patriarch of the fictional Wedge family and good friend to John Harvard, Isaac Wedge was fond of saying “A man is best known by his books”. That is a sentiment that I can certainly relate to and I am proud to count this book among my own library.
This is the second of the Peter Fallon books (following the excellent Back Bay) and the first thing I noticed is that we’ve jumped a number of years forward from the end of the last book. Peter is now a well-regarded antiquarian book dealer and has stumbled across a clue to a long lost, never before known, Shakespearean play titled ‘Love’s Labours Won’, a companion to his well-known play with a similar name. In the hands of a lesser author such a premise would strike me immediately with thoughts like ‘here we go again’ and ‘haven’t I seen this before’ and I would most probably pass it by in search of a better book to read. But since it is William Martin, I knew I was in for an amazing journey.
As in the first book of the series, chapters alternate between the present day Peter Fallon mystery/thriller plot where he hunts for further clues to the history behind the lost play, all the time being hounded by rivals willing to kill for such a valuable find, and the past whereby we get to witness history unfold and actually see what happened along the way. Every time Peter uncovers a new piece of the puzzle we get to then go back and see how that actually came to be. This leads to a fascinating, page-turning read.
There are numerous historical characters in this novel as you might imagine considering we get to travel through all of American history from 1605 to the present, following the fictional Wedge family and their caretaker approach to the Shakespearean manuscript. In 1605, a good friend to Shakespeare, Robert Harvard, received the play as a gift and it is his son, John Harvard who was instrumental in founding the first college in America. The setting for most of this novel is Harvard University and, indeed, it really becomes a character in and of itself. So many major American historical figures graduated from Harvard or taught there, or both and the novel benefits from all of them. Major events and eras such as the Puritan’s witch burning, the fires of the Civil War, the riots of the 1960’s and famous figures such as Cotton Mather, heroes of the Boston Tea Party and the Revolutionary War, through the era of Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, Joe and Jack Kennedy, etc. etc. all play out on the Harvard stage. And through it all runs the thread of the lost Shakespearean play.
I must say, I have never been a huge fan of Harvard University. Not sure why really other than a life-long image of an old stodgy institution that seemed in a world all its own and so not for a common sort of fellow like myself. But this novel really opened up my eyes about Harvard and helped me to appreciate its history and what it stands for. Just the fact that Harvard (formed initially in 1636 and known as ‘New College’) was renamed for John Harvard in 1639 because of his gift of his personal library of some 400 books is awesome. And to see the school meander its way through history, witness its ups and downs, its triumphs and controversies, is really to watch the evolution of the entire country as well.
The patriarch of the fictional Wedge family and good friend to John Harvard, Isaac Wedge was fond of saying “A man is best known by his books”. That is a sentiment that I can certainly relate to and I am proud to count this book among my own library.
August 23, 2012
"A man will be known by his books."
- John Harvard
Martin introduces the reader to the Wedges; a family steeped in history who hold a deep secret that traces back to the time of William Shakespeare. A play the Bard penned specifically for John Harvard makes its way across the Atlantic with a boatload of Puritans and is protected from their fiery rhetoric. Hidden within the college at Cambridge, soon to bear Harvard's name, the play's existence is kept secret by the Wedges for generations, leaving rare book fanatics to wonder if it was all a fallacy. Enter Peter Fallon and the modern-day treasure hunt. He's discovered evidence that Shakespeare's play may be hidden on campus and is determined to discover it before his rivals can get their hands on this priceless publication. Fallon's research brings him back in touch with an old flame as well as generations of Wedges, some of whom were as brutish as they came and many witnessed Harvard's evolution as a premiere educational facility. Slowly peeling back the mysteries, Fallon must not only discover the play's location, but keep himself from dying at the hands of the seedy underbelly that New England has on offer. How can one play sit at the foundation of Harvard's preeminence and what will Fallon discover as he sifts through over three and a half centuries of skeletons? Masterfully told with wonderful juxtaposition, it is only a pity that Martin waited so long to bring back this entertaining series.
As he continues to make a name for himself, Martin captivates the reader with his multi-generational stories that pull history from out of books and presents it as an ever-evolving beast. At the centre of the entire novel lies the development of Harvard and its history against the backdrop of America's creation and evolution. The reader learns no only about the hallowed halls, but its politics, and the evolution of its philosophy. While Crimson has always seen itself as above the fray, Martin exemplifies that Harvard, too, fought the tides of change while remaining true to itself. Martin also interweaves storylines and characters from the debut Fallon novel, Back Bay, which will amuse attentive readers while also keeping the story propelling forward. A wonderfully educational piece of work, as well as highly entertaining and filled with enough mystery to keep the reader wondering.
I cannot neglect the quote I present to begin this review. Teased from the early chapters, it speaks volumes to my character and could be adapted to any curious reader. While book reviews serve as a window into the mind and soul of a reader, what one chooses to mentally digest surely exemplifies one's character. Looking at my stacks and those books that I have read and/or reviewed over the years, I feel I am in good hands, even if I will be known for having a vast array of interests.
Kudos, Mr. Martin for such an interesting novel that brings Peter Fallon back. While the hiatus was a little troublesome, you have picked up and forged ahead, offering readers a fast-paced novel and a history lesson along the way.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
- John Harvard
Martin introduces the reader to the Wedges; a family steeped in history who hold a deep secret that traces back to the time of William Shakespeare. A play the Bard penned specifically for John Harvard makes its way across the Atlantic with a boatload of Puritans and is protected from their fiery rhetoric. Hidden within the college at Cambridge, soon to bear Harvard's name, the play's existence is kept secret by the Wedges for generations, leaving rare book fanatics to wonder if it was all a fallacy. Enter Peter Fallon and the modern-day treasure hunt. He's discovered evidence that Shakespeare's play may be hidden on campus and is determined to discover it before his rivals can get their hands on this priceless publication. Fallon's research brings him back in touch with an old flame as well as generations of Wedges, some of whom were as brutish as they came and many witnessed Harvard's evolution as a premiere educational facility. Slowly peeling back the mysteries, Fallon must not only discover the play's location, but keep himself from dying at the hands of the seedy underbelly that New England has on offer. How can one play sit at the foundation of Harvard's preeminence and what will Fallon discover as he sifts through over three and a half centuries of skeletons? Masterfully told with wonderful juxtaposition, it is only a pity that Martin waited so long to bring back this entertaining series.
As he continues to make a name for himself, Martin captivates the reader with his multi-generational stories that pull history from out of books and presents it as an ever-evolving beast. At the centre of the entire novel lies the development of Harvard and its history against the backdrop of America's creation and evolution. The reader learns no only about the hallowed halls, but its politics, and the evolution of its philosophy. While Crimson has always seen itself as above the fray, Martin exemplifies that Harvard, too, fought the tides of change while remaining true to itself. Martin also interweaves storylines and characters from the debut Fallon novel, Back Bay, which will amuse attentive readers while also keeping the story propelling forward. A wonderfully educational piece of work, as well as highly entertaining and filled with enough mystery to keep the reader wondering.
I cannot neglect the quote I present to begin this review. Teased from the early chapters, it speaks volumes to my character and could be adapted to any curious reader. While book reviews serve as a window into the mind and soul of a reader, what one chooses to mentally digest surely exemplifies one's character. Looking at my stacks and those books that I have read and/or reviewed over the years, I feel I am in good hands, even if I will be known for having a vast array of interests.
Kudos, Mr. Martin for such an interesting novel that brings Peter Fallon back. While the hiatus was a little troublesome, you have picked up and forged ahead, offering readers a fast-paced novel and a history lesson along the way.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
December 17, 2017
I loved this book.
It's almost 600 pages, but took me even longer to read than it might have. It's the sort of book that has me googling constantly, checking references, places and events that are mentioned in order to learn more about them - which is the kind of book I love. Martin does a lot of research for his books, and all the history and references in it are fascinating.
The chapters alternate between American history (from it's beginning up to the present) as seen through Harvard's history, and a present day mystery. The historical chapters were my favorite; I think Martin did a really good job of explaining what it was like to live in the different
time periods, and he expertly conveys the issues that were important during those different eras. Some of the characters he introduced in those chapters were exquisitely drawn, and were hard to leave behind.
Conversely, some of the newer chapters were a bit confusing. The mystery didn't seem as well drawn to me as it might have been, and family members whom we followed through the generations were muddled at times. Despite that, I really appreciated all Martin did to tie it together: the research was wonderful. I loved learning more about Harvard - there's a campus map at the beginning of the book and I found myself constantly referencing it, trying to remember the architecture of the place and learn the history behind the different buildings. I definitely want to go back and take a few historical tours of the campus.
There is a passage in which a character contemplates doing exactly what Martin himself does in this book: ""....[Theodore].. would write ...a history of Harvard, which he would frame as a history of thought and belief in America.." (p 308). The idea works well, as so much of our history was wrapped up in, or impacted by what was happening at Harvard or with people affiliated with Harvard.
I liked Martin's writing style a lot too: "That summer ended more quickly than the one before, as summers always did, and it ended more quickly for Abraham than for his grandchildren, which was the natural order of things" (214); "Franklin wore a veneer of contrition that his father quickly stripped to a layer of defiance beneath" (511). Plus - it was fun (?) to read about that awful Harvard-Yale game of 1968 that I remember well (p 540).
I'm looking forward to reading some of his other books.
++++++
Random notes for me:
57 illegal to put on plays in Massachusetts until after the revolution
84 college corn - not really a tax
186 tercentenary
189 not too many people looked at the world as he did the past
202 Christmas - Congregationalists and Puritans would not celebrate
212 great Salt of 1650. Oldest piece of silver at Harvard
253 Whig or Tory
271 moves to Concord
Siege of Boston
274 first med to Massachusetts (1777, Continental Mass General Hospital)
280 John Copley
292 campus buildings
303 Unitarian vs Congregational
317 sound and fury
335 Boston religion = Unitarian
336 Oliver Holmes Brahmins
341 Robert Lincoln's father elected that day, celebrating in dorm room. Easy to portray American history if center around Harvard and the people who went there
372 Memorial Hall
380 Fighting for women's rights, Irish still ignored
383 New teaching methods: seminars, law school cases, organic chemistry
397 the past in the present, seeing both in same space like Lincoln
406 Porcellian gate club
417 boxing glove size?
Harvard house in Stratford on Avon
434 collateral relatives, blood but not direct ancestors
445 Useppa, Fl - Bostonians fantasy of Florida
447 assonance
It's almost 600 pages, but took me even longer to read than it might have. It's the sort of book that has me googling constantly, checking references, places and events that are mentioned in order to learn more about them - which is the kind of book I love. Martin does a lot of research for his books, and all the history and references in it are fascinating.
The chapters alternate between American history (from it's beginning up to the present) as seen through Harvard's history, and a present day mystery. The historical chapters were my favorite; I think Martin did a really good job of explaining what it was like to live in the different
time periods, and he expertly conveys the issues that were important during those different eras. Some of the characters he introduced in those chapters were exquisitely drawn, and were hard to leave behind.
Conversely, some of the newer chapters were a bit confusing. The mystery didn't seem as well drawn to me as it might have been, and family members whom we followed through the generations were muddled at times. Despite that, I really appreciated all Martin did to tie it together: the research was wonderful. I loved learning more about Harvard - there's a campus map at the beginning of the book and I found myself constantly referencing it, trying to remember the architecture of the place and learn the history behind the different buildings. I definitely want to go back and take a few historical tours of the campus.
There is a passage in which a character contemplates doing exactly what Martin himself does in this book: ""....[Theodore].. would write ...a history of Harvard, which he would frame as a history of thought and belief in America.." (p 308). The idea works well, as so much of our history was wrapped up in, or impacted by what was happening at Harvard or with people affiliated with Harvard.
I liked Martin's writing style a lot too: "That summer ended more quickly than the one before, as summers always did, and it ended more quickly for Abraham than for his grandchildren, which was the natural order of things" (214); "Franklin wore a veneer of contrition that his father quickly stripped to a layer of defiance beneath" (511). Plus - it was fun (?) to read about that awful Harvard-Yale game of 1968 that I remember well (p 540).
I'm looking forward to reading some of his other books.
++++++
Random notes for me:
57 illegal to put on plays in Massachusetts until after the revolution
84 college corn - not really a tax
186 tercentenary
189 not too many people looked at the world as he did the past
202 Christmas - Congregationalists and Puritans would not celebrate
212 great Salt of 1650. Oldest piece of silver at Harvard
253 Whig or Tory
271 moves to Concord
Siege of Boston
274 first med to Massachusetts (1777, Continental Mass General Hospital)
280 John Copley
292 campus buildings
303 Unitarian vs Congregational
317 sound and fury
335 Boston religion = Unitarian
336 Oliver Holmes Brahmins
341 Robert Lincoln's father elected that day, celebrating in dorm room. Easy to portray American history if center around Harvard and the people who went there
372 Memorial Hall
380 Fighting for women's rights, Irish still ignored
383 New teaching methods: seminars, law school cases, organic chemistry
397 the past in the present, seeing both in same space like Lincoln
406 Porcellian gate club
417 boxing glove size?
Harvard house in Stratford on Avon
434 collateral relatives, blood but not direct ancestors
445 Useppa, Fl - Bostonians fantasy of Florida
447 assonance
April 28, 2012
This author just continues to amaze me! In HARVARD YARD he combines an interestingly rich history of Harvard from its inception in the 1600s to present day, entwined with another fantastic treasure hunt for a undiscovered Shakespearean play. The play was presented to Robert Harvard (father of John Harvard credited with being the founder of Harvard College) on the day of his son's christening by his good friend Will Shakespear. The play in latter years plays a key role in shaping the lives of the Wedge Family whose ancestors were among the first students at Harvard.
It is a 20th century descendant of the Wedge family that brings in antiquarian and Harvard graduate Peter Fallon to hunt for the only copy of the play in existence. As Peter digs into the many generations of Wedges he finds that he is not the only one looking for the precious piece of history. The race is on and the reader is given some great fictional insight into some fascinating people along the way. HAVARD YARD is not just a great historical/present day fictional novel but one heck of a excellent mystery as well.
I am so enjoying the Peter Fallon storyline and I have two more books in the series which I cannot wait to tackle!
It is a 20th century descendant of the Wedge family that brings in antiquarian and Harvard graduate Peter Fallon to hunt for the only copy of the play in existence. As Peter digs into the many generations of Wedges he finds that he is not the only one looking for the precious piece of history. The race is on and the reader is given some great fictional insight into some fascinating people along the way. HAVARD YARD is not just a great historical/present day fictional novel but one heck of a excellent mystery as well.
I am so enjoying the Peter Fallon storyline and I have two more books in the series which I cannot wait to tackle!
March 13, 2009
SUCH A GOOD READ.
“A man will be known by his books.” –page 41
I like William Martin's storytelling. He writes soap-opera; but he writes it so engagingly, so compellingly and so addictively well—in such epic and fascinating contexts—that you’re eager and able to indulge for hours-on-end, almost guilt-free.
‘Harvard Yard,’ like his ‘Back Bay’ and ‘Cape Cod’ before it, is set in and around Boston and Southeastern Massachusetts—an area of comfortable familiarity and much interest for me. The story spans almost four hundred years of peoples, events, cultures and attitudes that populated the region; while captivatingly relating the history of Harvard University. It is incredibly interesting, incredibly enlightening and incredibly enjoyable to read. Even the ‘mystery-thriller’ passages manage to entertain, if not convince.
Recommendation: An absolutely must-read story—especially for historical fiction buffs—along with his two previously mentioned novels, and two of his later offerings: ‘The Lost Constitution’ and ‘City of Dreams.’ Martin, like two other epic-tale tellers, Michener and Rutherfurd, never disappoints.
[nook eRead #18:] 484 pages
“A man will be known by his books.” –page 41
I like William Martin's storytelling. He writes soap-opera; but he writes it so engagingly, so compellingly and so addictively well—in such epic and fascinating contexts—that you’re eager and able to indulge for hours-on-end, almost guilt-free.
‘Harvard Yard,’ like his ‘Back Bay’ and ‘Cape Cod’ before it, is set in and around Boston and Southeastern Massachusetts—an area of comfortable familiarity and much interest for me. The story spans almost four hundred years of peoples, events, cultures and attitudes that populated the region; while captivatingly relating the history of Harvard University. It is incredibly interesting, incredibly enlightening and incredibly enjoyable to read. Even the ‘mystery-thriller’ passages manage to entertain, if not convince.
Recommendation: An absolutely must-read story—especially for historical fiction buffs—along with his two previously mentioned novels, and two of his later offerings: ‘The Lost Constitution’ and ‘City of Dreams.’ Martin, like two other epic-tale tellers, Michener and Rutherfurd, never disappoints.
[nook eRead #18:] 484 pages
July 30, 2011
The interspersion of present and past is excellent in this second book in the Fallon series. Fallon is much older here and more interesting. Evangeline returns from Back Bay after each has been married to others and divorced. Excellent historical characters. Harvard has a long and interesting history and Martin managed to incorporate all of the highlights and a few of the lowlights. A great historical fiction. Improves upon Back Bay and sets the stage for the Lost Constitution. I continue to enjoy each of Martin's books and look forward to what's next. I also appreciate his participation in the Hawaii Writers Conference and hope to see him in person this year.
March 3, 2013
This is one of the first books I read after starting to work at Borders. I read it long before I ever read any of Dan Brown's novels, and really feel that overall, I prefer Martin's writing. However, I need to read the other novels written by Martin to see, having now read all of Dan Brown's books. Harvard Yard was enthralling on so many different levels. I particularly appreciated the historic information woven into the well-written story line! I constantly recommended this book to customers and continue to recommend it today. Time for me to follow through with the promise to myself to read the others!
March 12, 2012
Have read all this author's other books, and don't know how I missed this one. Very interesting book about Harvard University along with a mystery in present day to find a missing book from the original foundaers' Harvard library - supposedly a play written by Shakespear (Love's Labors Found - instead of "Lost"). So this was a multli-generational book with lots of history and mystery included. Main character is a rare book collector and shows up in future books.
July 2, 2018
Excellent
Another great book by William Martin!!! Lots of hunting for the "treasure" and a look into the past that comes alive. Bullets whizz and plots within plots! A totally exciting read! 😀
Another great book by William Martin!!! Lots of hunting for the "treasure" and a look into the past that comes alive. Bullets whizz and plots within plots! A totally exciting read! 😀
November 29, 2017
This was a very good book filled with a lot of detail about the history of Harvard University woven into a story about rare books which were part of the collection of John Harvard. The story had many twists and turns and the ending was...well, pick up the book. Definitely a good read!
June 14, 2009
So much more than the old Pahk the cah in Havad Yahd....Great characters, great plot, and really interesting to read about Harvards History....and find out who half the streets are named after in a Square where I worked for years!
I've finished this now, and was sad when it was over. I really liked that there were a few crossover Pratt characters, from the back generations of Martin's book BACK BAY, as well as The main character Peter Fallon and Evangeline Carrington. Harvard, it's an institution that can't be ignored. I've had my own experiences with the overall sense of entitlement that Harvard students have, which William Martin got across very clearly in the character of Will Wedge, and Dickie Drake. The Kennedy's pop up...when I worked in the Square, Caroline was at Harvard. She was lovely, and didn't give any attitude at all. Wiedener Library is an impressive building and I hadn't realized that it's benefactor went down on the Titanic. I plan to take a walk around the Yard and see if I can get a feel for where things were. I used to take my twins to play in Harvard Yard, hoping that they would aspire to attending....oddly enough, they wound up working as waiters in the Square....not much has changed since the days of Will Wedge and Dickey Drake and the Porcellian Club, I can tell you that much. Anyway, I really enjoyed the book as much as the other William Martin books I've read.
I've finished this now, and was sad when it was over. I really liked that there were a few crossover Pratt characters, from the back generations of Martin's book BACK BAY, as well as The main character Peter Fallon and Evangeline Carrington. Harvard, it's an institution that can't be ignored. I've had my own experiences with the overall sense of entitlement that Harvard students have, which William Martin got across very clearly in the character of Will Wedge, and Dickie Drake. The Kennedy's pop up...when I worked in the Square, Caroline was at Harvard. She was lovely, and didn't give any attitude at all. Wiedener Library is an impressive building and I hadn't realized that it's benefactor went down on the Titanic. I plan to take a walk around the Yard and see if I can get a feel for where things were. I used to take my twins to play in Harvard Yard, hoping that they would aspire to attending....oddly enough, they wound up working as waiters in the Square....not much has changed since the days of Will Wedge and Dickey Drake and the Porcellian Club, I can tell you that much. Anyway, I really enjoyed the book as much as the other William Martin books I've read.
October 5, 2016
This book was as good as Back Bay, and a great follow-up.
The focus is on the generations of Massachusetts residents that lived and died within the gravity well of Harvard University.
Although fictional, this story gives meaning to the concepts of heritage and institution. And, in that vein, one of the aspects of this book that stood out to me was that it's about how different people deal with living up to big expectations. That's a neat story.
I liked that, like Back Bay, it gave context to life through the ages of historical Boston.
This book is less of a treasure hunt than Back Bay was, but I won't elaborate because spoilers. The trade off is that there's more to be told of the characters and Harvard itself.
Great read.
I wrote all of the above before I got to the ending. The ending was the worst. Ever. Still a good book though.
The focus is on the generations of Massachusetts residents that lived and died within the gravity well of Harvard University.
Although fictional, this story gives meaning to the concepts of heritage and institution. And, in that vein, one of the aspects of this book that stood out to me was that it's about how different people deal with living up to big expectations. That's a neat story.
I liked that, like Back Bay, it gave context to life through the ages of historical Boston.
This book is less of a treasure hunt than Back Bay was, but I won't elaborate because spoilers. The trade off is that there's more to be told of the characters and Harvard itself.
Great read.
I wrote all of the above before I got to the ending. The ending was the worst. Ever. Still a good book though.
July 9, 2007
This is a riveting historic mystery that uses this country's oldest and best know education institution as a facinating setting. William Martin, as usual, is tremendously well researched. He gives us the history of Harvard by bringing to dramatic life the men and women who shaped the institution. The mystery itself is well-paced to keep you on the edge of your seat at all the right moments.
June 24, 2012
I enjoyed this book very much. I read Back Bay years ago and it was fun to meet up with the character Peter Fallon again. It was interesting how the story about the play changed throughout each generation, sort of like the game telephone. I also enjoyed learning more about how Harvard was established and grew and how those early influences have molded our society. Good read indeed.
August 30, 2015
Looking at the other books I've given 3 stars to I ultimately had to downgrade this book to 2 stars. A cheesy storyline, poorly written, everything spelled out for us dumb readers, terrible ending. All around lame book.
January 31, 2022
I really enjoy this author. Historical fiction is a favorite genre and William Martin does a great job
weaving an interesting mystery with the evolution of Harvard from its inception in 1636. I can’t wait to read more of his books
weaving an interesting mystery with the evolution of Harvard from its inception in 1636. I can’t wait to read more of his books
July 25, 2015
Another well written, suspenseful book! The history begins in the 17th Century and goes all the way to the 20th! And I learned a lot about the evolution of Harvard.
July 2, 2025
We went to Boston last summer, and in my preliminary research (as one does before they embark on a leisurely holiday), I came across William Martin's books. I tried to find a copy of one where I live, to no luck. Cut to this summer and me wandering the aisles of a book fair, what do I come across? A signed first edition of Martin's Harvard Yard. What luck! A year too late, but whatever; I could retroactively apply the history I'll learn in reading this book to the trip I already took and which is still vivid in my memory.
I've long been fascinated by the colonial experience in New England. A bunch of people one day decided that they'd had enough of the oppression they faced in England, deciding to jump ship and begin anew on the edge of the forest, in a brand-new world, alone. The gall of it all. I think this interest sprouted when I was a kid. I can remember one summer, it was probably 2004, visiting Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia while National Treasure was playing on my portable DVD player in the minivan. The combination of the two bewitched my little mind.
And every now and again, still, I venture back into this historical genre with great glee. Martin's Harvard Yard is a brick. It's a century-spanning history of its namesake educational institution, from its humble beginnings as a college for Puritan ministers into perhaps the most famous university in the world, still a topic of hot conversation today. Interwoven in Martin's narrative is a treasure hunt of sorts. Peter Fallon is our hero, an antiquarian book dealer (a less sexy, more local paramour to Dan Brown's symbologist, Robert Langdon). Peter Fallon is on the hunt for a lost Shakespeare folio that he believes has been passed down through the generations at Harvard.
Martin's plot scheme is very clever. We jump back and forth in time, from a historical point to the present day. As Peter gets a new clue pertaining to a particular point in Harvard's history, we immediately jump back to that specific point in time. It's an immersive way to structure the story and made it very enjoyable.
It's safe to say that I'm excited to dive into more of Martin's books and go on some fun historical adventures.
I've long been fascinated by the colonial experience in New England. A bunch of people one day decided that they'd had enough of the oppression they faced in England, deciding to jump ship and begin anew on the edge of the forest, in a brand-new world, alone. The gall of it all. I think this interest sprouted when I was a kid. I can remember one summer, it was probably 2004, visiting Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia while National Treasure was playing on my portable DVD player in the minivan. The combination of the two bewitched my little mind.
And every now and again, still, I venture back into this historical genre with great glee. Martin's Harvard Yard is a brick. It's a century-spanning history of its namesake educational institution, from its humble beginnings as a college for Puritan ministers into perhaps the most famous university in the world, still a topic of hot conversation today. Interwoven in Martin's narrative is a treasure hunt of sorts. Peter Fallon is our hero, an antiquarian book dealer (a less sexy, more local paramour to Dan Brown's symbologist, Robert Langdon). Peter Fallon is on the hunt for a lost Shakespeare folio that he believes has been passed down through the generations at Harvard.
Martin's plot scheme is very clever. We jump back and forth in time, from a historical point to the present day. As Peter gets a new clue pertaining to a particular point in Harvard's history, we immediately jump back to that specific point in time. It's an immersive way to structure the story and made it very enjoyable.
It's safe to say that I'm excited to dive into more of Martin's books and go on some fun historical adventures.
March 20, 2019
2019 Pop Sugar Reading Challenge, a book that takes place at a college or University
This book was great. It flips from the present to the past and tells the story of the Wedge family and the search for a lost Shakespeare play, all the while telling the story of Harvard. Great history. I wasn't really happy with the ending, though.
This book was great. It flips from the present to the past and tells the story of the Wedge family and the search for a lost Shakespeare play, all the while telling the story of Harvard. Great history. I wasn't really happy with the ending, though.
October 13, 2019
Harvard Yard is the third book I've read by William Martin. He skillfully takes readers back into another time and returns to a present day mystery; like reading two novels at the same time. The way William Martin weaves the two stories together is masterful. Great historical fiction! Mr. Martin has become one of my favorite authors.
December 15, 2017
Historical fiction chronicling the Wedge family's ties to Harvard from the 1600s to 1981.
November 7, 2015
Harvard Yard was a fun read, definitely one of those page-turner-ish books that you can pick up and get into pretty quickly. It's kind of a historical fiction book, where the premise has to do with a long-lost book and you are taken through the travels of the book through the hands of the families that owned it. I like the way the chapters jump back and forth between present time (where Peter Fallon is a Harvard graduate whose livelihood is dealing in antique books and he's on the hunt for this long-lost book) and the past (where you are taken chronologically from the writing of the book back in the 1600's to it's passage from person to person over the course of history). The book's life is interwoven with the life of Harvard College, which was really interesting. It made me wish I had gone to a school with a rich history of traditions...oh wait, I did. :)
December 19, 2007
I love William Martin books. They always teach me some history while giving me a good mystery on top of it. Only thing I didn't like was that in the middle it was a little slow. I enjoyed how he followed one family through the history of Harvard. Yes, it was a mystery about a Shakepeare play but really this is the history of Harvard. I loved how he showed how Harvard changed with the times. Sometimes slower than the times and sometimes before the times. I loved how the characters brought the story to life and I did enjoy the mystery. I really didn't like how it ended but understand why the author did it that way. I would recommend this book to most historical fiction readers. But no it's not romance.
July 16, 2009
This novel begins in 1605 as it tells of John Harvard and his family in England, his coming to America, and his founding of Harvard College. He brings with him a manuscript of a Shakespeare play, “Love’s Labours Won” which Shakespeare himself presented to John Harvard as a parting gift. In the 1600’s, American Puritans frowned on plays, so the manuscript was hidden to prevent its destruction. A student named Wedge discovers the manuscript and the location of the hiding place is passed down through the family’s generations until the present. Peter Fallon, a Harvard grad and rare book dealer wants to find the manuscript, and chapters alternate between Fallon’s modern search and stories of the people in the past and how the manuscript affected their lives.
April 9, 2010
Peter Fallon, book collector and historical sleuth, searches for a hand-written copy of an undiscovered Shakespeare play, Love's Labors Won given by the Bard to his friends and neighbors the Harvards. At the same time the stories of John Harvard, for whom the world renowned Cambridge university is named, and the Wedge family, who played a pivotal role in the evolution of the school, unfold in a parallel storyline. Suspenseful and interesting historical mystery.
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September 9, 2012Very enjoyable read right up to the final few pages. Very abrupt ending (much like "Back Bay" by the same author) and very weak as well. The problem is that the author paints himself into a historical corner by having the fictional searched-for object set in real-time, real history -- this creates difficulty for the author when it comes time to end the book and resolve the hunt. Tepid recommendation at best.
July 26, 2008
Picks up 20 years after Back Bay. Moves a bit slower, but since I live 5 miles from Cambridge, it made for a fascinating read. Very interesting to know about the history of Harvard and how it changed from a small, backwater, puritan school into the place it is today. Also has a theme of social equality and pokes fun at societal class differences.
January 19, 2013
This was my second William Martin book and I truly enjoyed it. The premise of the book in the present is the search for a lost Shakespeare play "Love's Labours Found". In every other chapter we are introduced to the history of Harvard University from its inception with 10 students and the journey of the "lost play" as it traveled through Harvard's history. It was historically very interesting.
July 13, 2008
I really loved this book..couldn't put it down! If you're like me and you love New England and/or Colonial History then you'll love it, too! The history of Harvard, which is intertwined in the story is also very interesting!
December 10, 2010
I love the writing style of Mr Martin. I have never been much of a history buff. Actually history puts me to sleep. This book kept me interested all the way to the end. The way he brings history and modern day to life and how they intertwine is so exciting.
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