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Κυνηγοί της ελπίδας
Το 1869 ο Τομ Γουόλς και η αδερφή του Μαρία εγκαταλείπουν την αγαπημένη τους Ιρλανδία και φεύγουν μετανάστες για την Αμερική. Αφήνουν πίσω τους μια πατρίδα ρημαγμένη, με ανθρώπους εξαθλιωμένους από την πείνα και την εκμετάλλευση, για να βρουν τη χώρα των υποσχέσεων και των ευκαιριών. Το μακρύ, περιπετειώδες ταξίδι τους θα τους φέρει μέσα από τις απέραντες πεδιάδες του Νέου Κόσμου στο Κολοράντο και, τελικά, σε μια τεράστια φλέβα χρυσού που θα χαρίσει στον Τομ αμύθητα πλούτη.
Τριάντα χρόνια αργότερα, ο Τομ είναι ένας από τους πλουσιότερους ανθρώπους του κόσμου, ομοτράπεζος προέδρων και βασιλέων, αντιπρόσωπος των ΗΠΑ στη Διεθνή Εμπορική Έκθεση του 1900 στο Παρίσι και γαλαντόμος οικοδεσπότης ενός από τα πιο περίοπτα μέγαρα της Ουάσιγκτον.
Τα πλούτη και η τύχη, όμως, έχουν το τίμημά τους. Η κόρη του Τομ, η Έβαλιν, σαν να προκαλεί το πεπρωμένο, κάνει δικό της το διαμάντι Χόουπ, το πιο όμορφο πετράδι του κόσμου, που ο θρύλος λέει πως φέρνει μόνο δυστυχία σ’ όποιον το αποκτά…
Τριάντα χρόνια αργότερα, ο Τομ είναι ένας από τους πλουσιότερους ανθρώπους του κόσμου, ομοτράπεζος προέδρων και βασιλέων, αντιπρόσωπος των ΗΠΑ στη Διεθνή Εμπορική Έκθεση του 1900 στο Παρίσι και γαλαντόμος οικοδεσπότης ενός από τα πιο περίοπτα μέγαρα της Ουάσιγκτον.
Τα πλούτη και η τύχη, όμως, έχουν το τίμημά τους. Η κόρη του Τομ, η Έβαλιν, σαν να προκαλεί το πεπρωμένο, κάνει δικό της το διαμάντι Χόουπ, το πιο όμορφο πετράδι του κόσμου, που ο θρύλος λέει πως φέρνει μόνο δυστυχία σ’ όποιον το αποκτά…
704 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 3, 2013
So this family move to the Black Hills circa 1874 and get involved in the gold rush.
Their brother is scout for Custer and there are mant mentions of the General and about how the injuns didn't cotton to the illegal prospecting going on.
And they were resrless.
Next thing we know it is 1878 and there is not another mention of Custer and nary a word about the Little Big Horn.
And so the whole book went.
Issues raised and left unresolved.
Like when Mr. Walsh leaved $100,000 with a lawyer in Cork to give to the children of his dead sister in Monaghan.
We are told the lawyer has gambling debts....but we never heard of the indident again or how it was resolved.
The book is full of unlikeable characters, especially the "heroine", Evalyn and her husband.
Such a pair of smug, spoiled brats.
I liked the book well enough when the story of Thomas was the focus....it was part two and Evalyn's story which I found tedious.
Their brother is scout for Custer and there are mant mentions of the General and about how the injuns didn't cotton to the illegal prospecting going on.
And they were resrless.
Next thing we know it is 1878 and there is not another mention of Custer and nary a word about the Little Big Horn.
And so the whole book went.
Issues raised and left unresolved.
Like when Mr. Walsh leaved $100,000 with a lawyer in Cork to give to the children of his dead sister in Monaghan.
We are told the lawyer has gambling debts....but we never heard of the indident again or how it was resolved.
The book is full of unlikeable characters, especially the "heroine", Evalyn and her husband.
Such a pair of smug, spoiled brats.
I liked the book well enough when the story of Thomas was the focus....it was part two and Evalyn's story which I found tedious.
April 17, 2026
This family generational true book was so good. I just never wanted it to end. I really enjoyed the journey of this family so much. The hard work, dedication, and tragedies was very well captured and written about.
July 21, 2011
This was a very interesting book based on the lives of real people. I felt like it was the inverse of historical fiction. It wasn't a fictional story with some history slipped in, it read more like a historical story, augmented and tied together with some fiction.
Because of that, I enjoyed reading about the experience of an immigrant, the settling of the West, early America, and how these people might have fit into it. But, I wasn't really that impressed with the actual story. It didn't really have a plot, or an ending.
I usually struggle to be interested in history though, so it was fun to take a little journey with some folks from the past.
Because of that, I enjoyed reading about the experience of an immigrant, the settling of the West, early America, and how these people might have fit into it. But, I wasn't really that impressed with the actual story. It didn't really have a plot, or an ending.
I usually struggle to be interested in history though, so it was fun to take a little journey with some folks from the past.
January 8, 2015
At the end of the book we find out that, although this is a novel/fiction, it is based on a relative of the author.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_W...
The author freely admitted to changing facts, but some of the fact she changed (see wikipedia link above) sounded more interesting that the alternative universe the author created.
Some of the story lines (the brother who road with Custer, and the money left for his dead sister's children that the attorney stole) were left without conclusion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_W...
The author freely admitted to changing facts, but some of the fact she changed (see wikipedia link above) sounded more interesting that the alternative universe the author created.
Some of the story lines (the brother who road with Custer, and the money left for his dead sister's children that the attorney stole) were left without conclusion.
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July 28, 2011This book was really hard to find and get. I've been on the waiting list at my library for over a month for it. It's the book my bookclub is reading for June. I just got it from Amazon yesterday after going to every book store in town to buy it! We meet tomorrow and obviously I haven't gotten to read it. It's an older book...so we shall see!
Didn't care for it at all. Depressing and dark. I read to be entertained and this was anything but.....
Didn't care for it at all. Depressing and dark. I read to be entertained and this was anything but.....
August 26, 2013
I really, really enjoyed this book. I found it so interesting to follow the life of this man all the way to America. I have a big interest in Irish history, but after reading this book, I also developed a real interest in Colorado, and hope to visit sometime in the future. One of Mary Ryan's best books. Highly recommended.
December 8, 2016
I liked the book, but I had too much too read, and so I only got half way through. I'll try again another day. Good story though about the people that eventually had the Hope Diamond. Interesting U.S. Western history.
February 13, 2009
Good historical fiction about a family that moves from Ireland...their struggle to make it in America... Then fortune comes, the story of the hope diamond enters in, and the Gold Rush in California.......very interesting to see what money effected different characters in the book.
April 30, 2013
A really good epic telling of one family's journey in America and how they found success. I just wish they would have gone farther in the story with Evelyn and the Hope Diamond and how they family eventually got rid of it.
May 28, 2012
I found this book in the shelf at the hotel rezeption.
Well done story mainly based on facts of the Welsh family.
Well done story mainly based on facts of the Welsh family.
June 17, 2012
Brilliant book which held me right to the end. Full of history and intrigue and it was evident a great deal of research took place to assist in making the story real. Well worth a read!
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November 15, 2012This historical saga is based on the true story of a Colorado prospector who made it rich, and even has a connection to the Hope diamond.
May 8, 2013
Such a great story... wonderful stuff.
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January 8, 2016I love family sagas, especially rags-to-riches ones. This one is a page-turner. There is an interesting twist to the storyline in the last half!!
May 16, 2020
Great story of an Irish family chasing their fortune during the time of the American gold rush. Based on a true story and proof, if it were needed, that money cannot buy happiness.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews