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אהבתה של גברת רוטשילד
השנה היא 1770. גוטל, נערה בת שבע־עשרה המתגוררת ברחוב היהודי של העיר פרנקפורט שבגרמניה, כותבת יומן שבו היא חושפת את רגשותיה, מחשבותיה ומאווייה הכמוסים.
תכף תתחתן גוטל עם מאיר אמשל רוטשילד וחייה ישתנו לבלי הכר. מאיר האמיץ, אהוב לבה, יוצא חוצץ כנגד ההגבלות והאיסורים, הגזירות והחרמות שמושתים על היהודים ופועל לקידום שוויון זכויותיהם ולהוצאתם אל מחוץ לגבולות השכונה הצפופה והרעועה. חרף הקשיים שמוערמים מכל עבר, משכיל מאיר לעשות חיל בעסקיו והופך למייסד של משפחת הבנקאים היהודית, משפחת רוטשילד. את ערכי החריצות והמסירות מנחילים גוטל ומאיר לילדיהם, ואלה מתיישבים בערי בירה אירופיות גדולות, מקימים בהן רשת ענפה של מוסדות פיננסיים והופכים לאחת המשפחות העשירות בעולם.
אהבתה של גברת רוטשילד הוא רומן היסטורי מפעים ומלא רגש שמגולל באופן ייחודי את קורותיה של שושלת רוטשילד המפורסמת. לאחר תחקיר מעמיק ורב־שנים מציגה בפנינו הסופרת האהובה שרה אהרוני את המאורעות ההיסטוריים הגדולים שהתרחשו במשך קרוב למאה שנים דרך יומניה הסודיים של גוטל רוטשילד, שאותם החלה לכתוב כשהיתה נערה ולא חדלה עד יום מותה.
אהבתה העצומה של גוטל הצנועה לבעלה מאיר, הולדת ילדיהם וגידולם, בחירתה לקיים את חייה בסגפנוּת ולא להתפתות לחיי הפאר, ימי האובדן האיומים ורגעי הנחת – כל אלה נטווים ביד אמן לרומן רחב יריעה. מתוך סיפור נסיקתה של המשפחה אנו למדים לא רק על מצבם של היהודים בתקופה זו אלא גם על הרוח היהודית האיתנה ועל כוחה העצום.
זהו הרומן השלישי של שרה אהרוני, ילידת 1953. ספרה הקודם, "אהבתה של סלטאנת", היה לרב־מכר וזכה באות "ספר הפלטינה" מטעם התאחדות המוציאים לאור בישראל על מכירת שישים אלף עותקים.
תכף תתחתן גוטל עם מאיר אמשל רוטשילד וחייה ישתנו לבלי הכר. מאיר האמיץ, אהוב לבה, יוצא חוצץ כנגד ההגבלות והאיסורים, הגזירות והחרמות שמושתים על היהודים ופועל לקידום שוויון זכויותיהם ולהוצאתם אל מחוץ לגבולות השכונה הצפופה והרעועה. חרף הקשיים שמוערמים מכל עבר, משכיל מאיר לעשות חיל בעסקיו והופך למייסד של משפחת הבנקאים היהודית, משפחת רוטשילד. את ערכי החריצות והמסירות מנחילים גוטל ומאיר לילדיהם, ואלה מתיישבים בערי בירה אירופיות גדולות, מקימים בהן רשת ענפה של מוסדות פיננסיים והופכים לאחת המשפחות העשירות בעולם.
אהבתה של גברת רוטשילד הוא רומן היסטורי מפעים ומלא רגש שמגולל באופן ייחודי את קורותיה של שושלת רוטשילד המפורסמת. לאחר תחקיר מעמיק ורב־שנים מציגה בפנינו הסופרת האהובה שרה אהרוני את המאורעות ההיסטוריים הגדולים שהתרחשו במשך קרוב למאה שנים דרך יומניה הסודיים של גוטל רוטשילד, שאותם החלה לכתוב כשהיתה נערה ולא חדלה עד יום מותה.
אהבתה העצומה של גוטל הצנועה לבעלה מאיר, הולדת ילדיהם וגידולם, בחירתה לקיים את חייה בסגפנוּת ולא להתפתות לחיי הפאר, ימי האובדן האיומים ורגעי הנחת – כל אלה נטווים ביד אמן לרומן רחב יריעה. מתוך סיפור נסיקתה של המשפחה אנו למדים לא רק על מצבם של היהודים בתקופה זו אלא גם על הרוח היהודית האיתנה ועל כוחה העצום.
זהו הרומן השלישי של שרה אהרוני, ילידת 1953. ספרה הקודם, "אהבתה של סלטאנת", היה לרב־מכר וזכה באות "ספר הפלטינה" מטעם התאחדות המוציאים לאור בישראל על מכירת שישים אלף עותקים.
429 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2015
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6285 people want to read
About the author
Sara Aharoni
6 books31 followersSara Aharoni was born in Israel in 1953. She worked as a teacher, educator and school principal for 20 years. She also spent four years in Lima, Peru, as an educational envoy of the Jewish Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 543 reviews
July 16, 2019
First I want to say that it took an age for me to read this book. It wasn't because it's a bad book, it certainly isn't, but it's solid and it seemed a lot longer than what the page count tells us. It's the type of book you can sit and read for hours, then find you've barely made any headway in it. The novel does span 80 years though, so we will forgive it.
It follows the narrative journals of Gutle Rothschild, who married fellow Frankfurt ghetto resident Meir Amschel Rothschild when she was just a teenager. Her journals tell the tale of the family, through the triumphs and tragedies, loves and losses. As the tale unfolds of the rising financial dynasty that is created, we wonder at the strength of the woman, as the family rises out of the ghetto and takes control of the finances of Europe.
I found The First Mrs Rothschild to be a wonderful story, beautifully researched. It gives us an insight to the talent and fortitude of this amazing family of bankers, a unity that still lasts today, centuries later. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of historical fiction, especially European history, where the novel is very much based on fact. Well done Sara Aharoni.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It follows the narrative journals of Gutle Rothschild, who married fellow Frankfurt ghetto resident Meir Amschel Rothschild when she was just a teenager. Her journals tell the tale of the family, through the triumphs and tragedies, loves and losses. As the tale unfolds of the rising financial dynasty that is created, we wonder at the strength of the woman, as the family rises out of the ghetto and takes control of the finances of Europe.
I found The First Mrs Rothschild to be a wonderful story, beautifully researched. It gives us an insight to the talent and fortitude of this amazing family of bankers, a unity that still lasts today, centuries later. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of historical fiction, especially European history, where the novel is very much based on fact. Well done Sara Aharoni.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2021
3.5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.
A historical fiction spanning the 18th and 19th centuries and written in diary format by the matriarch, Gutle Rothschild. The First Mrs. Rothschild details the courtship of Gutle and Mayer Amschel Rothschild, the rise of her husband and children's banking dynasty, and the world events that are happening as she raises her family. Translated from the original Hebrew text, Sara Aharoni's characterization of Gutle, showcases a devoted wife and mother that stood by her husband, listened to her children and was fiercely loyal to the city of Frankfurt.
As a historical fiction fan, I do love when authors centre on the woman behind the man. Mayer Amschel Rothschild has oftentimes been recognized as introducing the prototype of modern capitalism and in 2009 was listed in Forbes magazine as one of the most influential businessmen of all time. So it's interesting to focus on Gutle who actually did outlive her husband and watched her sons and grandsons as they expanded their banking system throughout Europe.
When Gutle is 17 years old, she is captivated by Mayer who seems worldly and dreams of something that will take his family name past the Frankfurt Judengasse. ( Jewish ghetto of Frankfurt). Although her father and mother have their hesitations about Mayer, it is soon evident that Gutle will have no other man but Mayer. In the years that follow Gutle's three notebooks will chronicle the triumphs and tribulations of the Rothschild family.
Honestly, I find myself at a 3.5 because I did read this book in one sitting, but I did feel that Gutle was written a bit with kid-gloves. No doubt through her research, Aharoni came to admire her protagonist very much and while there are moments where Gutle is very human in her interactions with different family members, she's also painted a bit like a perfect model of what a wife and mother is envisioned. But as I always do after reading a book, I research online. It would seem that while I am a cynic, Gutle really is depicted in history as being this way and that is because letters that she wrote to her sons have survived.
Whatever the case, the first Mrs. Rothschild is the perfect summer read for the historical fiction fan.
Goodreads review 15/06/19
Publication Date. 09/07/19
Thanks to Netgalley for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.
A historical fiction spanning the 18th and 19th centuries and written in diary format by the matriarch, Gutle Rothschild. The First Mrs. Rothschild details the courtship of Gutle and Mayer Amschel Rothschild, the rise of her husband and children's banking dynasty, and the world events that are happening as she raises her family. Translated from the original Hebrew text, Sara Aharoni's characterization of Gutle, showcases a devoted wife and mother that stood by her husband, listened to her children and was fiercely loyal to the city of Frankfurt.
As a historical fiction fan, I do love when authors centre on the woman behind the man. Mayer Amschel Rothschild has oftentimes been recognized as introducing the prototype of modern capitalism and in 2009 was listed in Forbes magazine as one of the most influential businessmen of all time. So it's interesting to focus on Gutle who actually did outlive her husband and watched her sons and grandsons as they expanded their banking system throughout Europe.
When Gutle is 17 years old, she is captivated by Mayer who seems worldly and dreams of something that will take his family name past the Frankfurt Judengasse. ( Jewish ghetto of Frankfurt). Although her father and mother have their hesitations about Mayer, it is soon evident that Gutle will have no other man but Mayer. In the years that follow Gutle's three notebooks will chronicle the triumphs and tribulations of the Rothschild family.
Honestly, I find myself at a 3.5 because I did read this book in one sitting, but I did feel that Gutle was written a bit with kid-gloves. No doubt through her research, Aharoni came to admire her protagonist very much and while there are moments where Gutle is very human in her interactions with different family members, she's also painted a bit like a perfect model of what a wife and mother is envisioned. But as I always do after reading a book, I research online. It would seem that while I am a cynic, Gutle really is depicted in history as being this way and that is because letters that she wrote to her sons have survived.
Whatever the case, the first Mrs. Rothschild is the perfect summer read for the historical fiction fan.
Goodreads review 15/06/19
Publication Date. 09/07/19
September 18, 2020
The First Mrs. Rothschild: A Novel is about the making of the wealthy Jewish Rothschild family. In 1770, at the age of seventeen, Guttle Schnapper married Mayer Amschel Rothschild, the founder of the family dynasty. He is today considered the founding father of international finance. It is Guttle that tells the story, writing in a notebook given to her by her father. The first filled, she goes on to write two more. The journal entries are from a day, a week, sometimes months and or even years apart, the frequency tightest at the start.
When first married, confined within her home on Judengasse in the Jewish ghetto of Frankfurt, it is in her journal entries that she finds an outlet for her thoughts. She has no one to confide in. With the passage of years, why she writes changes. She is proud of her family and wants to record that which has been accomplished--by the family, for the family and for the Jewish people as a whole.
The book records Jewish customs and traditions and the discriminatory laws restricting Jewish people in the 1700s. It is not wrong to read the book for this information alone.
There are accurate historical details concerning the Rothschild family and company. We learn of William Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, the French Revolution, the fall of the Holy Roman Empire, the rise and fall of Napoleon, the Enlightenment and the emergence of international finance on the European stage. Background historical events play a pivotal roll in the lives of family members and the formation of the dynasty.
Ten of Guttle’s children survived infancy. Several heartbreaking miscarriages are sprinkled in between. She lived to the age of ninety six, and so we are told of lots and lots of wives, husbands and children. With the expansion of the banking dynasty family, members move around the world—London, then Paris and Vienna. With the passage of years, no longer confined by law to the Jewish ghetto, the family disperses. It is by choice that Guttle remains on Judengasse, in what has become the family home. In her old age, she demands that with every new wedding, the newlyweds are to return home and visit her.
I am not giving the book more stars because despite all that I learned about the family, I did not, on an emotional level, come close to members of the family. I had to think long and hard what could have caused this. Gittle has deep respect for the written word. As a consequence, she writes in a prose style that is formal. Secondly, in that she writes down events after they have occurred, we are told rather than shown. We do not live through events. Thirdly, Guttle is reserved, Her manner of being is not free and easy; she is undemonstrative; she does not share intimate confidences. She is stiff and cold, and the story is told.
There is a lot of talk about love, but one does not feel this love.
Guttle is clearly wise and has learned a great deal from life, but much of what she says is delivered as a lecture, often of moral and religious content.
Occasionally, contemporary wording is used. This is jarring. I see this as a weakness in the translation. Yardenne Greenspan does the translation to English. One example is the usage of “family agenda”.
Elisabeth Rodgers narrates the audiobook very well. German words are correctly pronounced. The speed and the pacing are fine. The narration I have given four stars.
When first married, confined within her home on Judengasse in the Jewish ghetto of Frankfurt, it is in her journal entries that she finds an outlet for her thoughts. She has no one to confide in. With the passage of years, why she writes changes. She is proud of her family and wants to record that which has been accomplished--by the family, for the family and for the Jewish people as a whole.
The book records Jewish customs and traditions and the discriminatory laws restricting Jewish people in the 1700s. It is not wrong to read the book for this information alone.
There are accurate historical details concerning the Rothschild family and company. We learn of William Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, the French Revolution, the fall of the Holy Roman Empire, the rise and fall of Napoleon, the Enlightenment and the emergence of international finance on the European stage. Background historical events play a pivotal roll in the lives of family members and the formation of the dynasty.
Ten of Guttle’s children survived infancy. Several heartbreaking miscarriages are sprinkled in between. She lived to the age of ninety six, and so we are told of lots and lots of wives, husbands and children. With the expansion of the banking dynasty family, members move around the world—London, then Paris and Vienna. With the passage of years, no longer confined by law to the Jewish ghetto, the family disperses. It is by choice that Guttle remains on Judengasse, in what has become the family home. In her old age, she demands that with every new wedding, the newlyweds are to return home and visit her.
I am not giving the book more stars because despite all that I learned about the family, I did not, on an emotional level, come close to members of the family. I had to think long and hard what could have caused this. Gittle has deep respect for the written word. As a consequence, she writes in a prose style that is formal. Secondly, in that she writes down events after they have occurred, we are told rather than shown. We do not live through events. Thirdly, Guttle is reserved, Her manner of being is not free and easy; she is undemonstrative; she does not share intimate confidences. She is stiff and cold, and the story is told.
There is a lot of talk about love, but one does not feel this love.
Guttle is clearly wise and has learned a great deal from life, but much of what she says is delivered as a lecture, often of moral and religious content.
Occasionally, contemporary wording is used. This is jarring. I see this as a weakness in the translation. Yardenne Greenspan does the translation to English. One example is the usage of “family agenda”.
Elisabeth Rodgers narrates the audiobook very well. German words are correctly pronounced. The speed and the pacing are fine. The narration I have given four stars.
September 4, 2023
The founder of the famous Rothschild family dynasty, Meir Amschel Rothschild, married Gutle Schnapper when she was just seventeen years old. This book describes the life of this remarkable woman until she dies at 96.
The story is fictionalised but worked around a number of historical facts. It is written as though it is Gutle's own daily diary, and so we learn that she gave birth to ten living children and some who did not survive. Live was hard as her husband began his banking career, but we watch his gradual rise and the improvement in status this gives to all his family.
For me the book was a little too long drawn out and the characters always seemed to be at arms length. One could admire Gutle in particular but never become attached to her. The best and most interesting parts of the story were the historical facts and the representations of life at that time. Recommended to readers of historical fiction who enjoy plenty of facts in their fiction. Three stars.
The story is fictionalised but worked around a number of historical facts. It is written as though it is Gutle's own daily diary, and so we learn that she gave birth to ten living children and some who did not survive. Live was hard as her husband began his banking career, but we watch his gradual rise and the improvement in status this gives to all his family.
For me the book was a little too long drawn out and the characters always seemed to be at arms length. One could admire Gutle in particular but never become attached to her. The best and most interesting parts of the story were the historical facts and the representations of life at that time. Recommended to readers of historical fiction who enjoy plenty of facts in their fiction. Three stars.
October 11, 2021
The First Mrs. Rothschild brings a story of Gutle who married Meir Amschel Rothschild – a German-Jewish banker and the founder of the Rothschild banking dynasty.
Frankfurt, 1770. Gutle, daughter of a Jewish moneylender from Judengasse, is engaged to Meir Rothschild after her father’s two rejections. The noble title given recently to young Rothschild changes her father’s mind.
Meir studied in Hanover and saw how different Jewish ghetto was there. The one in Frankfurt is much more oppressed. This experience gives him a different perspective. He sees that the power is in the money, which carries dignity, and he plans on earning plenty of dignity. He sees it as a powerful thing, breaking the walls of the ghetto and setting Jews free.
The atmosphere of the ghetto is very vividly portrayed and its history, and that’s what initially grabbed my attention.
Gutle is not a grasping character. She comes across as needy and constantly needing her husband’s reassurance that he loves her. When an opportunity comes for her to learn bookkeeping, she hesitates as her hands are full with household chores. Then, her successful bookkeeping lasts for about a paragraph. And then, it’s back to her chores, children and telling about Meir.
Meir is a very interesting character. He is very ambitious and driven, and he caught my attention. However, the style of writing is telling, not showing. For example, Meir “continues to address the heads of Holy Roman Empire with requests to remove the decrees, widen our street, and allow Jews out of the ghetto.” This is exactly what I wanted to be shown, developed in the story, not told in one sentence.
The story is set during volatile times, including Napoleonic wars. The historical background, especially of the ghetto history, is very interesting. However, I found Mrs. Rothschild uninspiring. I wished the story was told from the POV of Mr. Rothschild and shown.
Frankfurt, 1770. Gutle, daughter of a Jewish moneylender from Judengasse, is engaged to Meir Rothschild after her father’s two rejections. The noble title given recently to young Rothschild changes her father’s mind.
Meir studied in Hanover and saw how different Jewish ghetto was there. The one in Frankfurt is much more oppressed. This experience gives him a different perspective. He sees that the power is in the money, which carries dignity, and he plans on earning plenty of dignity. He sees it as a powerful thing, breaking the walls of the ghetto and setting Jews free.
The atmosphere of the ghetto is very vividly portrayed and its history, and that’s what initially grabbed my attention.
Gutle is not a grasping character. She comes across as needy and constantly needing her husband’s reassurance that he loves her. When an opportunity comes for her to learn bookkeeping, she hesitates as her hands are full with household chores. Then, her successful bookkeeping lasts for about a paragraph. And then, it’s back to her chores, children and telling about Meir.
Meir is a very interesting character. He is very ambitious and driven, and he caught my attention. However, the style of writing is telling, not showing. For example, Meir “continues to address the heads of Holy Roman Empire with requests to remove the decrees, widen our street, and allow Jews out of the ghetto.” This is exactly what I wanted to be shown, developed in the story, not told in one sentence.
The story is set during volatile times, including Napoleonic wars. The historical background, especially of the ghetto history, is very interesting. However, I found Mrs. Rothschild uninspiring. I wished the story was told from the POV of Mr. Rothschild and shown.
June 5, 2019
Most people who have an interest in business/finance, philanthropy, history or European history have heard of the Rothschild family, and the Rothschild name has become synonymous with money and power. The founder of the family was Mayer Amschel Rothschild & this book is written from his wife Guttle's perspective.
It reads like a series of diaries & I was initially unsure if this was an actual translation of real diaries (like Anne Frank's book) or a novel. It is a novel, but it reads like an autobiography & is very cleverly done. In places there are gaps, huge jumps & some slightly confusing references to people or events which again gave it the authenticity of diaries rather than a novel.
We follow the story of Guttle from a teenager who falls in love with the dashing Meir Rothschild who she spies from her window, through to the end of her life aged 90+. We see how her husband moves from humble beginnings to greatness and how he ensures that his wealth is "kept in the family" through the partnership & bequests to his five sons, We also see a loving father who doesn't neglect his daughters, but recognises that the custom at the time means they are not part of the Rothschild family after marriage & to ensure loyalties are never divided, he gives them handsome marriage allowances instead of legacies on his death. The five sons ultimately established themselves in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Vienna, and Naples where they changed the way business was done across Europe. However rich they got, members of the family never forgot their humble origins & philanthropy has always been one of the key traits of the family.
Overall, a very enjoyable read.
It reads like a series of diaries & I was initially unsure if this was an actual translation of real diaries (like Anne Frank's book) or a novel. It is a novel, but it reads like an autobiography & is very cleverly done. In places there are gaps, huge jumps & some slightly confusing references to people or events which again gave it the authenticity of diaries rather than a novel.
We follow the story of Guttle from a teenager who falls in love with the dashing Meir Rothschild who she spies from her window, through to the end of her life aged 90+. We see how her husband moves from humble beginnings to greatness and how he ensures that his wealth is "kept in the family" through the partnership & bequests to his five sons, We also see a loving father who doesn't neglect his daughters, but recognises that the custom at the time means they are not part of the Rothschild family after marriage & to ensure loyalties are never divided, he gives them handsome marriage allowances instead of legacies on his death. The five sons ultimately established themselves in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Vienna, and Naples where they changed the way business was done across Europe. However rich they got, members of the family never forgot their humble origins & philanthropy has always been one of the key traits of the family.
Overall, a very enjoyable read.
August 11, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this tome of a novel, The First Mrs Rothschild, about Gutaleh Rothschild. I am a buff for historical fiction and to the best of my knowledge not much has been written about the life of Mrs. Rothschild. She is a character with so much class and grace. As a child, she respected the decision of her parents, when they at first refused to allow her to marry who she considered, her bashert, or her chosen one. Eventually, her patience paid off, and her father “came around”, and granted the couple permission to wed. She had so much love for her husband, Meir Amschelm Rothschild, and for the family of 10 children that they had. The heartbreak that she expressed when there were disappointments in their life was truly palpable through the pages into my subconscious. She had immense strength to mix out of all the family's business interactions, even when she had strong opinions that she would have liked to share. The politics of the times she lived through were tumultuous, especially for Jews, who were not considered to have any rights. Even with Napoleon, Jews in Frankfurt were denied equal rights for a long time. When this finally happened, thanks for the most part to her husband, Meir Amschelm Rothschild, Gutaleh Rothschild did not lose one minute, and took her mother to stroll The Gardens of Frankfurt, something, they always could only dream of doing!.
I loved everything about this book and was only sad when Gutaleh Rothschild's life finally came to an end. Thanks so much #netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this e-Arc #thefrirstmrsrothschild. 5 stars!
I loved everything about this book and was only sad when Gutaleh Rothschild's life finally came to an end. Thanks so much #netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this e-Arc #thefrirstmrsrothschild. 5 stars!
October 27, 2016
התלבטתי בין שלושה לארבעה כוכבים, אבל ההתלבטות היתה קצרה, כי ביני לביני - לספר מגיעים ארבעה כוכבים.
מדובר בספר מעניין, כתוב היטב, שנכתב לאחר תחקיר היסטורי רציני על ראשית דרכה ועלייתה לגדולה של משפחת רוטשילד המפורסמת.
חולשתו העיקרית של הספר נעוץ באישיותה של המספרת, גוטל רוטשילד, אשתו של מאיר אנשל רוטשילד, אבי המשפחה ומייסד השושלת.
גוטל נישאה למאיר בגיל 17 ומאז ועד ליום מותה ריכזה את משאביה בהערצה אליו, בהולדת ילדים ובהערצתם, ובטיפוח המשפחה. על אף שילדיה ושאר צאצאיה יצאו להתגורר ולתור ברחבי העולם, גוטל סירבה לצאת מהגטו בו נולדה בפרנקפורט מתוך עיקרון אשר אינו מוצא לו נימוק בספר.
גוטל היתה אדוקה מאד בשמירת תורה ומצוות ולאורך הספר מטיפה מוסר לילדיה וגם לקוראים, ומזהירה אותם שוב ושוב מפני התבוללות. היא גם לא דמות האשה המבריקה אשר למרות היותה מודרת מהעשייה העסקית של בעלה, למעשה בוחשת בקלחת מאחורי הקלעים וכך מניעה את גלגלי המכונה המשומנת. לא ולא, גוטל מסתפקת בהבעת הערצה אין קץ לבעלה השאפתן, אשר יוצא לנסיעות עסקים וחוזר, יוצא וחוזר, ואינו מכביר מילים רבות אודות מסעותיו המרתקים. את המידע העסקי הרב שואבת גוטל ממקורות אחרים.
אם נחזור לתחילת הביקורת - הספר מעניין מאד לטעמי, בעיקר מבחינה היסטורית, ועל אף שמוטב היה לבחור מספר מוצלח יותר לעלילה, הוא עדיין שווה קריאה (וחובבי הדודות אפילו יחבבו את דמותה של גוטל).
מדובר בספר מעניין, כתוב היטב, שנכתב לאחר תחקיר היסטורי רציני על ראשית דרכה ועלייתה לגדולה של משפחת רוטשילד המפורסמת.
חולשתו העיקרית של הספר נעוץ באישיותה של המספרת, גוטל רוטשילד, אשתו של מאיר אנשל רוטשילד, אבי המשפחה ומייסד השושלת.
גוטל נישאה למאיר בגיל 17 ומאז ועד ליום מותה ריכזה את משאביה בהערצה אליו, בהולדת ילדים ובהערצתם, ובטיפוח המשפחה. על אף שילדיה ושאר צאצאיה יצאו להתגורר ולתור ברחבי העולם, גוטל סירבה לצאת מהגטו בו נולדה בפרנקפורט מתוך עיקרון אשר אינו מוצא לו נימוק בספר.
גוטל היתה אדוקה מאד בשמירת תורה ומצוות ולאורך הספר מטיפה מוסר לילדיה וגם לקוראים, ומזהירה אותם שוב ושוב מפני התבוללות. היא גם לא דמות האשה המבריקה אשר למרות היותה מודרת מהעשייה העסקית של בעלה, למעשה בוחשת בקלחת מאחורי הקלעים וכך מניעה את גלגלי המכונה המשומנת. לא ולא, גוטל מסתפקת בהבעת הערצה אין קץ לבעלה השאפתן, אשר יוצא לנסיעות עסקים וחוזר, יוצא וחוזר, ואינו מכביר מילים רבות אודות מסעותיו המרתקים. את המידע העסקי הרב שואבת גוטל ממקורות אחרים.
אם נחזור לתחילת הביקורת - הספר מעניין מאד לטעמי, בעיקר מבחינה היסטורית, ועל אף שמוטב היה לבחור מספר מוצלח יותר לעלילה, הוא עדיין שווה קריאה (וחובבי הדודות אפילו יחבבו את דמותה של גוטל).
October 28, 2020
This book furnishes a panoramic view of the last half of the eighteenth century and first half of the nineteenth through the eyes of Gutle (Gutaleh) Rothschild, wife of Meir Rothschild, founder of the Rothschild banking dynasty. The story begins in 1770, when she's 17, carrying through until her death at 96 in 1849.
On one hand it's a romance about her love for her husband and soon for her ten surviving children as well. On the other hand, it's a sort of Forrest Gump story (except without the low intelligence), placing Gutaleh in the center of historical events and changes as they occur. The romance aspect often suffers from the typical limitations of historical novels, with Gutaleh frequently expressing herself in terms and ideas that didn't exist until later. Also, Meir not only has great ambition, commercial wherewithal and financial foresight as well as luck, but also is super loving and can read her mind in ways that women want but therapists tell us is not realistic. And Gutaleh not only bears 13 children while running the home and family single-handedly (albeit eventually with some help from the older daughters) but also helps with the business and is an all-round paragon of near super-human industriousness, loving virtue and intelligent counsel. Regarding the romance, I have to admit I cried at the death scenes, Gutaleh's being sufficiently long-lived to have outlived a few. The historical aspect, though, mostly checked out and is what made the book fun.
Some of the financial and commercial affairs were less clear to me than the rest of the history but maybe because I was reading straight through.
I listened to the first half of the book on audio and read the second half on Kindle. Although I usually don't care for ebooks, Amazon gave me an offer I couldn't refuse: $1.99 for the ebook and the Audible version for another $.99. I liked the text better in this case, as I thought the narrator slightly accentuated the romantic aspect. It can be hard to read a text straight! Although, of course, it also may have been that the story line became less of a romance as it continued.
New words:
3 1/2 stars, rounded up to 4
On one hand it's a romance about her love for her husband and soon for her ten surviving children as well. On the other hand, it's a sort of Forrest Gump story (except without the low intelligence), placing Gutaleh in the center of historical events and changes as they occur. The romance aspect often suffers from the typical limitations of historical novels, with Gutaleh frequently expressing herself in terms and ideas that didn't exist until later. Also, Meir not only has great ambition, commercial wherewithal and financial foresight as well as luck, but also is super loving and can read her mind in ways that women want but therapists tell us is not realistic. And Gutaleh not only bears 13 children while running the home and family single-handedly (albeit eventually with some help from the older daughters) but also helps with the business and is an all-round paragon of near super-human industriousness, loving virtue and intelligent counsel. Regarding the romance, I have to admit I cried at the death scenes, Gutaleh's being sufficiently long-lived to have outlived a few. The historical aspect, though, mostly checked out and is what made the book fun.
Some of the financial and commercial affairs were less clear to me than the rest of the history but maybe because I was reading straight through.
I listened to the first half of the book on audio and read the second half on Kindle. Although I usually don't care for ebooks, Amazon gave me an offer I couldn't refuse: $1.99 for the ebook and the Audible version for another $.99. I liked the text better in this case, as I thought the narrator slightly accentuated the romantic aspect. It can be hard to read a text straight! Although, of course, it also may have been that the story line became less of a romance as it continued.
New words:
Judengasse: Jews' Lane -- the name of the Frankfurt ghetto
Judendeutsch: Judaeo-German; Yiddish
Landgrave: A count having jurisdiction over a territory; a title of certain German princes
Mama-lieb: Mama dear. The origin of Kamala Harris' stepchildren's nickname for her? (Momala)
3 1/2 stars, rounded up to 4
April 17, 2020
I do not understand how this book could possibly have won any awards. The story is a good one but it is so overwritten. Almost every sentence is overloaded with unnecessary adverbs and adjectives. And many sentences could have been eliminated completely. The resulting story is creaky and slow. I honestly didn’t think anybody was still producing prose like this any more. If this was an attempt to give the character a distinctive voice, it failed totally, at least for this reader. Why didn’t someone edit this book? I read about 60 books a year. I never don’t finish a book, but I quit on this one about 10% through. There is so much good historical fiction out there, but this is definitely not one of them. Too bad because it was such a promising topic and interesting time period. Irritating!
May 8, 2020
This is a Jewish historical fiction book. We see a family begin with nothing and build an international bank. This book brings you history, family, faith, drama, siblings and romance from late 1700s to 1800s. The story is told by Mrs. Rothschild through her journal writing. You see her a young girl and by the end of the book she is a matriarch of a pristine family. It did not feel as if i was reading a fiction book, it felt as if i was watch a young woman flourish and a family develop.
August 26, 2019
What a treasure. Inspiring. Thought-provoking. Enlightening. “Dignity is a powerful thing. We shall use it to break through the walls of the ghetto and set ourselves free.”
I am fascinated with this time period: The Rothschilds, the Montefiores...what these family were able to accomplish under that level of persecution and oppression is mind boggling! Sara Aharoni has done a remarkable job bringing this family to life for me. Kol hakavod.
I am fascinated with this time period: The Rothschilds, the Montefiores...what these family were able to accomplish under that level of persecution and oppression is mind boggling! Sara Aharoni has done a remarkable job bringing this family to life for me. Kol hakavod.
August 26, 2021
Gulte Rothschild's life story is presented by diary entries. Her father gave her a blank notebook when in her teens. An early entry has her sitting looking out the window from their house on the Judengasse, the narrow street in Frankfort that is the Jewish ghetto. One day she notices Meir Rothschild. She surprises herself by not having noticed before how tall he has become, how he carries himself with such confidence. And then one day, he looks up at the window and bows. This is the beginning of a lifelong love.
Despite this love, this book is not in any way a romance. Gulte raises her children and runs the household while Meir Rothschild begins what will become the world's greatest banking dynasty. I thought this was a unique way of telling such a story, because it is truly Gulte's story, the wife. Meir travels and Gulte is at home. She bears him children, not all of whom survive. The children grow, marry, and give her grandchildren. Through all this, she knows how Meir makes their living, why he travels, what rules his life. Both Rothschilds are shown to have enormous wisdom.
I thought the translation excellent. Well, I didn't read the original, so I guess I ought not to make a comparison. What came through, though, was that this was not written by a native English speaking woman. The cadence of the language on the page almost had an accent to it, if that is possible. This enhanced, rather than detracted, the story.
I so want to give this 5-stars, but it just doesn't quite make it. I could have done without the last couple of entries. Gulte Rothschild lived to the age of 94, far outliving her husband. As it is her story, of course we must have her old age, but there were conversations with visitors not of the family. This I thought the story did not need to feel complete. Still it's definitely 4-stars worth.
Despite this love, this book is not in any way a romance. Gulte raises her children and runs the household while Meir Rothschild begins what will become the world's greatest banking dynasty. I thought this was a unique way of telling such a story, because it is truly Gulte's story, the wife. Meir travels and Gulte is at home. She bears him children, not all of whom survive. The children grow, marry, and give her grandchildren. Through all this, she knows how Meir makes their living, why he travels, what rules his life. Both Rothschilds are shown to have enormous wisdom.
I thought the translation excellent. Well, I didn't read the original, so I guess I ought not to make a comparison. What came through, though, was that this was not written by a native English speaking woman. The cadence of the language on the page almost had an accent to it, if that is possible. This enhanced, rather than detracted, the story.
I so want to give this 5-stars, but it just doesn't quite make it. I could have done without the last couple of entries. Gulte Rothschild lived to the age of 94, far outliving her husband. As it is her story, of course we must have her old age, but there were conversations with visitors not of the family. This I thought the story did not need to feel complete. Still it's definitely 4-stars worth.
Read
August 21, 2025Did not finish. Interesting premise: the first Mrs. Rothschild, set in the Frankfort ghetto in the 1700's. Got about 1/5 of the way through. Archaic Hebrew and a very monotonous emotional tone that kept putting me to sleep. I hate not finishing a book but this one was too long and the opportunity cost (I could be reading something better) finally got to me.
September 2, 2019
I rated this book 3 stars, but in my opinion it was somewhere in between "it was ok" an "I really liked it". I liked the the historical fiction aspects - learning about the Judengasse, the treatment of Jews in the 1700 and 1800's and how that might have felt to Jews, the Rothschild's start of their financial empire and the political events of the time.
I also enjoyed learning about the thinking of this strong lady who was 100% committed to supporting her husband and her Jewish culture.
I often found the book to be tedious. The format of the book was as journals written by a naive young lady and spanning several decades. Particularly at the beginning of the book I wanted to tell Getel (Mrs. R) to just stop it already. I was laid up and a captive audience when I read this, if I had not been I think I would have had a hard time getting through it quickly.
So, even though it was at times tedious, I liked learning about the Rothschild lives and the political and cultural climate they lived in.
I also enjoyed learning about the thinking of this strong lady who was 100% committed to supporting her husband and her Jewish culture.
I often found the book to be tedious. The format of the book was as journals written by a naive young lady and spanning several decades. Particularly at the beginning of the book I wanted to tell Getel (Mrs. R) to just stop it already. I was laid up and a captive audience when I read this, if I had not been I think I would have had a hard time getting through it quickly.
So, even though it was at times tedious, I liked learning about the Rothschild lives and the political and cultural climate they lived in.
June 22, 2020
Non-fiction candidate
I admired and enjoyed the knowledge and history of the Jews in Frankfurt of the period, but the author is clearly a non-fiction writer and a scholar, and I am afraid I got bored with the lectures. Unusually, I was able to put it down at 300 pages and not feel guilty that I didn't finish it. As a non-Jew, I learned much but the story arc was missing for me and the poor Frau R. 's life was awfully repetitive from her first-person perspective. Sorry, but not for me.
I admired and enjoyed the knowledge and history of the Jews in Frankfurt of the period, but the author is clearly a non-fiction writer and a scholar, and I am afraid I got bored with the lectures. Unusually, I was able to put it down at 300 pages and not feel guilty that I didn't finish it. As a non-Jew, I learned much but the story arc was missing for me and the poor Frau R. 's life was awfully repetitive from her first-person perspective. Sorry, but not for me.
August 30, 2019
A must read
This is a subject I had very little knowledge of - the Jewish faith or The Rothchild Dynasty. Although a work of fiction there is a lot of factual history - the Jewish ghettos of Frankfurt. It is not a gripping read but definitely a book you don't want to put down as you want to know how the family evolves. I would love to know how much of the family details are true and how much is fictional.
This is a subject I had very little knowledge of - the Jewish faith or The Rothchild Dynasty. Although a work of fiction there is a lot of factual history - the Jewish ghettos of Frankfurt. It is not a gripping read but definitely a book you don't want to put down as you want to know how the family evolves. I would love to know how much of the family details are true and how much is fictional.
January 31, 2021
Rothschild's
Who would think that as I read this fascinating story of the story of the Rothschild empires beginnings, a crazy story of a Rothschild laser starting a CA fire would emerge. Jews were ever blamed, but Meir Rothschild never let that stand in his way. Seen through the eyes of his wife history unfolds before us. The 96 years of her life are filled with love.
Who would think that as I read this fascinating story of the story of the Rothschild empires beginnings, a crazy story of a Rothschild laser starting a CA fire would emerge. Jews were ever blamed, but Meir Rothschild never let that stand in his way. Seen through the eyes of his wife history unfolds before us. The 96 years of her life are filled with love.
May 15, 2020
3.5 stars (free from Amazon on 2020 World Book Day)
I agree with several other reviewers who said that this book got bogged down a bit at times. However, I feel like I learned so much about the Rothschilds and what life was like for the Jews in Frankfurt in the late 18th century and early 19th century. I knew about the ghettos but didn’t know that the 3,000+ Jewish community was limited to 12 marriages per year and forced to pay exorbitant taxes just for walking across bridges among other things. It’s enough to make your blood boil.
Also I found Gutle a surprisingly soothing narrator even though she often wrote about difficult times. Something about the language in this book was lovely and lyrical in a way I did not expect. It makes me want to read other books translated from Hebrew.
Overall I would recommend this for folks who love historical fiction and are interested in how the Rothschilds built a financial empire from the ghetto. Crossing the French Revolution to the Napoleonic Wars, you will learn and experience so much through Gutle’s eyes.
I agree with several other reviewers who said that this book got bogged down a bit at times. However, I feel like I learned so much about the Rothschilds and what life was like for the Jews in Frankfurt in the late 18th century and early 19th century. I knew about the ghettos but didn’t know that the 3,000+ Jewish community was limited to 12 marriages per year and forced to pay exorbitant taxes just for walking across bridges among other things. It’s enough to make your blood boil.
Also I found Gutle a surprisingly soothing narrator even though she often wrote about difficult times. Something about the language in this book was lovely and lyrical in a way I did not expect. It makes me want to read other books translated from Hebrew.
Overall I would recommend this for folks who love historical fiction and are interested in how the Rothschilds built a financial empire from the ghetto. Crossing the French Revolution to the Napoleonic Wars, you will learn and experience so much through Gutle’s eyes.
November 5, 2020
Tomé este libro sin tener ni idea quienes eran los Rothschild, si ya se, vivo en una burbuja. Nunca me había interesado saber sobre las familias más ricas del mundo, sin embargo, esta historia despertó mi curiosidad para investigar más sobre ellos y al fin poder debatir con la gente que le gusta hablar de conspiraciones jaja.
Sentí que era leía lento al principio pero valió la pena al final me pareció entrañable.
Sentí que era leía lento al principio pero valió la pena al final me pareció entrañable.
September 8, 2019
As told through the diaries of Gutle Rothschild, “The First Mrs. Rothschild: A Novel”
presents a domestic, familial perspective on the Rothschild family during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Although I was aware of the Rothschild name, I had never considered how the foundations of the Rothschild Family Dynasty began, and this novel broadened my perspective of the Jewish experience. Despite the outrages and degradations of being forced to live in the cramped, overcrowded Jewish ghetto of Frankfurt, the Rothschild family, headed by Meir Amschel Rothschild, had the patience and determination to work ceaselessly, persevere, and thrive. Through clever maneuvers and manipulations, the family conquered seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and at the same time, they remained unwavering and steadfast in their religious beliefs. Epic and inspiring, this glorious tale reminds us of how the strength of family bonds and human ingenuity can firmly establish the roots of success for the generations to come.
presents a domestic, familial perspective on the Rothschild family during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Although I was aware of the Rothschild name, I had never considered how the foundations of the Rothschild Family Dynasty began, and this novel broadened my perspective of the Jewish experience. Despite the outrages and degradations of being forced to live in the cramped, overcrowded Jewish ghetto of Frankfurt, the Rothschild family, headed by Meir Amschel Rothschild, had the patience and determination to work ceaselessly, persevere, and thrive. Through clever maneuvers and manipulations, the family conquered seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and at the same time, they remained unwavering and steadfast in their religious beliefs. Epic and inspiring, this glorious tale reminds us of how the strength of family bonds and human ingenuity can firmly establish the roots of success for the generations to come.
August 3, 2019
This book is an example for excellent family values, so admirable the couple's devotion to each other, truly a best read. This family was not perfect but they remained grounded in their faith which helped them to achieve their goals
The name Rothchild peaked my interest
The book displays sound family values
Would recommend to anyone who take pride in family life, because unity in a family and the strong faith in God is essential to achieve one's goals
The name Rothchild peaked my interest
The book displays sound family values
Would recommend to anyone who take pride in family life, because unity in a family and the strong faith in God is essential to achieve one's goals
September 12, 2020
This was really detailed and super interesting but it dragged at points and could have been shorter. I loved the look into a family I knew nothing about and the insight into a period of history, Frankfurt in the late 18th century, that isn't really studied, but it could have been a bit shorter, there's a lot of detail about financial maneuvering that put me to sleep.
July 25, 2019
Strength, faith, love all shine forth.
A strong dynasty like the famous and influential Rothschilds is the result of strong founders. This story of that family is strong as faith, dear as love and steeped in family. An excellent read.
A strong dynasty like the famous and influential Rothschilds is the result of strong founders. This story of that family is strong as faith, dear as love and steeped in family. An excellent read.
July 29, 2019
Excellent Historic Fiction
I enjoyed reading about Mrs. Rothchild. From a highly intelligent young lady to a reverent and respected matriarch of her tribe. All of it told within the four walls of her home with her husband. A great story.
I enjoyed reading about Mrs. Rothchild. From a highly intelligent young lady to a reverent and respected matriarch of her tribe. All of it told within the four walls of her home with her husband. A great story.
August 4, 2019
One book you should read
This book will grab you as soon as you begin reading it . A family that builds a huge company around the world with very little to start . This is an excellent book . I highly recommend it to all .
This book will grab you as soon as you begin reading it . A family that builds a huge company around the world with very little to start . This is an excellent book . I highly recommend it to all .
June 20, 2022
The book begins with the charming story of the courtship between seventeen year old Gutle (Gutaleh) and Meir (Mayer) Amschel Rothschild. One day looking out the window from their house on the Judengasse, the narrow street in Frankfurt that was the Jewish ghetto, she notices Meir Rothschild. She is surprised to see how tall he has become and how he carries himself with such confidence. Then one day, he looks up at the window and bows. This was the beginning of their lifelong love.
From the time he was a young man, Mayer had dreams of accomplishing something great that would take his family name out into the world. He not only had great ambition, commercial and financial foresight he was also a very loving and caring husband and father.
In the years that follow their marriage Gutaleh would fill three notebooks chronicling both the accomplishments and heartaches of the Rothschild family.
The story spans the last half of the eighteenth and first half of the nineteenth centuries beginning in 1770 through until Gutaleh’s death at age 96 in 1849.
In this very well researched story the author Sara Aharoni presents the character of Gutaleh with patience, grace and industriousness. Gutaleh had 13 children 10 of whom survived all the while she ran the home and family on her own, except for the help of the older daughters, and she also helped with the business.
The politics of the times she lived through were tumultuous, especially for Jews, who were not considered to have any rights and were forced to live in run down cramped homes in the narrow and filthy streets of the ghetto.
While Meir Rothschild began what would become the world's greatest banking dynasty this is truly Gulte's story. The narrative focuses on Gutle who outlived her husband and watched her sons and grandsons as they expanded their banking system throughout Europe. The difficulties and tragedies she endured showed her immense strength and courage as a devoted wife and loving mother who cared for her children with virtue and intelligent counsel.
This inspiring and fascinating novel is excellently translated from the original Hebrew text. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of historical fiction, especially European history.
Note:
Mayer Amschel Rothschild who became the founder of the Rothschild banking dynasty has oftentimes been recognized as introducing the prototype of modern capitalism. In 2009 he was listed in Forbes magazine as one of the most influential businessmen of all time.
From the time he was a young man, Mayer had dreams of accomplishing something great that would take his family name out into the world. He not only had great ambition, commercial and financial foresight he was also a very loving and caring husband and father.
In the years that follow their marriage Gutaleh would fill three notebooks chronicling both the accomplishments and heartaches of the Rothschild family.
The story spans the last half of the eighteenth and first half of the nineteenth centuries beginning in 1770 through until Gutaleh’s death at age 96 in 1849.
In this very well researched story the author Sara Aharoni presents the character of Gutaleh with patience, grace and industriousness. Gutaleh had 13 children 10 of whom survived all the while she ran the home and family on her own, except for the help of the older daughters, and she also helped with the business.
The politics of the times she lived through were tumultuous, especially for Jews, who were not considered to have any rights and were forced to live in run down cramped homes in the narrow and filthy streets of the ghetto.
While Meir Rothschild began what would become the world's greatest banking dynasty this is truly Gulte's story. The narrative focuses on Gutle who outlived her husband and watched her sons and grandsons as they expanded their banking system throughout Europe. The difficulties and tragedies she endured showed her immense strength and courage as a devoted wife and loving mother who cared for her children with virtue and intelligent counsel.
This inspiring and fascinating novel is excellently translated from the original Hebrew text. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of historical fiction, especially European history.
Note:
Mayer Amschel Rothschild who became the founder of the Rothschild banking dynasty has oftentimes been recognized as introducing the prototype of modern capitalism. In 2009 he was listed in Forbes magazine as one of the most influential businessmen of all time.
Read
September 12, 2020Terrible! I can't stop cringing. Life is too short to be reading books that make me cringe this much.
Want to read
April 18, 2020Amazon World Book Day 2020
Israel
Israel
September 23, 2019
I want to say this before I review. I finished this book about a month ago, but I was so worried about writing a review, I wanted it to mean something from the emotions I went through. Also, it’s a very slow beginning, don’t give up. I promise you will understand why I don’t want you giving up.
‘The First Mrs. Rothschild: A Novel’ is about a couple named Gutle & Meir Amschel Rothschild, but there’s so much to them than just their name.
Gutle is a very young 16 yr old Jewish girl who lives in the ‘Ghetto’ in Venice, Italy..which may have been Germany, because there’s nothing different about the smells, the overcrowding & the way they were locked in. Her family has basically one window and daily she looks out that window, if you can call it that. She sees Meir Amschel Rothschild who is not just handsome but she is besotted by him immediately. She watches him daily, and without her knowing, he sees her watching him also, yet she doesn’t know he too has asked the residents of the ‘Ghetto’ who she is. She takes her sister outside one day and finds out to introduces himself to her and she’s so surprised, she barely speaks. As days & weeks go by they fall in love..but it’s not just “marry me”..Dad has a lot to say, mostly “he won’t become anything”. Meir never gives up, but before that Gutle finds a diary & her father allows her to keep it..that is how Gutle describes daily, weekly her love, her life, and many many things.
Before Meir marries Gutle he says, “I want 10 children...” and that was it, 10..period! In the turn of the 18th Century families lived with the mother & father, so in the Ghetto not only was it cramped, among other things, they had to make rooms in rooms, curtains between rooms, with other families as well. It was at this point where my admiration and love for this couple never wavered.
I didn’t want to write spoilers nor did I want to write what the book was about since it’s in the summary, so the rest was my impression from my heart.
This family had its love & it’s beautiful Jewish religion to lean on daily, but they also had their tragedies, many times of heartaches, and happiness that prevailed throughout their years too. I not only looked at a successful family in that century, but my thoughts continually brought me to these past 2 centuries. What happens if the love is there but the tragedy, heartbreak, disappointments happen? Do families always stay together? Still have many children and still stay in one of the worst areas, in the most cramped living quarters and survive? Not usually..so many things that should keep all of us together fade-away.
Yes the 18th-19th Century is nothing like the 20th-21st Century. Our principles of “forever” should never be given up on because we want to move on to something or someone else.
This Novel wasn’t a happy, no problems, it was you get up and face another day, even when everything looked like there were things that looked unimaginable! This was a story of FOREVER. An empire that lasted through hard work, yet even was questionable. Mrs. Rothschild lived by God, love, family and a stubborn will to make sure her children’s children also did!
I leave you this completely true quote, which did and unfortunately does today.
From Gutle to her children:
“And one more thing: be wary of complacence. Just when you think the troubles of the Jews are over, new calamities surprise us. It matters not how we live—impoverished on Judengasse or rich in castles—someone will always criticize and harass us. Heinrich Heine warned against what book burners might do: Where they burn books, they will also burn people, he said. Who knows, perhaps in fifty or a hundred years a new madman will rise to announce a new kind of pogrom, something we haven’t yet heard of. If he chooses to return us to the ghetto, well then I will already be here, buried in its dirt. No madman will be exhuming my bones.”
Thank you to the authors, translator & thank you Gutle ❤️
‘The First Mrs. Rothschild: A Novel’ is about a couple named Gutle & Meir Amschel Rothschild, but there’s so much to them than just their name.
Gutle is a very young 16 yr old Jewish girl who lives in the ‘Ghetto’ in Venice, Italy..which may have been Germany, because there’s nothing different about the smells, the overcrowding & the way they were locked in. Her family has basically one window and daily she looks out that window, if you can call it that. She sees Meir Amschel Rothschild who is not just handsome but she is besotted by him immediately. She watches him daily, and without her knowing, he sees her watching him also, yet she doesn’t know he too has asked the residents of the ‘Ghetto’ who she is. She takes her sister outside one day and finds out to introduces himself to her and she’s so surprised, she barely speaks. As days & weeks go by they fall in love..but it’s not just “marry me”..Dad has a lot to say, mostly “he won’t become anything”. Meir never gives up, but before that Gutle finds a diary & her father allows her to keep it..that is how Gutle describes daily, weekly her love, her life, and many many things.
Before Meir marries Gutle he says, “I want 10 children...” and that was it, 10..period! In the turn of the 18th Century families lived with the mother & father, so in the Ghetto not only was it cramped, among other things, they had to make rooms in rooms, curtains between rooms, with other families as well. It was at this point where my admiration and love for this couple never wavered.
I didn’t want to write spoilers nor did I want to write what the book was about since it’s in the summary, so the rest was my impression from my heart.
This family had its love & it’s beautiful Jewish religion to lean on daily, but they also had their tragedies, many times of heartaches, and happiness that prevailed throughout their years too. I not only looked at a successful family in that century, but my thoughts continually brought me to these past 2 centuries. What happens if the love is there but the tragedy, heartbreak, disappointments happen? Do families always stay together? Still have many children and still stay in one of the worst areas, in the most cramped living quarters and survive? Not usually..so many things that should keep all of us together fade-away.
Yes the 18th-19th Century is nothing like the 20th-21st Century. Our principles of “forever” should never be given up on because we want to move on to something or someone else.
This Novel wasn’t a happy, no problems, it was you get up and face another day, even when everything looked like there were things that looked unimaginable! This was a story of FOREVER. An empire that lasted through hard work, yet even was questionable. Mrs. Rothschild lived by God, love, family and a stubborn will to make sure her children’s children also did!
I leave you this completely true quote, which did and unfortunately does today.
From Gutle to her children:
“And one more thing: be wary of complacence. Just when you think the troubles of the Jews are over, new calamities surprise us. It matters not how we live—impoverished on Judengasse or rich in castles—someone will always criticize and harass us. Heinrich Heine warned against what book burners might do: Where they burn books, they will also burn people, he said. Who knows, perhaps in fifty or a hundred years a new madman will rise to announce a new kind of pogrom, something we haven’t yet heard of. If he chooses to return us to the ghetto, well then I will already be here, buried in its dirt. No madman will be exhuming my bones.”
Thank you to the authors, translator & thank you Gutle ❤️
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