The Auerbach Will

by Stephen Birmingham

A poignant and unforgettable rags-to-riches family saga following three generations of a remarkable clan from downtown ghetto to Park Avenue opulence
 
Marrying Jack Auerbach was Essie Litsky’s salvation, enabling her to break free of her strict Russian-Jewish immigrant parents and escape New York’s poor, dirty, overcrowded Lower East Side. Together with her husband, Essie amassed a fortune that dwarfed their wildest dreams: She was living in a grand mansion on Park Avenue, collecting priceless art, even conferring with a US president.  
But money could never buy the affection of family or compensate for the true love Essie let slip away. And now, as she nears the end of her life, she must contend with blackmail and heartless legal assaults coming at her from all sides, the result of the ugly, persisting greed of her own children and grandchildren. But Essie is not dead yet, and those who underestimate the remarkable old woman are in for a shocking and powerful surprise.
 
In this New York Times bestseller, Stephen Birmingham, acclaimed chronicler of the lives of the super-rich and author of “Our Crowd”, introduces three generations of a singular family as it moves from poverty to privilege over the course of a cataclysmic century, led by one of the most endearing and unforgettable heroines in modern American fiction.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical

494 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading the currently popular "Swans of Fifth Avenue" about socialites, Capote, Babe Paley, New York, 1960's glamour, then to The Dakota by this author, dishy non-fiction, written while the Lennons lived there and about 2 months before he was shot in the doorway. We'll written, a bit dated, but still, I liked his style and an interesting note is that when I was looking on the interwb for pictures of the interior of the Dakota interiors the was a sketch of Babe Paley. So I was intrigued. I read The Auerbach Will and loved the plot and the characters! 10+ hours and not once was I bored. I'm reading Shades of Fortune now which uses many elements of The Auerbach Will or the other way around, not sure which came first but still enjoyable and I'm puzzled by the lack of reviews and comments about his books. He is frankly a much better writer than much of the dribble on the best-sellers list. Yes, they are dated, but they are still, well written, interesting an fun stories. Please try.

[Cathryn Conroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious! Juicy! Oh, so yummy! No, this isn't a review of a dessert, but this book is a lot like dessert for your brain. Best of all, this book by Stephen Birmingham is not just empty calories; it is intelligently-written with a carefully-crafted plot and colorful characters, albeit some of them are somewhat one-sided. An ingenious structure that is perfectly executed catapults the plot back and forth in time.

Taking place primarily in New York and Chicago, this is a multi-generational family saga beginning in the early 1900s. Jake and Essie Auerbach marry against the wishes of both their families. They are ostracized by Jake's extremely wealthy family to Chicago, where eventually Jake becomes a huge business success, due in no small part to his wife. Yet with this spectacular, showy wealth comes searing heartbreak. Years later, their ungrateful and greedy children want to change their mother's will as Essie approaches her 90th birthday. And divisive secrets long buried, hurtful family tensions, intense rivalries and the destructive power of money come bubbling to the surface, threatening to destroy everything the Auberbach family has attained, including each other.

"The Auerbach Will" is the perfect escapist read!

[Carolyn Russett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A definite 3.5 and maybe sometimes 4
definitely a good book to read...you can read the summary for yourself.
The characters are all thrown at you in the beginning so i suggest writing them down...just to get you through the beginning of the book. once you are into it, it will be easier to follow. I had difficulty in the beginning trying to figure out the time period that the present day story was occurring in ...
somewhere in the middle of the book the narrative changes to "have we mentioned" where as in other parts you are reading as a third person. I didn't care for that and that would be one reason i'd give it a 3.5. The last third of th e book has you jumping time frames within the chapter which was also confusing a bit. However, the story is very good! It covers the history of the early 1900's and how it affects an immigrant family. You love and hate the characters but you can see how society affects the relationships . For that I give it a 4

[Connie Hess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please do your best to get through the first chapter of name dropping, label revealing ostentatious attitudes.
After that you will be on your way to a good read filled with plots of crafted secrets, love, hate, affairs, blackmail and scandals, revealing money cannot buy happiness.
Essie lives on the lower east side with her brother and parents. Her mother owns a small stationary store and supports the family as Essie's father studies the Talmud all day, every day.
At the age of 16, her education is complete and her father arranges her marriage to a shoe cobbler.
Essie is smitten with a young lecturer at school, Jacob Auerbach, and defies her parents wishes.
At the time she does not realize his family's wealth and an upbringing much different than hers.
We see them marry, struggle, work hard and then presented with an opportunity to be involved in a new business venture that takes them and three generations of their family into incredible wealth.

[Laura Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by Stephen Birmingham and I love the cadence of his writing. It moves seamlessly between the past and the present, bringing us along as he presents his characters in a most gracious way. It is as if I have been invited to Essie Auerbach's home for the holiday and I am a willing captive to her story, from her own personal humble Jewish beginnings in New York City, where she was to marry the rabbi's son, to meeting and falling in love with the young man who taught immigrants the way to navigate the city. Though both families disliked the match, her father most of all, they did marry. The story continues to show her devotion to her husband and her tenacity in her support of his new business venture that would propel them into a to a lifestyle beyond their dreams. I love this woman! Her children, of course, have all been impacted by the swing in the family fortune and at one point I found myself actively rooting against one of them. The "will" is the motivation for many of the characters, but happily, not all of them.
I highly recommend this book to readers who love a little mystery and a hidden love story.

[Eugenea Pollock · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are just too many proofreading errors in here to rank this novel any higher despite its interesting plot. For example, look at this: “. . . stricken look of grief, the ears that seemed to stand in his eyes.” What’s that about??? Then there is this sentence: “I should think that there’d be a sense of elease.” Readers should not have to guess, infer, whatever in order to make sense out of a word salad. Careless, careless, careless.

[Donna Hulsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book very much. It is set in New York City, and starts on the lower east side when a young girl becomes enamoured of a young man who wants to "do good" to the less fortunate. When her strict Jewish father arranges a marriage for her, she sets her sights on Jacob Auerbach. Covering three generations of a family business, it stressed the passions and secrets of the family.

[Yvette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story!

[Jakky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this didn't turn out to be as light a read as I had expected. I really enjoyed the back and forth between the past and present, as well as the various points of view. I had a really hard time believing the elder children's attitudes - who is that obviously, un-self-consciously shallow?? Was worth the read.

[Julia A. McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Facebook

Famiiy saga with lots of characters . I really enjoyed this book as it covered not only the history of the era but how it affected one family.. would recommend this to anyone who likes family sagas as the characters are well developed and you feel as if you know them . A good read.

[Debbie Shoulders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an old-fashioned "rags to riches" tale that also tries to show the downside to having that much wealth. Essie came to America from humble beginnings in Russia. Her parents provide her with the best the Lower East Side of Manhatten had to offer. Her confidence in herself allows a meeting with a teacher to become more and Essie and Jake marry and move to Chicago where opportunities abound.

In current times, Essie is eighty-nine and finds herself the target of her children as they engage in schemes and try to fill their empty lives. In some ways, Birmingham's story is one of deep sadness as love is the first thing to be deposed of when a certain way of living is required.

[Janie A. Hutchison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the years I have read many of Stephen Birmingham 's biographies .. with much relish. The Auerbach Will is the first fiction novel I have read by him. It did not disappoint. Sadly, his death in 2015 limits us to his 30+ published books. I will re-read some older bios and look at his books I have not yet read. I highly recommend The Auerbach Will. I've found no one who writes quite like Birmingham.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts with an orgy of high-end name dropping, but as I got further into it, it was much better than I expected. An intimate portrait of an ambitious, and eventually very rich, woman, who ends up with a bunch of relatives not worth a damn. Meanwhile, there are plenty of family secrets and scandals, white sheep and black sheep, and loads of champagne. A fun escape.

[Janie D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic story! Beginning in New York with an immigrant Russian Jewish family, and the main character, the daughter, Essie. It carries through Essie’s marriage to wealthy Jake Auerbach, their children, grandchildren. The beginning of a new company, founded by Essie & Jake, reaching epic fortunes. I love this type of family generational story. Enthralling from start to finish!

[Peter C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable

I have enjoyed a number of Birmingham’s writing and always appreciated his ability to truly capture the lives of those whose journeys are truly interesting and maybe even inspiring.

Such is the case in this tome. Reminds me of the quote “ the rich are not like us “

[Paula]

Ahhh families! They can be so complicated. Life is never easy for Esther Auerbach--- between her parents, her husband who rises to become a billionaire, her children, grandchildren and the real love of her life .... there's never a dull moment.

[Alison Ivey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. Not keeping to a consistent chronology makes it more interesting as events are hinted at or discussed and we find out what happened later on. Fascinating people, relationships and conflicts.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good beach read. The plot is interesting; the main character, Essie, is well drawn. The other characters are only developed to the extent it is necessary to understand Essie's interactions with them. If some had been more fully developed, I would have given it a 4.

[Bloomreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a little surprised this book isn’t more widely known. I loved it, although the ending was a bit abrupt. There was rich detail and a lot of research obviously went into it. A multilayered saga that I really enjoyed!

[Noella Allisen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I totally enjoyed this family saga with the matriarch, Essie, and all her loving, contentious relationships with family and friends. I kind of kept seeing her like a Maggie Smith kind of character which amused me greatly. Ahhh…money and greed…

[Laura Craven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding Read

Strong character development. Interesting timeline, fluctuates between characters and their relationship with Essie. Descriptions are vivid and easily seen by the mind's eye. Very well written. Mysteries throughout that held the reader's curiosity.

[Lynne Sandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting family story

[Delcie Dunbrack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read.

[Knitnosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and liked the story and characters.

[Anne Monteith · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 Stars

[Lily Kosner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dated but juicy story of a wealthy Jewish matriarch.

[Bonnie Keilbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling story of a matriarch and her family from rags to riches . Great job of character development and kept me intrigued

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story with interesting twists and turns, good characterisation and very evocative of early New York.

[B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Andrea Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing story— horrible, terrible, no-good grammar. The grammatical errors took me out of a story which should have held my interest.