Most helpful customer reviews
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1.0 out of 5 stars
Trivial, boring, dull, cliched stereotypes, Jul 31 2001
Whew. Those other reviewers must have read a different book, or they're all on acid. One of them even used "The Immigrants" to compare Fast to F. Scott Fitzgerald! The authors who come to my mind are Edna Ferber and James Michener, who were both more adept than Fast at using the trivial genre of "family saga" as the basis for a good adventure story. "The Immigrants" is a skin-deep, boring travelogue of events in the lives of a dull selection of character stereotypes. The cliches are thick and fast. I could hardly hold the book up. All I can think is that the often fascinating Fast was showing off his famous eclecticism by demonstrating that he could write trash with the worst of them.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Another Great Novel by Howard Fast, Feb 26 2001
Is it possible for Howard Fast to write a bad novel? Probably not. The man can't even write a bad sentence! Plus, he obviously likes people. There aren't any real villains in this novel which follows several interconnected families living in and around San Francisco from around 1900 into the early 1930s. Instead, there are real people trying to make sense out of the world they have been born into, and their own capabilities, ambitions and capacity to love and be loved. Some times they act "badly", but even the least likable has some reason for being that way. Some characters make horrible mistakes and die, some do the right thing and fail, some do the wrong thing and prosper, and some make horrible mistakes and live long enough to find redemption. Which is, I think, the way life is.Since this novel is set against a historical background, it important - to me anyway - that the background material be as accurate as possible. I know a bit about California and West Coast USA history, and it looks to me like Mr. Fast has done his research. That historical material I already knew he corroborated, and I'll bet most of the material I didn't know is right on. When Fast decides to show you that he has done his research, he is much better than almost any other author I know at presenting that research in simple, interesting and meaningful ways. And if there isn't any way to do it simply, he admits it by presenting it as equally confusing to the characters in his book as it is to the reader. So, why didn't I give this novel five stars? Simply because Fast has written better novels, like "Moses" and "Spartacus", and I want to mark the difference. Probably it is the political agenda that he brings to those novels which adds the extra bit of energy to the characters. Whatever, if you are looking for an effortless and enjoyable read with serious content, this particular book is an excellent choice.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredibly rich and real..., Feb 9 2001
I didn'k know who Howard Fast was until everyone in my family personally handed me The Immigrants and said to me "You've got to read this!" I did, and I was suddenly in a world of suspense, imagination, happiness, death, romance and humor. The novel opens with a beautiful narration of the voyage the Lavette family had as they are headed towards America and then how they're met there (not a very charming welcome!). Howard Fast is an excellent story teller, his books are ninty percent real "page turners" and he always comes up with stories that grip you. Right after the San Fransisco earhtquake (excellent part) Dan Lavette builds himself a shipping empire out from nothing. His motivation is his love towards a beautiful and aristocratic woman, daughter of a rich banker. The Immigrants give you Jack London simplicy and Howard Fast deepness. The saga continues around two families through five different books and the more you read, the more you got the love the big Lavette family... and then one day Howard Fast becomes your favourite author. :)
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