The Dream
Published on 1. May 2008
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-0-09-951786-3 (ISBN)
Description
On a narrow cobbled street in a northern mill town young Harry Bernstein and his family face a daily struggle to make ends meet. This is the true story of those harsh years, overshadowed by the First World War.
Amidst the hardship and suffering, Harry's devoted mother clings to a dream - that one day they might escape this grinding poverty for the paradise of America. But the regular pleas to relatives in Chicago yield nothing, until one day, when Harry is twelve years old, the family looks on astonished as he opens a letter which contains the longed-for steamship tickets.
But the better life of which they'd dreamed proves elusive. Deprivation follows them to Chicago - and for Harry, life becomes more difficult still as he finds himself torn between his responsibilities to his mother, and his first love...
Amidst the hardship and suffering, Harry's devoted mother clings to a dream - that one day they might escape this grinding poverty for the paradise of America. But the regular pleas to relatives in Chicago yield nothing, until one day, when Harry is twelve years old, the family looks on astonished as he opens a letter which contains the longed-for steamship tickets.
But the better life of which they'd dreamed proves elusive. Deprivation follows them to Chicago - and for Harry, life becomes more difficult still as he finds himself torn between his responsibilities to his mother, and his first love...
Reviews / Votes
Deeply touching ... a thoroughly engrossing book: earnest without being sentimental, by turns breathless, lyrical and pain-spaking in it's prose ... capturing the bewilderment and thrill of growing up * Times Literary Supplement * [A] wise, unsentimental memoir * New York Times * A wonderful memoir ... moving, evocative and fresh; I read it late into the night and longed for more. * Nina Bawden, author of CARRIE'S WAR * Bernstein describes their struggles and perseverance without a trace of self-dramatisation or self-pity, in quiet prose that sometimes touches poetry. * Washington Post * A fitting sequel to the very moving The Invisible Wall. The warmth of the author's personality comes through in every incident he describes. Harry Berstein's story of his family's emigration from England to an America on the brink of the Depression is told with a convincing simplicity of style which effortlessly holds the reader to the last page. If you enjoyed The Invisible Wall you will certainly enjoy The Dream. * Donald James Wheal *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Cornerstone
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
none
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
383 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-09-951786-3 (9780099517863)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
97-year-old Harry Bernstein emigrated to the USA with his family after the First World War. He started writing THE INVISIBLE WALL after the death of his wife of 67 years, Ruby. THE DREAM is his second book. He lives in Brick, New Jersey.