In His Father’s Footsteps by Danielle Steel
Published by Dell Books on September 4, 2018
Pages: 432
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In this powerful novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel tells the story of two World War II concentration camp survivors, the life they build together, and the son who faces struggles of his own as a first generation American determined to be his own person and achieve success.
When U.S. troops occupy Germany, friends Jakob and Emmanuelle are saved from the terrible fate of so many in the camps. With the help of sponsors, they make their way to New York. In order not to be separated, they allow their friendship to blossom into love and marriage, and start a new life on the Lower East Side, working at grueling, poorly paid jobs.
Decades later, through talent, faith, fortune, and relentless hard work, Jakob has achieved success in the diamond business, invested in real estate in New York, and shown his son, Max, that America is truly the land of opportunity. Max is a rising star, a graduate of Harvard with friends among the wealthiest, most ambitious families in the world. And while his parents were thrown together by chance, Max chooses a perfect bride to start the perfect American family.
An opulent society wedding. A honeymoon in Tahiti. A palatial home in Greenwich. Max’s lavish lifestyle is unimaginable to his cautious old-world father and mother. Max wants to follow his father’s example and make his own fortune. But after the birth of children, and with a failing marriage, he can no longer deny that his wife is not the woman he thought she was. Angry and afraid, Max must do what he has never done before: struggle, persevere and learn what it means to truly walk in his father’s footsteps while pursuing his own ideals and setting an example for his children.
Moving from the ashes of postwar Europe to the Lower East Side of New York to wealth, success, and unlimited luxury, In His Father’s Footsteps is a stirring tale of three generations of strong, courageous, and loving people who pay their dues to achieve their goals.
While I often enjoy reading new authors that I find on NetGalley, there’s also a certain level of comfort when I’m able to select a book from an author such as Danielle Steel. Heck, my mom and I have been reading and enjoying her books for probably about 30 years and we know we can count on reading a book that we can consistently read cover to cover and be confident that the plot will be good and the characters will have the same drama and love as our own families. Today’s book is In His Father’s Footsteps by Danielle Steel, and once again, we were provided with a classic Danielle Steel book.
I’ll admit that sometimes I find that Danielle Steel’s books can be repetitive and that gets on my nerves a little bit, but In His Father’s Footsteps didn’t read that way at all. I will also admit I usually don’t like to read anything “historical”, so I was a bit surprised when I dug right into this book. I thought it might be a difficult read for me given my genre preferences, but Ms. Steel had just the right mix of storyline to keep me engaged.
The book opens with Jakob Stein and Emmanuelle Berger, former prisoners of war during the Holocaust, being freed. They are ready to start a new life together in America. They have been through tough times together in the concentration camp, so they decide to trust that friendship with grow into love so they wed before being sponsored to freedom in the United States.
The story follows them through their life as they adjust to a new country, new jobs, and new family. As the years go by, Jakob and Emmanuelle depend on each other and grow into love as they devote their lives to their beloved son. They try very hard to teach him how important family is, as well as teaching him the importance of proper work ethic. Throughout the decades, Jakob achieves success in the diamond business through his talent, faith, and hard work, and shows his son that America is truly the land of opportunity.
As their son, Max grows older, he has the determination that he was not going to struggle for money like his parents. When he graduates from Harvard, he throws himself into work. Max wants to follow his father’s example by working hard, making money and finding the a life partner. He falls for Julie and marries her, but after the birth of children, he realizes that his wife is not the woman he thought she was. As a result, Max finds himself struggling and moving forward with perseverance learning what it means to walk in his father’s footsteps while at the same time trying to set an example for his children.
In His Father’s Footsteps is a typical Danielle Steel story full of love, hardship, and loss. I really loved the characters in the story too. I’ll admit the history of the story also drew me in and I couldn’t even imagine having to endure the life Jakob and Emmanuelle did during their imprisonment in the camp, but how they endured and prevailed was so awesome.
Danielle Steel has sold 650 million copies of her books internationally, and every one of her books is a bestseller. She is published in 69 countries and 43 languages.
Steel’s latest novel is In His Father’s Footsteps. Other recent bestsellers include The Good Fight, The Cast, Past Perfect, and Fairytale, all of which have leapt to the top of the New York Timesbestseller list, the Wall Street Journal list, and comparable best seller lists around the world.
Steel has written more than 168 books, 144 of which are novels; 18 children’s books, including Pretty Minnie in Hollywood and Pretty Minnie in Paris about her white long-hair teacup Chihuahua; four works of nonfiction, including His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina, A Gift of Hope: Helping the Homeless, and Pure Joy: The Dogs We Love; a book of poetry; and she has written the lyrics for a music album.
She also founded and runs two foundations, one named in honor of her late son, The Nick Traina Foundation, which finances organizations involved in mental illness, child abuse, and suicide prevention. The second foundation was established to assist the homeless. In 2002 Steel was decorated by the French government as an “Officier” of the distinguished Order of Arts and Letters and in 2014 she was decorated as a Chevalier (Knight) of the Order of the Legion d’Honneur in Paris. She lives in Paris and San Francisco and is the mother of nine children.
For more information about Danielle and her books, visit www.daniellesteel.net. Follow Danielle on Twitter, @DanielleSteel. on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/DanielleSteelOfficial.
I was provided with a complimentary electronic advanced reader copy through Net Galley in exchange for my post. I was not required to post a positive review, but have chosen to do so because this book was great! Thank you!
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