The Americans (The Kent Family Chronicles, Vol. 8) [Paperback]

John Jakes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1980

The Kent Family Chronicles conclude with Gideon Kent in failing health and his heirs unready to uphold the family legacy of service when their country needs them most.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The best historical novelist of our time. (Patricia Cornwell) A master of the ancient art of storytelling. (New York Times Book Review) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

John Jakes is the bestselling author of Charleston, the Kent Family Chronicles, the North and South trilogy, On Secret Service, California Gold, Homeland, and American Dreams. Descended from a soldier of the Virginia Continental Line who fought in the American Revolution, Jakes is one of today’s most distinguished authors of historical fiction.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 800 pages
• Publisher: Jove Publications; 1st Jove ed edition (February 1, 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515054321
• ISBN-13: 978-0515054323
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 3.9 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,564,821 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Grand Finale !!!, April 27, 2003

By 

Beverley Strong (Australia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Americans (Paperback)

Book 8 in The Kent Family Chronicles neatly wraps up the family history in a most satisfying way.Carter Kent, son of Julia and Louis, shows some of the weakness of character of his father and becomes embroiled with shady, criminal types, forcing him to head for San Francisco where he becomes an off-sider to a powerful political boss. Will Kent follows his dream of becoming a doctor and after an initial inclination to concentrate on becoming rich and famous by marrying the promiscuous daughter of a society family, realises his true potential and joins a practice in the N.Y. slums. Eleanor Kent, married to Leo, a Jewish actor, experiences for herself the prejudice against Jews directed against her for daring to marry a Jew. They are caught in the terrible Johnstown flood and the pattern of their lives is altered forever.
I'm sorry that this wonderful series has ended but am grateful for the very real insight into American history.

29 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You can't review this in just one line, January 2, 1999

By 

Edward Gordon Brown - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Americans (Paperback)

I have finally summed up enough time and courage to put myself to read through all the volumes in the "Kent Family Chronicles". I frankly don't know what took me so long to try and read them. Instead of resuming each book individually, I thought I'd gather all books into one single review and say that it has been perhaps the most entertaining time of my life. There's everything and anything any reader could possibly want. It's a massive compilation of historical detail gathered along with wonderfully crafted fiction. Its an overly dramatic saga, rich in tragedy, suspense, action, poignant love scenes. The person who reads these books and says they're nothing short of excellent truly does not know what great fiction storytelling is about. No wonder these books have received the critical acclaim they have. They are definitely books that stand in a class of their own. The bad thing about them is that there is an end to them...I am going to miss not reading about the Kents. Oh well, everything must end one day, I suppose. My admiration for John Jakes and his work is the only exception to this rule

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome, read all 8, the story gets better and better...., March 10, 2002

By 

Jeffrey Roberts (Long Island, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Americans (Paperback)

sorry it had to end. I would read another 8 volumns if he were to continue...i try to figure out which kent had the best life and which one had the most difficult....i welcome any feedback.