An Independent Woman [Paperback]

Howard Fast (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1999

Finally, the long-awaited novel that brings readers back to the world of The Immigrants--a deeply moving story that follows wealthy matriarch Barbara Lavette as she travels the world, finds true love...and faces the most difficult challenge of her life.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Since 1977, Fast (The Bridge Builder's Story, LJ 9/1/95) has been spinning tales about one immigrant family, the Lavettes of California, focusing on Barbara Lavette, whose marriages and adventures illustrate the astonishing changes in American life during the 20th century. In the sixth and final book in the series, Fast portrays Barbara's last love affair, with an ex-Jesuit whose spirituality and naivete provide rich material for a master storyteller. Their romance blossoms as the younger generation copes with a multitude of problems. Fast has a good ear for dialog, and most of the story develops in conversations. For readers exhausted by literary extremes, this novel is like an oasis, easy on the spirit. Fans will snap up this final installment, so every fiction collection will want it.
-?Barbara Conaty, Lib. of Congress
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In the finale to his successful Immigrants series, Howard Fast reunites us with Barbara Lavette, now the matriarch of her fascinating, tangled family. What makes this family so beguiling is its diversity in both ethnicity and character, for the people are drawn with imagination and insight. Barbara is the rock, the one to counsel and console. One night, a prowler breaks into her house; Barbara yields her jewels but not before asking the young black man, since he is obviously educated, why he became a criminal. He explains that in spite of his education, he is a janitor. When he leaves, Barbara decides not to report the incident because she cannot in good conscience send this young man to prison--it would go against her lifelong liberal principles. When he is caught with her jewelry pieces the next day, she insists that she gave them to the young man, and her family knows better than to quarrel with her. What ensues is a beautiful, intriguing story of one woman's final years of life, involving family, friends, a new lover, and the face of death. Fast is an exceptional storyteller, whether expressing sublime moments of happiness or describing events as ordinary as someone making dinner. This is a wonderful novel. Mary Frances Wilkens --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Jove Books (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515124281
• ISBN-13: 978-0515124286
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #784,657 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not quite up to Immigrant's Saga., January 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: An Independent Woman (Hardcover)

I have been a fan of Fast's Immigrants Saga since I read the first book. Imagine my suprise when I saw a new book to a series that I had thought had been concluded. I cannot say that this is as good as the Immigrants series has been, but it isn't terrible. It was mostly a trip down Barbara Lavette's memory lane. This book mostly made me decide to re-read and try to find copies of the books that lead up to this one. It does seem that Mr. Fast got tired while writing the story and decided that he was done, so stopped by giving Barbara cancer. I will read this book again, and I do recommend it to any fan of Fasts Immigrants saga, just to take the walk though the Lavette's and Levy's interesting lives.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sad to see her go, July 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: An Independent Woman (Paperback)

Ten minutes ago I finished reading 'An Independent Woman.' Saddened at the untimely death of Barbara Lavette, I feel the book was aptly titled. The book, to the end, portrayed a woman with incredible character. I can't share in the disappointment of the previous reviewers. It was a joy to share in the Levy/Cohen/Lavette families again. My only complaint - the walking tour of Jerusalem seemed to be filler. A great wrapup to a great set of books. Read them all.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bye Barbara, February 11, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: An Independent Woman (Paperback)

As a third generation Italian-American who lives in San Francisco, I fell in love with the Immigrant series when I read it in high school years ago. Upon hearing that this last book in the series had been published, I eagerly reread all the previous books to prepare myself for "An Independent Woman." Unfortunately, I have a good memory so the inaccuracies and editing mistakes took some of the enjoyment off of what in all was an good experience. (My favorite mistake was Joanna and Steve Cassala's return from the dead.) Putting this aside though, I loved getting immersed in the Lavette-Levy tale again, and cried as it ended. I wish that Barbara had lived to go on more adventures - that she wasn't struck down in her prime - but then again that is how life works sometimes. Even though, this wasn't the end I had envisioned for the Immigrant series, I am happy that I read it, and would encourage any fan to buy it.