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A review by book_concierge
A Good American by Alex George
5.0
Book on CD performed by Gibson Frazier
5***** and a ❤
This is a family saga, covering four generations of the Meisenheimer family over a century. It begins in 1904 Hanover Germany when Frederick and Jette meet, fall in love and decide to sail for America, ultimately settling in Beatrice, Missouri, a relatively small town on the banks of the Missouri River. We watch them taken advantage of due to their lack of English, but also helped by the kindness of strangers. One of the first to help them refuses any money but asks that they “become good Americans,” a request they take seriously.
The story is told by Frederick and Jette’s grandson, James, as he looks back at his family’s history. As happens in real life, the family intersects with many of the residents of Beatrice: the doctor, pharmacist, bartender, preacher, banker, funeral director, teachers, farmers, those who are prosperous and those down on their luck. We view history through the lens of one family’s experiences – World Wars I and II, the great depression, floods, the assassination of JFK, etc. The one constant for Frederick and his descendants is music. From opera to jazz to barbershop quartets, music accompanies the events of their lives.
In summary, this is a story of immigrants, a story of quintessential Americans, a story of struggle and triumph and defeat and unabashed joy. I absolutely loved it and as soon as I had finished it I wanted to read it again.
Gibson Frazier does a marvelous job of narrating the audiobook. I only wish that some of the operatic arias could have been sung. But that doesn’t really diminish Frazier’s performance.
5***** and a ❤
This is a family saga, covering four generations of the Meisenheimer family over a century. It begins in 1904 Hanover Germany when Frederick and Jette meet, fall in love and decide to sail for America, ultimately settling in Beatrice, Missouri, a relatively small town on the banks of the Missouri River. We watch them taken advantage of due to their lack of English, but also helped by the kindness of strangers. One of the first to help them refuses any money but asks that they “become good Americans,” a request they take seriously.
The story is told by Frederick and Jette’s grandson, James, as he looks back at his family’s history. As happens in real life, the family intersects with many of the residents of Beatrice: the doctor, pharmacist, bartender, preacher, banker, funeral director, teachers, farmers, those who are prosperous and those down on their luck. We view history through the lens of one family’s experiences – World Wars I and II, the great depression, floods, the assassination of JFK, etc. The one constant for Frederick and his descendants is music. From opera to jazz to barbershop quartets, music accompanies the events of their lives.
In summary, this is a story of immigrants, a story of quintessential Americans, a story of struggle and triumph and defeat and unabashed joy. I absolutely loved it and as soon as I had finished it I wanted to read it again.
Gibson Frazier does a marvelous job of narrating the audiobook. I only wish that some of the operatic arias could have been sung. But that doesn’t really diminish Frazier’s performance.