Resumo de The Auerbach Will - Stephen Birmingham

In retrospect, Easter Auerbach?s journey-like life has been full of mystery and lies; which now threaten to deprive her favorite son of trust left for him by her husband. Easter Litsky (Essie) was a Russian Jew immigrant who lived with her parents at the Lower East Side of New York. She went against her religious fanatic father?s will to marry her off to ?a rabbi or at least a rabbi?s son?. Easter got married to Jacob Auerbach, a student teacher, - who taught in her school - from a German Jew family in spite, of his family?s warning of his undefined and irresolute whims. Immediately, Jake?s family sent them to the new city, Chicago, to manage the family business extension, and gave them little monetary gift and loan. ?Loyalty of customers to the older store? was one of the things they had to deal with. Easter?s younger brother, Abe Litsky, had jumped bail to stay with them for sometime. During his stay, he got offer from Mr. Marshall Field III, -as compensation - for finding his missing merchandises, to ?tend the bar for the elite of the new Chicago Opera House?. Seven months later, he got fired for fraudulence. With the money he made, he proposed to his brother-in-law about buying half share of a mail delivery business. Easter had helped the situation by getting half the partnership money from her mother and lied to Jake, knowing his pride, that she had won the money in lottery. With doubt, Jake accepted the money and invested in the business. Sooner than they anticipated the business had flourished, with Charles by Jake?s side, who had met Essie on the train back to Chicago (he had lied about his Harvard and Business School degrees) and Essie?s resourceful contributions. Jake worked late, attended dinners with presidents and dignitaries. Charles became Essie?s only source of information about the business, but with special interest. Essie also got busied with social activities, after Jake asked Charles to persuade her, leaving the children (Jacob , Joan, Babette and Martin ) to keepers. One of the founders of the company had tendered his resignation, when his idea was rejected. Jake decided to buy him out. On Charles? advise, they offered the stock to the public to get money to pay him off. Incidentally, When Mr. Marshall Field III saw Abe Litsky listed among the shareholder, in the journal; he asked his journalist friend - to get a reporter to investigate him. Upon completion, the reporter had gotten a detailed story of Abe Litsky malefaction. The reporter blackmailed Jake for ten thousand dollars instead. And for this, Jake bought Abe out and told him to stay away. Jake became wealthy, powerful and philanthropic. Essie also became a pleasure for most women to meet. Shortly after a newspaper report of one Jewish homosexual who had killed is partner to have more adventures. Prince saw the disapproval of his father towards the act, and shot himself because, he felt he had disappointed his father by getting involved in same act with their bodyguard. Jake got angered and destroyed every memories of him. He got busier expanding the business and became separated from his family. Daisy Stevens, one of Abe Litsky?s mistresses, found out about the relationship between Abe and the ?Great philanthropist?, Jacob Auerbach. She had taken the advantage and got a job as Jake?personal Secretary? and also promised Jake to keep Abe away from him. Jake and Daisy got involved in secret affair. She got pregnant and decided to keep it, against Jake?s will. Essie felt betrayed by Daisy, when her brother blackmailed her for monthly check to keep his mouth shot, because she became her closest friend, but relieved because she was also in a secret affair with Charles. Not long, Essie found out she was also pregnant for Charles. She lured her husband to bed to conceal the paternity. Jake as well as Essie felt they had failed as parents and decided to compensate for that by raising Josh, the best way they could. ?As Jake grew older he became calmer? and nicer especially, toward their son. Jake got sick and the only answer he wanted on his sickbed was ?where did Essie get the money?. He died and left almost everything to Essie and the children because he felt Daisy had betrayed him. Joan, who always argued about their having two different parents - the poor that was always around and the rich but detached who now seem to prefer the inexperience boys, found out about her long lost uncle Abe Litsky?s ?name-change?; who interestingly is now the notorious Arthur Litton. She intended to use this to threaten their mother into giving her some money to rise her ?foundering Newspaper? company but Mogie ?the artistic?, had a better idea. Josh confirmed who his real father was after he received a mail from Mogie of a very old picture of Charles and a recent one of Josh and sonnet.Joan thought of using this ?technicality? to break the trust their father had left Josh. But Essie got the support of Daisy of bringing in her child, grand children and great grand children as heirs to the trust, if Joan insisted. In the end, Easter Auerbach concluded that the only thing riches give is misery and that Love is the only thing that can stand throughout all ages.

Resumos Relacionados