Resumo de Kane And Abel - Jeffrey Archer

Kane and Abel is a novel by British author Jeffrey Archer. The book tells the story of two men born on the opposite sides of the world, with their destinies meant to intertwine. They have nothing in common except the same date of birth and a burning desire to succeed. In the famous Jeffrey Archer style, Archer alternates between chapters on each of the characters, at equivalent stages of their lives, highlighting not only the tremendous differences in their lifestyles and opportunities, but as well, the uncanny similarities in their ambitions and achievements. For instance, while Kane is doing justice to his prestigious scholarship and successfully playing the stock market at age 12, Abel is escaping a Russian POW camp after three years of imprisonment by the Germans. Or, while Abel is working as a junior waiter and studying English at night, Kane has acquired his own house since 17 and receives $28 million on his 21st birthday.Abel Rosnovski (originally, Wladek Koskiewicz) is a Pole born into extreme poverty. In 1906, his mother dies while giving birth to him in the woods of Poland. He is found and raised by peasants who escape prison during the Russian occupation. On the same day of Wladek's birth, William Lowell Kane is born to a luxurious life of wealth and a powerful family in Boston, Massachusetts. As Wladek grows up, he is found to have exceptional intelligence by the Baron Rosnovski, who asks him to become a companion to his son Leon. Wladek agrees to go to the Baron's castle on the condition that he brings along his elder sister Florentyna. World War I breaks out. The Germans attack Poland. The Baron, his staff and son are all captured. Wladek's sister Florentyna is raped and killed in front of his own eyes. Leon dies in the hand of a soldier. But before dying, the Baron hands Wladek his silver band of authority. The story tells us that Wladek, in fact, is the Baron's illegitimate son. William Lowell Kane follows the footsteps of his father, Richard, to become a successful banker. When William was a child, Richard died in the Titanic disaster. His mother marries Henry Osborne, whose interests include gambling and womanizing. William hates Henry and spends most of the time at Harvard and at his best friend Mathew Lester's home. William dreams of becoming the chairman of Lester's bank one day. William's mother dies in a miscarriage. He throws his stepfather out of their home.Wladek then is moved by the Germans to Siberia where he manages to escape to Turkey despite hardships. There, he nearly loses his hand for stealing food but is rescued by two foreign diplomats who transfer him to the Polish Embassy. Through their help, he migrates to America and takes up the name Abel Rosnovski. In the United States, he starts his new life as a waiter in the Hotel Plaza. While Abel is working there, Davis Leroy, owner of the Richmond group of hotels, is impressed by his work and appoints him manager. Abel converts the struggling hotel to a profit-making enterprise. Being a time of the Great Depression, the hotel needs a backer. Davis, unable to find one, commits suicide and leaves everything to Abel. Before committing suicide, Davis mentions that it was the company Kane & Cabot who didn't support him. Abel takes a vow of revenge with an all-consuming hatred for Kane. Before long, Kane and Abel become obsessed with vengeance and ruthlessly try to destroy each other. The bank gets Abel an anonymous backer. Abel assumes it to be David Maxton, owner of Stevens' hotel. During this time Abel makes George his lifelong friend and marries Zaphia, both from Poland.Abel changes the name of the hotel from Richmond to Baron and builds up a successful hotel chain. He also joins hands with Henry Osborne, who had by now entered politics. Abel and Zaphia has a daughter, Florentyna, named after his sister, while Kane has a son, Richard.Kane's and Lester's banks merge and a provision is made that anyone who has a share of on board meetings. Abel tries desperately to obtain 8% of the bank's stock but Kane manages to block his attempts. Meantime, Florentyna Rosnovski and Richard Kane meet and fall in love without knowing about the strong animosity between their fathers. They get married amid protests from their fathers and start a chain of boutique stores named Florentyna's.Finally, Abel manages to obtain enough shares of the bank and ousts Kane from power. Kane decides to forgive his son and daughter-in-law and expresses his wish to meet them. Sadly, he dies before he is able to see them and his grandson, William Abel Kane. Eventually, Abel finds out that his backer was not David Maxton, but William Kane. Filled with remorse, he reconciles with his daughter and son-in-law. Abel died soon after, and bequeathed everything to his daughter Florentyna, except his silver band of authority, which he leaves to his grandson, William Abel Kane. Archer's Kane and Abel is doubtless one of the greatest novels of our time. It gives a compelling yet endearing story about life's struggles and triumphs, ambition, love, and the futility of revenge.

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