There are hidden complexities not easy to discern in this as in most such works, even as the work might seem trivial to those that characterise anything written by, about, and mostly read by women, under an unflattering label, which is as false as lumping all European films with all Hollywood and calling it 'honky'. A Jefferson would do just that, the latter, as do most males and others who want to be taken seriously by them.
But here, even as the comfort factor is strong in reading this, as is the sudden realisation of attachment one has found oneself having developed with the characters somewhere in midst of reading it, one also on one hand sees the said complex layers as seamlessly merged as those of an ocean, and too, begins to find a repeated sense of dejavu if one is familiar with Indian literature and films.
Jessica, the first in Manhattan series, dealt with problems faced by women in life despite everything else being in their favour, only due yo a key factor - the man in their life being a rotten one. Here, the author explores the other side, of a young boy going through various problems due to circumstances, some of which might have a manipulative female behind the trouble, although it really doesn't begin to compare.
There is a bit of a Devdas feel to the boy, even though it's not about drinking, what with his leaving a backwoods farm home in Kansas to go face the more famous Manhattan and it's society, and allow the memory of his childhood love submerge until it's possibly too late. It isn't a copy - Devdas lacks the manipulative female - but that, again, finds a resonance from countless such figures in Indian films of family genre of sixties. Mostly there they were a sister in law, a mother in law or an aunt, but yes, the young woman in city grasping at the bright young man and keeping him as her carriage horse to ride onto social pyramid top with a comfortable ride, was quite far from unique.
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Jessica, the first of the Manhattan series, ended satisfactorily enough, after the wrenching events and suspense. The boy orphaned by his parents death was taken in by his grandfather Belk, who married Caroline promptly after being told it wasn't suitable for them to share a home despite presence of Kimimela and the infant, and they named the bot Akecheta Isaac Matthew Belk - the first being in Kansa language.
But here, even as the comfort factor is strong in reading this, as is the sudden realisation of attachment one has found oneself having developed with the characters somewhere in midst of reading it, one also on one hand sees the said complex layers as seamlessly merged as those of an ocean, and too, begins to find a repeated sense of dejavu if one is familiar with Indian literature and films.
Jessica, the first in Manhattan series, dealt with problems faced by women in life despite everything else being in their favour, only due yo a key factor - the man in their life being a rotten one. Here, the author explores the other side, of a young boy going through various problems due to circumstances, some of which might have a manipulative female behind the trouble, although it really doesn't begin to compare.
There is a bit of a Devdas feel to the boy, even though it's not about drinking, what with his leaving a backwoods farm home in Kansas to go face the more famous Manhattan and it's society, and allow the memory of his childhood love submerge until it's possibly too late. It isn't a copy - Devdas lacks the manipulative female - but that, again, finds a resonance from countless such figures in Indian films of family genre of sixties. Mostly there they were a sister in law, a mother in law or an aunt, but yes, the young woman in city grasping at the bright young man and keeping him as her carriage horse to ride onto social pyramid top with a comfortable ride, was quite far from unique.
................................................................................................
Jessica, the first of the Manhattan series, ended satisfactorily enough, after the wrenching events and suspense. The boy orphaned by his parents death was taken in by his grandfather Belk, who married Caroline promptly after being told it wasn't suitable for them to share a home despite presence of Kimimela and the infant, and they named the bot Akecheta Isaac Matthew Belk - the first being in Kansa language.
This one opens with Emma, a nine year old newly orphaned granddaughter of the West family across the road from the Belk home, rebellious against having to live on the small farm of her grandparents in the Kansas backwoods instead of her home in Philadelphia, and going to a new school,in the neighbourhood; she runs into the forest unfamiliar to her, falls in a freezing creek and is saved by the boy who's three years older. Caroline has died, he lives with Kimimela and his grandfather, and has no friends despite being bright at school, hardworking at home and knowledgeable about the farm and forest - the adults of the town are kind, but haven't managed to keep the secret of his parents being not married to one another, and he had to be told about it after his first day at school.
So the two, both equally lonely and proud, equally determined to do well and not be a burden, have one another for company. It's as innocent a love story as it could get, with details of small farmer's lives living frugally in the farmhouse of Kansas in the first half.
Jessica sends Amanda to music school in Chicago after she's through high school, and three years later she takes Akecheta personally to Manhattan, N.Y. to get him to Columbia university where she's secured his admission - shes paying for both by having lived frugally and saving the money she received from renting her house in the city that was her wedding gift from her father, which she still owns. Now it's the boy's turn to face a world unknown where his family roots lie.
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There is a frightening moment when Akecheta is persuaded by his roommate Jonathan Montgomery to accompany him to a poker game, after two years of being roommates. Akecheta is lonely, and after Jonathan has taught him basics, goes with him. It's even the same place and men who Zachary played with, and they ask his name seeing the resemblance. One wonders if he'll fall down the slippery slope.
But he recalls his roots, the amount of work and time the money has cost his near and dear, before placing his first bet- and leaves, having only list a quarter for ante.
One hopes that's the end of it.
There is a frightening moment when Akecheta is persuaded by his roommate Jonathan Montgomery to accompany him to a poker game, after two years of being roommates. Akecheta is lonely, and after Jonathan has taught him basics, goes with him. It's even the same place and men who Zachary played with, and they ask his name seeing the resemblance. One wonders if he'll fall down the slippery slope.
But he recalls his roots, the amount of work and time the money has cost his near and dear, before placing his first bet- and leaves, having only list a quarter for ante.
One hopes that's the end of it.
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But Jonathan invites him home for a party, where he meets his sister Winifred, a stunning slim blonde with blue eyes and soft pink skin, and he is stunned. Winifred suggests he study law and join her father's firm. He introduces himself in N.Y. as Isaac Belk, and both Jonathan and Winifred alike promptly asked if he's Jewish; Winifred declares she'd call him Mathew, and that's the name her family uses then on.
Thence he spends all his free time with them except the formal holidays, which as usual are at Vandenberg home of Jessica's friend Abigail. Funny, one wondered if he'd fall for Veronica Vandenberg who's decidedly very accomplished in music, but this seems far more dangerous.
In time he's invited to their summer home on Long Island, and meets the elder brother George who's a partner in the father's law firm. George tells him he's heard of his goid grades, and offers him a position if he'd do law.
"Winifred leaned against Akecheta’s arm and put her head on his shoulder, a stupendous familiarity in the presence of her family. Akecheta glanced nervously at Jonathan and then her parents and saw only approval. Until that moment, he had thought of marriage to the most beautiful and the wealthiest young woman in Manhattan as something he could never dream of, yet here her entire family was looking at him and silently giving their consent. The kindergartener who had been called a bastard by his classmates stirred inside and reminded him of who he really was.
"Jessica’s friends, the Vandenbergs, knew the truth but must have kept it to themselves. He wondered if anyone else in the closed circle of Manhattan society would one day scoff at him and call him a bastard. If he worked for the most prestigious law firm in the city, if he were married to a woman at the very top of the social register, would that grant him immunity?
"He considered the money. Two thousand dollars a year was a king’s salary to a Kansas farmer. The thought of the life he could have if he stayed in New York, married Winifred, and practiced law successfully, was staggering."
Is he going to forget Emma?
But Jonathan invites him home for a party, where he meets his sister Winifred, a stunning slim blonde with blue eyes and soft pink skin, and he is stunned. Winifred suggests he study law and join her father's firm. He introduces himself in N.Y. as Isaac Belk, and both Jonathan and Winifred alike promptly asked if he's Jewish; Winifred declares she'd call him Mathew, and that's the name her family uses then on.
Thence he spends all his free time with them except the formal holidays, which as usual are at Vandenberg home of Jessica's friend Abigail. Funny, one wondered if he'd fall for Veronica Vandenberg who's decidedly very accomplished in music, but this seems far more dangerous.
In time he's invited to their summer home on Long Island, and meets the elder brother George who's a partner in the father's law firm. George tells him he's heard of his goid grades, and offers him a position if he'd do law.
"Winifred leaned against Akecheta’s arm and put her head on his shoulder, a stupendous familiarity in the presence of her family. Akecheta glanced nervously at Jonathan and then her parents and saw only approval. Until that moment, he had thought of marriage to the most beautiful and the wealthiest young woman in Manhattan as something he could never dream of, yet here her entire family was looking at him and silently giving their consent. The kindergartener who had been called a bastard by his classmates stirred inside and reminded him of who he really was.
"Jessica’s friends, the Vandenbergs, knew the truth but must have kept it to themselves. He wondered if anyone else in the closed circle of Manhattan society would one day scoff at him and call him a bastard. If he worked for the most prestigious law firm in the city, if he were married to a woman at the very top of the social register, would that grant him immunity?
"He considered the money. Two thousand dollars a year was a king’s salary to a Kansas farmer. The thought of the life he could have if he stayed in New York, married Winifred, and practiced law successfully, was staggering."
Is he going to forget Emma?
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Jessica invited Emma after her graduation, but there was a letter from New York informing her that the carriage house of her house in New York had burned down; and the tenant had died, his family was leaving to go stay elsewhere. She'd pit Amanda and Akecheta through school meanwhile and her savings had dwindled, and without the rent couldn't continue.
Emma offrered her money, claiming she didnt want to go to college. They went to speak with her grandparents.
"Even if she did give Jessica the money she still had enough to enroll for her first year at school, maybe not at the Medical College of New York, but it would still be possible for her to go to school at home. For her second year, if Jessica could get her house rented out or sold and start paying her back, and Akecheta could get a good-paying job and pitch in, maybe she could change schools and go anywhere she wanted, or maybe she’d prefer to stay at Kansas State University right in her home town."
Emma convinced her grandparents and made everyone promise they wouldn't tell Akecheta; Jessica decided she'd sell the house and repay Emma. They discussed Jessica making a wedding dress for Emma, believing it was understood they'd marry.
Meanwhile, Winifred managed to manipulate so as to get him to have an understanding with her!
Almost on his arrival the storm broke - Emma had gone dressed up to receive him, which startled him and he didn't even recognise her at first, but soon she was shocked to hear him say he loved her like a sister; he didnt see her again through the summer, despite looking for her, missing her, but unable to go across and ask to meet her. It was Kimimela who, when he was talking about his future plans of joining a rich N.Y. firm, and told her he had an understanding with a beautiful girl in society, pointed out firmly that he'd never love that girl as he loved Emma.
The truth of it was obvious to him when he kept looking for her as his train left; she arrived on her horse as the train left, and he ran to the rear of the train, waving at her until the train climbed into hills and turned, and he knew Kimimela was right. He decided he had to distance himself from Winifred, but found on arrival that Jonathan had been murdered as a result of his poker game at Bowery, and he had to attend the funeral.
"He pictured a future with Winifred and knew no matter how much success he had with the firm, no matter how much money he accumulated, no matter how high in society his wife was, he would always feel out of place in New York. He would always be waiting for someone to call him what he could not deny being. His heart would always be in Kansas with a wild-haired, stubborn Emma. He squirmed in his seat with his head down and his hands clasped on his lap. He was tangled in a web with no idea how to gracefully get out of it."
Jessica invited Emma after her graduation, but there was a letter from New York informing her that the carriage house of her house in New York had burned down; and the tenant had died, his family was leaving to go stay elsewhere. She'd pit Amanda and Akecheta through school meanwhile and her savings had dwindled, and without the rent couldn't continue.
Emma offrered her money, claiming she didnt want to go to college. They went to speak with her grandparents.
"Even if she did give Jessica the money she still had enough to enroll for her first year at school, maybe not at the Medical College of New York, but it would still be possible for her to go to school at home. For her second year, if Jessica could get her house rented out or sold and start paying her back, and Akecheta could get a good-paying job and pitch in, maybe she could change schools and go anywhere she wanted, or maybe she’d prefer to stay at Kansas State University right in her home town."
Emma convinced her grandparents and made everyone promise they wouldn't tell Akecheta; Jessica decided she'd sell the house and repay Emma. They discussed Jessica making a wedding dress for Emma, believing it was understood they'd marry.
Meanwhile, Winifred managed to manipulate so as to get him to have an understanding with her!
................................................................................................
Almost on his arrival the storm broke - Emma had gone dressed up to receive him, which startled him and he didn't even recognise her at first, but soon she was shocked to hear him say he loved her like a sister; he didnt see her again through the summer, despite looking for her, missing her, but unable to go across and ask to meet her. It was Kimimela who, when he was talking about his future plans of joining a rich N.Y. firm, and told her he had an understanding with a beautiful girl in society, pointed out firmly that he'd never love that girl as he loved Emma.
The truth of it was obvious to him when he kept looking for her as his train left; she arrived on her horse as the train left, and he ran to the rear of the train, waving at her until the train climbed into hills and turned, and he knew Kimimela was right. He decided he had to distance himself from Winifred, but found on arrival that Jonathan had been murdered as a result of his poker game at Bowery, and he had to attend the funeral.
"He pictured a future with Winifred and knew no matter how much success he had with the firm, no matter how much money he accumulated, no matter how high in society his wife was, he would always feel out of place in New York. He would always be waiting for someone to call him what he could not deny being. His heart would always be in Kansas with a wild-haired, stubborn Emma. He squirmed in his seat with his head down and his hands clasped on his lap. He was tangled in a web with no idea how to gracefully get out of it."
................................................................................................
He decided to ask Veronica for help.
"“So now you want to break it off?”
"Akecheta stared down at the table top and rubbed his forehead. “Yes. I was going to tell her when I came back from Kansas for this semester. Now she’s lost Jonathan and needs me. Whatever my feelings, I can’t let her down. There’s no way I can think of to get out of my promise to her without hurting her the way I’ve already hurt—hurt someone else very dear to me.”
"“You mean Emma, the girl in Kansas you’re so in love with?”
"“Yes, Emma. In love with? I never said I was in love with her romantically. She’s like my sister.”
"“I don’t think so. I never saw a man’s eyes gleam when he talks about his sister the way yours do when you talk about her, and you’ve never been in our house that you didn’t talk about her. You’ve been in love with her all of your life. Like most men, you’ve taken her for granted because she’s been so devoted to you.”"
"“I—you’re right. I suppose you’ve seen things much more clearly than I have. What am I going to do?”
"“Don’t tell Winifred anything. You can’t break it off with her without it having lifelong consequences, and not only in the firm. Your name would be mud in New York. She has to be the one who throws you over. Then everyone will feel sorry for you, and you can get on with your life.”"
Veronica asked about his future plans, and as he said he was going home for good, told him that it was enough if he told Winifred just that; she'd be unlikely to leave her New York social position and lifestyle.
Winifred's brother George helped him with the papers his grandfather Belk had left him.
"A few weeks later Akecheta had enough money to pay back Aunt Jessica and still have a few thousand dollars left over. He wasn’t a millionaire or even close to being one, but he felt rich, very, very rich.
"He deposited the check into his own account at the bank Aunt Jessica used. He had them calculate how much money she had spent on him over the years, plus the going rate of interest, and transferred the money into her account.
"He wrote home and told them what he had found, adding a note at the end.
"“It seems that even after all of the time since he’s been gone, Grandfather is still taking care of me in so many ways. It’s an ironic tale. For four years Aunt Jessica worked diligently to make over grandfather’s clothing so I would have a wardrobe fit for New York, and all along, the tenant in the building I partially owned was a manufacturer of men’s clothing.”"
He decided to ask Veronica for help.
"“So now you want to break it off?”
"Akecheta stared down at the table top and rubbed his forehead. “Yes. I was going to tell her when I came back from Kansas for this semester. Now she’s lost Jonathan and needs me. Whatever my feelings, I can’t let her down. There’s no way I can think of to get out of my promise to her without hurting her the way I’ve already hurt—hurt someone else very dear to me.”
"“You mean Emma, the girl in Kansas you’re so in love with?”
"“Yes, Emma. In love with? I never said I was in love with her romantically. She’s like my sister.”
"“I don’t think so. I never saw a man’s eyes gleam when he talks about his sister the way yours do when you talk about her, and you’ve never been in our house that you didn’t talk about her. You’ve been in love with her all of your life. Like most men, you’ve taken her for granted because she’s been so devoted to you.”"
"“I—you’re right. I suppose you’ve seen things much more clearly than I have. What am I going to do?”
"“Don’t tell Winifred anything. You can’t break it off with her without it having lifelong consequences, and not only in the firm. Your name would be mud in New York. She has to be the one who throws you over. Then everyone will feel sorry for you, and you can get on with your life.”"
Veronica asked about his future plans, and as he said he was going home for good, told him that it was enough if he told Winifred just that; she'd be unlikely to leave her New York social position and lifestyle.
................................................................................................
Winifred's brother George helped him with the papers his grandfather Belk had left him.
"A few weeks later Akecheta had enough money to pay back Aunt Jessica and still have a few thousand dollars left over. He wasn’t a millionaire or even close to being one, but he felt rich, very, very rich.
"He deposited the check into his own account at the bank Aunt Jessica used. He had them calculate how much money she had spent on him over the years, plus the going rate of interest, and transferred the money into her account.
"He wrote home and told them what he had found, adding a note at the end.
"“It seems that even after all of the time since he’s been gone, Grandfather is still taking care of me in so many ways. It’s an ironic tale. For four years Aunt Jessica worked diligently to make over grandfather’s clothing so I would have a wardrobe fit for New York, and all along, the tenant in the building I partially owned was a manufacturer of men’s clothing.”"
................................................................................................
Influenza stopped Jessica from coming for his graduation, and he had only Vandenberg and Montgomery contingent. Winifred asked him.
"“What will you say when you make the valedictory address?”
"“I’ve already been informed that I won’t be making it. They’ve chosen Albert Cummings. ”
"“I suppose it has something to do with your name.”
"“The same thing happened at my high school.”
"“This sort of misunderstanding could hamper you in your work. Perhaps George will help you change your name legally. You could become Matthew Montgomery after we’re married.”
"“I like my name as it is.”
"She pressed her lips together and let the subject drop, but when he looked at her, he could almost see that she wouldn’t leave it for very long.
"In Kansas, he had been put aside because of his birth. Here in New York, it was likely the sound of his name. After four years in town, he was aware of the bias against Jews, even if it was only assumed he was a Jew. Since Baptists in many ways considered themselves adopted Jews, it didn’t matter to him."
He was invited for dinner, and the parents excused themselves. He found it hard to broach the topic.
"“It’s time, Matthew.”
"“Time?”
"“You’ve graduated, you’ll be starting at the firm in a few days, and we can announce our engagement. Of course, we won’t set a date until after you’ve passed the bar examination, but I think I would like a Christmas wedding. Everyone knows we have an understanding and will be waiting for us to make it official. We’ll have to have a photograph taken and I need to prepare the newspaper article for publication. My family’s period of mourning will be over in September, and my friends and father’s business associates will expect us to attend all of the parties of the holiday season.”"
He said he wanted her to visit his people before they did that, and she agreed though didn't seem pleased. He wired Jessica that he was bringing a guest for her.
Emma could see that he was genuinely happy to see her despite the extremely beautiful woman with him, so she waited; he came over later in the evening and talked to her. Next day he drove Winifred to Pilbury Crossing, stopped in the riverbed, and told her he intended to stay, and told about himself. Winifred wondered about Jessica being happy in Kansas. She couldn't.
""She grew up in a grand New York home, but she can still be happy here, living in that little parsonage and playing the minister’s wife?”
"“She’s very happy here because she loves Daniel more than she loves New York, and now she loves this Manhattan more than she did the other one.”
"Winifred looked at him. Her mouth tightened. “I’m not like her, Matthew. I could never live here.”
"“Matthew is only my middle name. White people here call me ‘Isaac, or Ike.’”
"“White people? I see. And Akecheta? Who calls you that?”
"“Only two people, Maw and Emma.”
"“Emma? Didn’t she say that at one time she thought she was going to marry this—‘Akecheta’ person?”
"“Yes. I never thought that far ahead, but she must have already had it all planned out.”
"Winifred nodded. “I believe she was right all along. She would be the perfect wife for Akecheta.”
"“So you’re releasing me from our understanding?”
"“Oh, my goodness yes. Of course, I don’t know how I’m going to tell my friends.”
"At that moment he realized she had never really been in love with him. She would have been much more upset if her heart were involved. “I’ve thought about that. Suppose a few days after you get home, you received a letter from me, telling you how my heart is broken that you’ve changed your mind about marrying me? It needn’t spell out any of the details. You could show it to one of your friends and tell her simply that I wanted to live here and you wanted to live there. I’m sure word will get around and every one of them will sympathize with you.”"
Influenza stopped Jessica from coming for his graduation, and he had only Vandenberg and Montgomery contingent. Winifred asked him.
"“What will you say when you make the valedictory address?”
"“I’ve already been informed that I won’t be making it. They’ve chosen Albert Cummings. ”
"“I suppose it has something to do with your name.”
"“The same thing happened at my high school.”
"“This sort of misunderstanding could hamper you in your work. Perhaps George will help you change your name legally. You could become Matthew Montgomery after we’re married.”
"“I like my name as it is.”
"She pressed her lips together and let the subject drop, but when he looked at her, he could almost see that she wouldn’t leave it for very long.
"In Kansas, he had been put aside because of his birth. Here in New York, it was likely the sound of his name. After four years in town, he was aware of the bias against Jews, even if it was only assumed he was a Jew. Since Baptists in many ways considered themselves adopted Jews, it didn’t matter to him."
He was invited for dinner, and the parents excused themselves. He found it hard to broach the topic.
"“It’s time, Matthew.”
"“Time?”
"“You’ve graduated, you’ll be starting at the firm in a few days, and we can announce our engagement. Of course, we won’t set a date until after you’ve passed the bar examination, but I think I would like a Christmas wedding. Everyone knows we have an understanding and will be waiting for us to make it official. We’ll have to have a photograph taken and I need to prepare the newspaper article for publication. My family’s period of mourning will be over in September, and my friends and father’s business associates will expect us to attend all of the parties of the holiday season.”"
He said he wanted her to visit his people before they did that, and she agreed though didn't seem pleased. He wired Jessica that he was bringing a guest for her.
................................................................................................
Emma could see that he was genuinely happy to see her despite the extremely beautiful woman with him, so she waited; he came over later in the evening and talked to her. Next day he drove Winifred to Pilbury Crossing, stopped in the riverbed, and told her he intended to stay, and told about himself. Winifred wondered about Jessica being happy in Kansas. She couldn't.
""She grew up in a grand New York home, but she can still be happy here, living in that little parsonage and playing the minister’s wife?”
"“She’s very happy here because she loves Daniel more than she loves New York, and now she loves this Manhattan more than she did the other one.”
"Winifred looked at him. Her mouth tightened. “I’m not like her, Matthew. I could never live here.”
"“Matthew is only my middle name. White people here call me ‘Isaac, or Ike.’”
"“White people? I see. And Akecheta? Who calls you that?”
"“Only two people, Maw and Emma.”
"“Emma? Didn’t she say that at one time she thought she was going to marry this—‘Akecheta’ person?”
"“Yes. I never thought that far ahead, but she must have already had it all planned out.”
"Winifred nodded. “I believe she was right all along. She would be the perfect wife for Akecheta.”
"“So you’re releasing me from our understanding?”
"“Oh, my goodness yes. Of course, I don’t know how I’m going to tell my friends.”
"At that moment he realized she had never really been in love with him. She would have been much more upset if her heart were involved. “I’ve thought about that. Suppose a few days after you get home, you received a letter from me, telling you how my heart is broken that you’ve changed your mind about marrying me? It needn’t spell out any of the details. You could show it to one of your friends and tell her simply that I wanted to live here and you wanted to live there. I’m sure word will get around and every one of them will sympathize with you.”"
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March 09, 2020 - March 11, 2020.
ASIN: B008UAQPRO
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March 09, 2020 - March 11, 2020.
ASIN: B008UAQPRO
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