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John Jakes
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Homeland: A Novel (The Crown Family Saga Book 1) Kindle Edition

by John Jakes (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 3,007 ratings
From the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of North and South: The first in a saga about a German immigrant and his family’s rise in 20th-century America.

 The tide of the twentieth century is rising upon the world, and on its crest rides the Crown family.
 
Young Pauli Kroner, freshly arrived in America from the streets of Berlin, makes his way to the mansion of his millionaire uncle in Chicago, looking to fulfill his dreams. His uncle, Joe Crown, is a self-made brewery tycoon who rules his domain with an iron hand—especially when it comes to his own family of defiantly rebellious children and a wife yearning for her own liberation.
 
In this new world, Pauli will rise as his own man and find his destiny in the early days of motion pictures. Surrounded by relations close and distant, proud and vengeful, each struggling to find themselves at the dawn of a new era, he will witness and experience the violence of the Pullman Strike, and find love in the arms of a woman who can never be his as he follows the march of history, intertwined with such figures as the audacious Theodore Roosevelt, the ruthless Thomas Edison, the fading western icon Buffalo Bill, and many more.
 
Named a New York Times Notable Book, Homeland is a “first-rate historical . . . chock-full of fascinating period detail, [Jakes’s] captivating story brings to life the sounds, smells and tastes of turn-of-the-century America in a manner comparable to Michener’s Hawaii and Doctorow’s Ragtime” (Publishers Weekly).
 This ebook features an illustrated biography of John Jakes including rare images from the author’s personal collection.
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  1. Book 1 of 2
    The Crown Family Saga
  2. Print length
    1388 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Open Road Media
  5. Publication date
    July 10, 2012
  6. File size
    10.4 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“John Jakes is the best historical novelist of our time.” —Patricia Cornwell “At the very heart of every Jakes saga is a story that throbs to the beat of history.” —The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Review

“John Jakes is the best historical novelist of our time.” —Patricia Cornwell

“At the very heart of every Jakes saga is a story that throbs to the beat of history.” —The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B008E6U4K8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media; Illustrated edition (July 10, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 10, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 10.4 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 1388 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 3,007 ratings

About the author

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John Jakes

John Jakes

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John Jakes (b. 1932), the author of more than a dozen novels, is regarded as one of today’s most distinguished writers of historical fiction. His work includes the highly acclaimed Kent Family Chronicles series and the North and South Trilogy. Jakes’s commitment to historical accuracy and evocative storytelling earned him the title of “the godfather of historical novelists” from the Los Angeles Times and led to a streak of sixteen consecutive New York Times bestsellers. Jakes has received several awards for his work and is a member of the Authors Guild and the PEN American Center. He and his wife, Rachel, live on the west coast of Florida.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
3,007 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this historical fiction novel rich with history and appreciate how it captures the spirit of the country, with one review noting how it follows American history throughout. The book features multiple protagonists and interweaves real historical figures, making it educational as readers learn about the era. While customers praise the author's work and find the writing style engaging, some mention the excessive descriptive language. The pacing receives mixed reactions, with some finding it captivating while others say it's too slow moving, and several customers note the book's length as a drawback.

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267 customers mention "Historical fiction"251 positive16 negative

Customers appreciate the historical fiction elements of the book, describing it as rich with history and a very engaging story. One customer notes how it captures the essence of American history, while another highlights its portrayal of late 19th Century Chicago.

"...The family members are often separated and it allows author to place them in the middle of many interesting events happening in various geographical..." Read more

"The novel is rich with history. The people presented let us know what people wore, what they ate and drank and how we imagine they spent their days." Read more

"...I really appreciated the main story of a young German boy emigrating to America to find a place to call home, and the ups and downs of his search...." Read more

"Homeland is an engaging book right from the beginning. It does bog down a little and starts to get long, way long!..." Read more

62 customers mention "Character development"53 positive9 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, particularly its multiple protagonists and how it weaves real historical figures into the narrative.

"...It is a long (1200 pages) book with multiple protagonists but different chapters are frequently describing actions of just one person...." Read more

"...'s home country and journeying to a new and promising land was portrayed very well and was very interesting...." Read more

"I loved how all the characters met up at different times. Great book but a bit drug out I recommend" Read more

"...Though a bit long, I was spellbound with every character and came to care for each one as if they were my family...." Read more

37 customers mention "Education"37 positive0 negative

Customers find the book educational, with several mentioning they learned a lot of history, and one customer noting how it provides insight into the German mindset.

"Through John Jakes’ meticulous research, he is able to bring to light the real lives of real people, and the experiences shared by all the..." Read more

"...with no real challenge to the reader, and his background research is impeccable...." Read more

"...There are a lot of characters in this book and they are well developed and easy to follow along...." Read more

"...Ughhhhhhh..... The premise of the burgeoning film industry was great and I felt like I was right there with him while bullets were buzzing his head,..." Read more

24 customers mention "Author"24 positive0 negative

Customers praise the author's work, noting that the book begins well.

"John Jakes is one of the best writers I’ve read. He’s a master of character development and weaving real historical details into his stories...." Read more

"...of the sex scenes were a little grafic to my liking; but it was a very good book. I enjoyed it and learned a lot of history from it." Read more

"This is a long book. But it is a very good book telling about a young German immigrating to the United States to meet with his uncle and his uncle..." Read more

"This is a brilliant piece of literature. Mr. Jakes gives us a history lesson using the most vivid and endearing characters...." Read more

18 customers mention "History"13 positive5 negative

Customers appreciate how the book presents historical elements in real-life ways, with one customer noting how it captures the spirit of a country and another mentioning its vivid portrayal of American heritage.

"...Jakes’ meticulous research, he is able to bring to light the real lives of real people, and the experiences shared by all the characters from their..." Read more

"This books captures the spirit of a country and a family in flux and the, at times, harsh realities of the era." Read more

"...of historical detail in Homeland -some, I felt, were not pertinent to the story line...." Read more

"...Love John Jakes. American History at its most enjoyable." Read more

56 customers mention "Writing style"39 positive17 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing style of the book, with some praising it as a great piece of writing and appreciating its descriptive prose, while others find it excessive in detail and too wordy.

"...The amazing final effect is that one learns not only about one particular event but gets a picture of a whole turbulent history of the period...." Read more

"...He writes in an easy readable style that keeps a steady pace throughout, with no real challenge to the reader, and his background research is..." Read more

"...Also, there were a number of extremely gory and graphic descriptions that were stomach churning and unnecessary." Read more

"...Words so realistic and unsympathetic that I could almost here the cacaphony and smell the sweat. I didn't want the story to end!" Read more

32 customers mention "Pacing"14 positive18 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it captivating while others describe it as too slow moving.

"...The only major flaw was there were several times the book really dragged on. I found myself just skimming through several long descriptive pages...." Read more

"...He writes in an easy readable style that keeps a steady pace throughout, with no real challenge to the reader, and his background research is..." Read more

"Great historical story. My only criticism is that in move a little slow in some places. I’ll definitely read the second book." Read more

"...Paul finds his dreams, his love and his success. The author captivates the feelings, the sounds, the smells, the taste of the turn of the century..." Read more

35 customers mention "Length"4 positive31 negative

Customers find the book's length to be a drawback, describing it as a long read, with one customer specifically mentioning that the war details take up too much space.

"...This is a good story but a bit long dealing with wars and picture flicks but worth the five stars waiting for the next surprise disaster to occur." Read more

"...19th and early 20th centuries many passages seemed to me to be long and rambling" Read more

"It was a long book but kept my interest throughout...." Read more

"I enjoyed most of this book. A few chapters were too long for me...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Suzanne Johnston
    5.0 out of 5 stars didn’t stop reading til the end
    Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I grew up with “family sagas” and wasn’t really interested in any more of them. But this is a great historical fiction story. There is a touch of it being unrealistic like many historical fiction books; the characters always meet the big names of the era. However this is a good story and the story carries you through. It wasn’t exhausting like some historical fiction sagas.
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  • Klapaucjusz
    4.0 out of 5 stars Loaded with history
    Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    It is first John Jakes book for me and I enjoyed it very much, mostly because of its extremely well researched historical background. The story follows the fictional immigrant German family and its associates during a 10 years period, 1890-1900. It is a long (1200 pages) book with multiple protagonists but different chapters are frequently describing actions of just one person. The family members are often separated and it allows author to place them in the middle of many interesting events happening in various geographical locations. It also allowed me to take breaks between chapters dedicated to a particular person and even squeeze a short thriller in between.

    The personal stories were very engaging, I liked most of protagonists and routed for many of them, especially for the main protagonist-Paul. The ending is very satisfactory, there are no cliffhangers but, if one wants to know what happen with the family later on, one can always read the second book.

    I am pretty sure that everybody will find some of many historical details described in this book fascinating. I read with huge interest about beginnings of cinematography and the horror of land crabs during Cuban war but my attention wavered when it came to politics involving gold standard. It may be just opposite for other readers. The amazing final effect is that one learns not only about one particular event but gets a picture of a whole turbulent history of the period. Finally, the striking similarities of some of the problems of late 19-th century America to the problems faced by Americans now makes this book doubly appealing to the present-day audience.

    Bottom line: highly recommended for history fans.
    16 people found this helpful
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  • elizabeth josephson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Historical Novel
    Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    The novel is rich with history. The people presented let us know what people wore, what they ate and drank and how we imagine they spent their days.
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  • Andrea B. Rounds
    5.0 out of 5 stars John Jake’s is such a master of historical fiction!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Through John Jakes’ meticulous research, he is able to bring to light the real lives of real people, and the experiences shared by all the characters from their own perspectives. I was not a lover of history in my youth, but through authors like John Jake’s, the incidents and people of the past come to life in living color instead of as little black marks of names, dates, and places in a textbook. I really appreciated the main story of a young German boy emigrating to America to find a place to call home, and the ups and downs of his search. Excellent read!
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  • Deanna H.
    4.0 out of 5 stars I like lots of new information so as to learn
    Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Homeland is an engaging book right from the beginning. It does bog down a little and starts to get long, way long! The experience of leaving one's home country and journeying to a new and promising land was portrayed very well and was very interesting. Most of us have ancestors that made that same journey, so it is enlightening to live the precariousness along with these immigrants. Although, I don't think there was canned beer in 1892, but I might be wrong. I like lots of new information so as to learn, and this book has plenty about photography, beer brewing, workers fighting for better pay in the rough, early days. When they go to the Spanish American war in Cuba, I realized that this is pretty much a man's book. So, I skipped the Boer War and other historic events and went to see how the book ended. Pretty much happily ever after! The length of the book was justified, it really was a pretty good book.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • M. R. Randazzo
    5.0 out of 5 stars A view of America
    Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I always enjoy a good historical novel, especially those written this author, because he shows the reality of the times along with the tale he is presenting. This story is about a German immigrant family, whose patriot (father Joseph), came to America to escape conditions of life in Germany. He was not a wealthy man at start but made himself one by developing a successful beer brewery and distribution business. He kept up a connection with his sister via letters so when she asked him to take care of their orphaned nephew, Pauli , he agreed promptly.
    During the time period this story is set in, ocean voyages were not the same as ocean cruises today, especially for those crossing in steerage. The author gives us a visual of this which also includes a description of the smells experienced, so one realizes the extent of the desire of those immigrants coming to America. What impressed me the most was the processing of all those through Ellis Island, first through the original wooden building with the stalls on the first level where people waiting to present papers and to undergo a short physical examination for contagious illness. ( something that doesn't occur in today's era ). Granted this process was frightening but it also made the resolve of those entering America stronger, as those coming here wanted to better themselves from what they had left behind.
    Because the author tells the reality of the times, he was able to tell us both sides of the thinking differences between classes of owners of businesses and the workers using the theme of immigrants achieving their goals of better themselves. What makes it so interesting is that we are still dealing with this lack of communication between the workers and those in charge of businesses.
    But the main point of this saga is the struggle of immigrants to fully embrace America as a citizen, and still have their cultural heritage, despite pressure to not do so. On top of this, even the rich successful immigrants were segregated by the families of the old society, classified as such because the time when their families settled in America and established their fortunes ( a repeating of the class system from Europe, the " lords" versus the serfs).
    I look forward to the continuing saga.
    19 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Rossity
    1.0 out of 5 stars Homeland
    Reviewed in Australia on December 12, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This was a very good book. The characters were well developed and believable.
    The plot came to a satisfying conclusion.
    I would recommend this book to those who would like to understand the immigrant experience.
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars John Jakes is a fabulous Author
    Reviewed in Canada on December 16, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I loved the story, but for some reason the part about the war was repeated , with the pre war story before it, a mix up some how.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 28, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    An interesting adventure in which almost every event as the world goes into the twentieth century gets a mention. Look forward to reading the follow up.
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  • ron matsu
    4.0 out of 5 stars A good story with historical events!
    Reviewed in Canada on December 9, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    A well written historical fiction. Jake's does an excellent job of weaving a story around historical events, creations and figures. Having said that I gave the book 4 stars not 5 because Jakes often elaborated or went astray so that he could include the historical description that was difficult to include in context.
    Report
  • Dan Docwra
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good family saga
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 23, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Plenty of historical facts from the period as a background to a good tale
    Report

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