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The Dream: A Memoir | 
 enlarge | Author: Harry Bernstein
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Category: Book
List Price: $24.00
Buy New: $13.20
You Save: $10.80 (45%)
New (35) Used (9) from $13.20
Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 38848
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.7 x 6 x 1
ISBN: 0345503740
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780345503749
ASIN: 0345503740
Publication Date: April 15, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: 1ST Edition, BRAND NEW, UNTOUCHED, "PERFECT/MINT CONDITION" (e-shipment notification, free tracking with all orders, # available, 100% guarantee/return/refund, enjoy your book and thank you for your business.)(check our inventory on Amazon, combine orders and save on shipping)
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Product Description
“Dreams played an important part in our lives in those early days in England. Our mother invented them for us to make up for all the things we lacked and to give us some hope for the future.”
During the hard and bitter years of his youth in England, Harry Bernstein’s selfless mother struggles to keep her six children fed and clothed. But she never stops dreaming of a better life in America, no matter how unlikely. Then, one miraculous day when Harry is twelve years old, steamships tickets arrive in the mail, sent by an anonymous benefactor.
Suddenly, a new life full of the promise of prosperity seems possible–and the family sets sail for America, meeting relatives in Chicago. Harry is mesmerized by the city: the cars, the skyscrapers, and the gorgeous vistas of Lake Michigan. For a time, the family gets a taste of the good life: electric lights, a bathtub, a telephone. But soon the harsh realities of the Great Depression envelop them. Skeletons in the family closet come to light, mafiosi darken their doorstep, family members are lost, and dreams are shattered.
In the face of so much loss, Harry and his mother must make a fateful decision–one that will change their lives forever. And though he has struggled for so long, there is an incredible bounty waiting for Harry in New York: his future wife, Ruby. It is their romance that will finally bring the peace and happiness that Harry’s mother always dreamed was possible.
With a compelling cast and evocative settings, Harry Bernstein’s extraordinary account of his hardscrabble youth in Depression-era Chicago and New York will grip you from the very first page. Full of humor, drama, and romance, this tale of hope and dreams coming true enthralls and enchants.
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| Customer Reviews:
wonderful book, author's story is heartwarming July 15, 2008
Harry Bernstein is an incredible story teller, a natural born author. I admire that he waited until his later years to write his autobiograhy/memoir. My husband bought me the first book, The Invisible Wall, which I would highly recommend. His recollection of his growing up in a poor neighborhood with his absent alcoholic father and the love he had for his mother who did the best she could, is touching. I am now into The Dream and it doesn't disappoint. You can feel Harry's disappointments and small moments of joy as he unfolds them for you with candor. If you like a story that you can almost see the people involved because the author is that honest, this book is for you. I can't say enough about it, when I received my book (The Dream) in the mail from Amazon, it put a smile on my face and made my day. What a gift Harry has to give that to a perfect stranger.
such a beautiful book and unforgettable June 9, 2008
As soon as I heard that Harry Bernstein had written a second memoir dealing with his early life America, I ordered it at once and devoured it. God bless this writer! He is 98 years old and hopes to give us a third memoir of his life with his beloved wife Ruby. I will buy it the day it is printed.
Young Harry and his brothers and sisters, devoted mother and rather despicable, drunken and despotic father, leave their Liverpool poverty and travel to America in the early twentieth century. As Harry grows, the first of his family to complete high school (his mother cannot read or write), he takes on the role of the man in the house, eventually managing to work even during the Depression (though nearly killed by a band of thugs), trying to get his mother away from his father who has always made their life miserable. The strength, charm and humor of young Harry is wonderful and when he at last falls in love with a girl he meets in a dance hall, he begins a romance and marriage which will last him almost three quarters of a century.
So many people are lovingly and fascinatingly portrayed, none less than his grandfather who in a strange, lonely, almost unbelievable profession, supports them all.
Please write the next book quickly, Mr. Bernstein!
Stephanie Cowell (author of the novel MARRYING MOZART)
Remarkable contribution to the art of the Memoir June 6, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
After reading his moving and evocative first memoir, The Invisible Wall, about his life till age 12 living in Manchester as a child of Polish Jewish immigrants, I had eagerly awaited the possible sequel. This new book is as good as the first. Mr. Bernstein, now 98 years old, continues his story, covering the time of the family move to the USA, their experiences in Chicago and New York, their life during good times and then the depression. This book fits into several genera: 1. It is an autobiography, 2. It is a case study in parental abuse and general dysfunctional family members, and 3. It is a pesonal memoir of how this boy, and then man, responded to the various situations. To be honest, while I loved the writing and the story, something I cannot forget is the beautiful picture of Mr. Bernstein's wife, in her later years, looking up at him. The love is just so clear in her face.
Read this book, after reading the Invisible Wall, and be swept into this remarkable family history.
A Pleasure to Read and Savor April 26, 2008
This tender memoir showcases Mr. Bernstein's gifted ability to thoroughly connect with his readers. In The Invisible Wall - an equally fabulous book - we begin to follow Harry (the author), his parents, brothers, and sisters through the ups and downs of their hardscrabble existence in England. Now in The Dream, we connect all the more with them as they cope with incredibly difficult situations during the 1920's and 1930's in Chicago and New York. It's not a pretty existence, but it's one that exemplifies perseverance, resilience, love, forgiveness, and hope - some of which are undoubtedly scarce in this 21st century.
Keep in mind that this is a two-volume treasure. Read The Invisible Wall first to become acquainted with Harry's family, including his amazing mother and her dream. Then treat yourself to The Dream to find out the incredible things that happen in America, including Harry's romance with Ruby, who becomes Harry's wife. And, if by book's end, you experience a very special closeness to Mr. Bernstein and his life story, you won't be the only one.
Even better than the Invisible Wall April 19, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I could not wait until this book arrived and it was even better than Bernstein's first book. He really describes his family members so that the reader can understand who and why they are. His devotion to both his mother who was the inspiration for his dreams and his wife who was the love of his life is very touching. I cried when I finished the book. My only solace is the note at the end which indicates that he is planning a third book. What a feat for a man of 98!
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