by Edward Rutherfurd, 2009, Audiobook narrated by Mark Bramhall, Random House Audio

This book is a long one (30 CD’s of audiobook) that traces the history of New York from it’s founding until 2009 through one family and its descendants.  It’ very similar to the historical novels of Ken Follett but I think Rutherfurd does a better job of developing his characters.  Follett’s tend to be stereotypes, either good or bad individuals, and don’t seem to change over time. Some of Rutherfurd’s characters, although often prejudiced and flawed, seem to change over time to be better individuals as they age.

I had forgotten how many crises and riots (Civil War draft riot, 1965, 1977) that New York had endured.  Since the novel ended in 2009, it had not yet experienced the corona virus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter riots and looting of 2020.  Perhaps Rutherfurd will have to write another epilogue for another edition to include the latest?

While I enjoyed listening to the book, and I think that Mark Bramhall did an excellent job of narrating, I was glad when I had finished.  The book at times seems never ending, although as I mentioned in the last paragraph, history just keeps rolling along.