So Many Partings

by Cathy Cash Spellman

Book Overview

If historical sagas, Ireland, and love stories are your passions, this book was written for you.Ireland 1874. In a tiny cottage at the edge of a great estate, a baby boy is born. He's the illegitimate... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 044018066X
• ISBN13: 9780440180661
• Release Date: May 1984
• Publisher: Dell Publishing Company
• Length: 526 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

(3.5) A "wee" bit of a rags to riches family saga

So Many Partings is the story of Tom Dalton, illegitimate child of the younger son of the manor Drumgillan and Irish peasant Mary Dalton. When Tom comes to New York as a young man fresh out of college and fresh off the boat, he finds friends and obtains work among the other Irishmen at the docks. Eventually Tom is mentored by ruthless businessman Diamond Jim Mulvaney and as he proves his mettle he quickly moves up in the ranks and hopes to one day earn enough to be able to court Diamond Jim's daughter Dierdra (much to DJ's consternation). The rest of the book details early 1900's New York as Tom's work in Diamond Jim's empire involves him with the Tammany gang, dirty politics, and a labor strike at the docks between the Irish and the Italians that leads to tragic consequences for Tom and his new family, and finally culminates in the story of Tom's beloved granddaughter Megan and the treacherous betrayals by Tom's two sons. While I enjoyed this book, at the same time I found something missing. It's not quite BIG enough in scope to be an "epic novel", nor is there enough romance to keep me on the edge of the seat waiting for two lovers to finally get together. Additionally, most of the characters were a bit clichéd and unoriginal - the madam with the heart of gold, the big Irish dockworker with the soft side no one knows, the ruthless business man who lets no one in his way (well almost), a few Mafioso types - that as much as I enjoyed the book I felt like I just left the table after a full meal and I'm still needing something more. It's a good book, not a great one, although it did quite well for this housebound reader on a snowy winter afternoon. Not too light and not too heavy, and definitely no where near as good as the author's fabulous Paint the Wind. 3.5/5 stars. Note, don't let the high prices on this used paperback scare you. You can find used copies of the hardback at a much lower price.

Terrific Book

This is one of the best books I have hever read, besides the author's other book "Paint the Wind". She is a fantastic writer, the stories are so great you are sorry when the book ends. I'm surporised Cathy CAsh Spellman is not more popular, because her books are wonderful!

Rags to riches

So Many Partings is a big family saga,stretching over three generations of an Irish family who went from rags to riches in New York.Tom Dalton was born in Ireland, the illegitimate child of the younger son of an aristocratic family and the daughter of a local tenant farmer.Upon the death of his father, Tom and his mother Mary are evicted from their cottage. The local priest advises Mary to emigrate to America to start life afresh,leaving Tom at a local monastery where he could recieve a good education.Reluctantly Mary does so and many years pass before they meet again.Mary marries a Boston merchant but keeps Toms existence a secret as her new husband would not have married her if he knew of her past.When Tom grows to manhood he too travels to the U.S. and begins a career with Diamond Jim Mulvaney,a very successful business man and local politician. Tom falls deeply in love with Diamond Jim's daughter and so begins the new dynasty of Tom's children and grandchildren--and what a big involved tale it is--a story of villians and heros,love and hate and all the things that go to make up a big, satisfying read.

This will make you laugh, cry, and every other emotion.

Keep a box of kleenex with you when you read this book, Cathy Cash Spellman is a wonderful writter and she brings you right into the lives of her people in the book, you become a part of their lives, you feel what they feel and live what they live. I have read this book 4 times and I will continue to read this book over and over again. I think there should be a sequel to this book??