KANE and ABEL : GOLD versus STEEL
POSTED AT 09:50 AM in Reading for substance

I can still remember the day when I first took a look at the book. I made a face when my friend handed it over, telling me to take my time in reading since she’s not sure if she’s going to miss it at all. Whoa! She expects me to be interested in a book that bad? I asked her if she’d read it and her expression said it all. Of course not! She didn’t. The cover and the title looked uninteresting and boring. Then why buy it for God’s sake? She said it was given by a relative during a reunion. She doesn’t want to hurt her fragile feelings so she gracefully accepted.

Hmmmm… I’ve always been a believer of the cliché “Don’t judge the book by its cover.” Though I can’t say I blame her for being so negative. I mean, look at the original (I mean old) cover of the book! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The cover’s definitely not as classy and romantic as a Danielle Steel or a Judith McNaught. It didn’t even come close to the oh-so promising and mysterious cover of a Sidney Sheldon! But well, I’m always willing to give any book a try. Besides, the summary at the back seems… beckoning.

It turned out that the book’s “beckoning” look didn’t have much of an impact to me since I just left the book on my table and didn’t mind it for a week or so, always finding a plausible excuse not to read it. But after days of no good book to read, I decided to give it a try. I thought, hey! Everybody deserves a chance, even seemingly boring Mr. Archer here. Why not?

After reading the first page, I almost slapped myself. I can’t believe I fell for that “I’m boring, don’t read me” look! Me? I’m supposed to be good in figuring out a book’s quality! Am I losing my touch? Finally getting a grip of that stunning reality, I read the book from start to finish without even stopping for food. (I always eat while I read but I don’t think any food deserves my undivided attention.) It was my first time to finish a book in one sitting. (Oh, I changed positions on my bed, from sitting to lying down, to sitting again, but without taking my eyes on the book, ok?) I laughed out loud, cried in silence, and contemplated every now and then while reading. Wow! Definitely a good book, simply the best! And what a storyteller! The best ever! My most favorite author since that fateful day! I can’t even find words to describe a person who won’t enjoy the book. I mean, c’mon, Mr. Webster must have not yet coined a word for someone so dim-witted.

The story revolves on two men born worlds and poles apart with nil in common except for their natal day (15^th of April 1906) and their sheer determination to succeed in life. It has been a battle between gold and steel with Kane and Abel; the former so blindingly wealthy and influential, the latter so underprivileged and powerless. William Lowell Kane, a Boston Brahmin, lived with ease and prosperity; while Abel Rosnovski, a Pole immigrant, survived life with hardships and struggles. The golden boy and the man of steel – the other molded by a luxurious upbringing, exceptional schools and a history he enjoys to read about; while the other shaped by wars, slavery and a history he unreservedly takes part of. Between the two, only one must come out as a victor, and whoever he is depends on the reader’s mindset and acceptance of the realities in this world.

The story is indeed a good portrayal of a clash of principles and beliefs, of everything that the other stands against the other. Jeffrey Archer wonderfully put all the right ingredients in one book. One will surely learn a lot about almost everything – history, business, education, sports, banking, parenting, emotions, and life itself. You’ll definitely laugh and cry and feel each triumph of both men that you’ll find it hard to take a side. Jeffrey Archer certainly makes that part difficult to the readers, since he never goes beyond the facts of life. His characters are mere human beings with flaws as well as good virtues. 

I must admit after reading Archer’s work I realized just how dull my writing are (I have been trying to finish some stories myself). My best friend and I agreed that Jeffrey Archer’s genius in writing is unsurpassable. Kane and Abel is definitely a collector’s item and I cannot forgive myself if I ever forget to share it to my future kids.

Get your own copy now. It will not be rated 4.5/5 stars in amazon.com for nothing. I guarantee a good read; you’ll know it on the first two sentences.

Listening to: Better Off Alone by Avril Lavigne
Feeling: indescribable

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