Jacqueline Briskin (1927–2014)
Author of The Naked Heart
About the Author
Jacqueline Briskin was born Jacqueline Orgell on December 18, 1927 in London, England. She enrolled at UCLA in pre-law, but quit after two years to marry Bert Briskin. In 1964, she took a night class at UCLA Extension called The Craft of Fiction. Her first novel, California Generation, was show more published in 1970. Her other novels include Too Much Too Soon, Everything and More, Rich Friends, Paloverde, and The Onyx. She also wrote two novels using the pen name Diane Du Pont. She retired in the mid-1990s to take care of her husband, who was in declining health because of Alzheimer's disease. He died in 2004. She died on December 24, 2014 at the age of 87. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Works by Jacqueline Briskin
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Briskin, Jacqueline
- Legal name
- Orgell Briskin, Jacqueline
- Other names
- Briskin, Jacqueline
- Birthdate
- 1927-12-18
- Date of death
- 2014-12-24
- Gender
- female
- Education
- Beverly Hills High School, Beverly Hills, California, USA (1945)
- Occupations
- historical novelist
- Agent
- Bert Briskin
- Relationships
- Briskin, Bert (husband)
Sands, Richard (son) - Short biography
- Jacqueline Orgell was born on 18 December 1927 in London, England, the daughter of Marjorie (Mendelsohn) and Spencer Orgell. In 1938, her family moved to United States, and she naturalized in 1944. She attended Beverly Hills High School in Beverly Hills, California and graduated in 1945.
On 9 May 1948, she married Bertram Norman "Bert" Briskin, borned on 17 February 1922. Her husband was an oil executive, who years later became his agent. They had three children: Ralph Louis Briskin, Elizabeth Ann Briskin, and Richard Paul Briskin (alias Richard Sands). Her husband died of Alzheimer on 16 July 2004.
She sold her first novel in 1970, after which she published other 11 historical novels. Her novels were translated into 26 languages, and has sold 23,000,000 copies worldwide. Her books regularly appear on the New York Times bestseller's list, and she was a main Selection of the Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club seven times. - Nationality
- UK (birth)
USA (naturalized|1944) - Birthplace
- London, England, UK
- Places of residence
- Bel Air, California, USA
Beverly Hills, California, USA - Place of death
- Santa Monica, California, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- California, USA
Members
Reviews
This novel is another rags-to-riches novel from the 80s, reminiscent of Jackie Collins and Danielle Steel. It's about a poor, migrant girl, Alice Lopez, who is so beautiful and desirable that she becomes a famous movie star. When Barry Cordiner, a student at UCLA, meets Alice, who is living on the streets, she claims to be fifteen but is actually eighteen. Barry takes one look at her voluptuous figure and decides to take his newfound love to Vegas, where they are quickly married. Of course, show more Mom and Dad disapprove and never accept Alice (who is now Alicia). However, Barry happens to be a writer, with cousins who are in the movie business. Maxim is a director, Hap is a film editor, and their uncle, Desmond Cordiner, manages Magnum Studios. Alicia, eventually Alyssia del Mar, the actress.
At first, this story was interesting. Alicia has a witty mouth and a spunky attitude. However, her husband, Barry, turns out to be an insecure alcoholic. There's plenty of who-is-sleeping-with-who drama until Hap and Alicia become the "epic" love story within the story. What I couldn't tolerate was Alicia's misplaced loyalty to Barry, who cheats on her, uses her to finance his career, and continues to be ashamed of her heritage. Instead of divorcing him and moving on with her life, she holds Hap at arm's length and ruins both their lives. It's frustrating and didn't make sense to me. The book slightly redeems itself with a surprise ending that I won't reveal. If you enjoy romantic angst, nonsensical plots, and drama, drama, drama, this book is for you. show less
At first, this story was interesting. Alicia has a witty mouth and a spunky attitude. However, her husband, Barry, turns out to be an insecure alcoholic. There's plenty of who-is-sleeping-with-who drama until Hap and Alicia become the "epic" love story within the story. What I couldn't tolerate was Alicia's misplaced loyalty to Barry, who cheats on her, uses her to finance his career, and continues to be ashamed of her heritage. Instead of divorcing him and moving on with her life, she holds Hap at arm's length and ruins both their lives. It's frustrating and didn't make sense to me. The book slightly redeems itself with a surprise ending that I won't reveal. If you enjoy romantic angst, nonsensical plots, and drama, drama, drama, this book is for you. show less
"The Onyx" is Briskin’s typical fare... essentially a maudlin love story incorporated into a complex three-generation saga taking the reader from 1894 to a grand conclusion in 1947. Focusing on the inception of the automobile- then called the horseless road carriage- and the astronomical growth of Detroit’s burgeoning auto industry, the reader is transported from the poor young inventor’s shack where he developed the first gas engine to his multi-million dollar industrialized assembly show more line factory.
Though totally fiction, using an imaginary auto company called Onyx, Briskin incorporates a lot of factual history relative to the development of the automobile, the difficulty in building a prototype, intolerable conditions in the factories, the catastrophic consequences of the Depression, and the famous sit-down strike during the Depression which gave birth to the United Auto Workers Union and their first big demands.
Published in 1982, Briskin’s historically-based tale recalls many of the social and cultural issues of prior eras: the social barriers between the wealthy and the working class, anti-semitism, and the stigma of having children out of wedlock. The common solution to that problem was often to pass the child off to a hastily acquired unsuspecting husband… though not necessarily the case in this particular story.
One distinct feature about "The Onyx" is the demonstration through strong characterization of just how much some people were willing to sacrifice to achieve their goals. The price was often painfully high. The protagonist, founder of Onyx, was hard working, dedicated, strong willed, persevering, stubborn and uncompromising. Some of those traits were his greatest strength, but also his most profound weakness.
And on the humorous side- as the story progresses- the reader gets a litany of words used to describe a plethora of promiscuous women: chippies, dishes, floozies, girlies, and sweet babies.
"The Onyx" is voluminous in size and ponderous in content. It’s no wonder one reviewer referred to "The Onyx" as a soap-opera. Briskin offers intense drama and a poignant, somewhat fantastical, plot drenched in sentimentality which incorporates webs of love affairs, unrequited love, deceit and lies, uncontrollable tempers, and a quest for vengeance. Read it and enjoy the weep. show less
Though totally fiction, using an imaginary auto company called Onyx, Briskin incorporates a lot of factual history relative to the development of the automobile, the difficulty in building a prototype, intolerable conditions in the factories, the catastrophic consequences of the Depression, and the famous sit-down strike during the Depression which gave birth to the United Auto Workers Union and their first big demands.
Published in 1982, Briskin’s historically-based tale recalls many of the social and cultural issues of prior eras: the social barriers between the wealthy and the working class, anti-semitism, and the stigma of having children out of wedlock. The common solution to that problem was often to pass the child off to a hastily acquired unsuspecting husband… though not necessarily the case in this particular story.
One distinct feature about "The Onyx" is the demonstration through strong characterization of just how much some people were willing to sacrifice to achieve their goals. The price was often painfully high. The protagonist, founder of Onyx, was hard working, dedicated, strong willed, persevering, stubborn and uncompromising. Some of those traits were his greatest strength, but also his most profound weakness.
And on the humorous side- as the story progresses- the reader gets a litany of words used to describe a plethora of promiscuous women: chippies, dishes, floozies, girlies, and sweet babies.
"The Onyx" is voluminous in size and ponderous in content. It’s no wonder one reviewer referred to "The Onyx" as a soap-opera. Briskin offers intense drama and a poignant, somewhat fantastical, plot drenched in sentimentality which incorporates webs of love affairs, unrequited love, deceit and lies, uncontrollable tempers, and a quest for vengeance. Read it and enjoy the weep. show less
I am apparently in the mood to read sweeping generational sagas this summer--Open Road has put a TON of them by various authors (this one, Rona Jaffe, Howard Fast, etc.) on Scribd, and I've been adding them to my library like crazy. I started out with this one, and, well... it's okay for a summer read, but I will admit to skimming vast swaths of characters' thoughts and feelings, as told by a third-person omniscient narrator in true 1970s novel style. If you find it on the shelf at your show more lakeside rental cottage, you could do worse. But you could probably also do better. show less
I just finished the newly re-released 1976 novel Rich Friends by Jacqueline Briskin. The first third of the novel tells the story of Em, Beverly, and Caroline (it is very important to note that Caroline and Em are sisters). It starts in 1946 (just after World War II) with the marriage of Em and Sheridan. Sheridan is going to college on the GI Bill to become a pharmacist. Em becomes pregnant on their honeymoon and gives birth to twin boys, Vlief (short for Van Vlief) and Roger. Beverly Linde show more comes from an assimilated Jewish family (they are Jewish, but do not flaunt it). Beverly falls for a nice Catholic boy and her family does not approve (makes no sense since the family does not go to Temple, follow Jewish holidays, etc.). They send Beverly to New York where she meets Dan G, an orthodox Jew. Things do not work out between them and they go their separate ways (for now). Beverly marries Phillip and they have two children (their daughter, Alix and their son, Jamie). However, twelve years later Dan and Beverly meet again. After an affair and a break-up, they cannot live without each other. Two divorces ensue and then a marriage (they later end up having a son named Sam). Caroline marries Gene Matheny who wants to be a writer (and teach at the university). Unfortunately, the college is requiring that all employees sign a loyalty oath. Gene refuses to sign and is fired. Gene goes into the Van Vliet grocery business (and is quite good at it). Caroline and Gene have one daughter, Cricket (nickname). The couples grow apart until the unthinkable happens. Jamie is murdered by a man who thinks Dan cheated him out of money in a land deal. This incident will alter many of their lives.
Alix, Vlief, Roger, and Cricket are the main focus of the remaining two-thirds of the novel (it is a very long book). Roger and Vlief are coming home from Harvard for the summer and Cricket wants them all to get together. Alix falls for Roger. Roger is interested, but he is not comfortable around her (I do not get it). Alix starts going out with Vlief. Cricket (high school graduate and 16) is in love with Vlief. Vlief and Alix go out until Roger and Alix spend a day together. Alix breaks up with Vlief. Vlief who was going to medical school, drops out, and goes to work at Van Vlief grocery chain. Alix and Roger go back East and live together while Roger finishes medical school (his mother is not happy). Cricket is a hippie type of girl who likes photography. After spending one night with Vlief (the night Alix broke up with him) Cricket becomes pregnant. She ends up spending time at a commune. Unfortunately, the baby is born early and does not survive. Cricket does not tell Vlief about this for many years. Several years later the four of them go to Carmel together. Cricket encounters her commune friends. One of the, Orion has a type of sore on his face that Roger diagnoses as skin cancer. The commune leader does not believe in getting medical care. Roger convinces Orion to get treatment and he is thrown out of the commune. This one act leads to three deaths.
This book contains every cliché you can imagine from each decade. In the 50’s girls went to college (joined sororities) are supposed to get married and have babies. The 60’s sexual revolution, communes, protests, etc. The book is very stilted and choppy (lacks flow) going from one event to another. I am afraid that I did not enjoy reading this novel (even the ending was a big letdown). I give Rich Friends 1.5 out of 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of Rich Friends from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own. show less
Alix, Vlief, Roger, and Cricket are the main focus of the remaining two-thirds of the novel (it is a very long book). Roger and Vlief are coming home from Harvard for the summer and Cricket wants them all to get together. Alix falls for Roger. Roger is interested, but he is not comfortable around her (I do not get it). Alix starts going out with Vlief. Cricket (high school graduate and 16) is in love with Vlief. Vlief and Alix go out until Roger and Alix spend a day together. Alix breaks up with Vlief. Vlief who was going to medical school, drops out, and goes to work at Van Vlief grocery chain. Alix and Roger go back East and live together while Roger finishes medical school (his mother is not happy). Cricket is a hippie type of girl who likes photography. After spending one night with Vlief (the night Alix broke up with him) Cricket becomes pregnant. She ends up spending time at a commune. Unfortunately, the baby is born early and does not survive. Cricket does not tell Vlief about this for many years. Several years later the four of them go to Carmel together. Cricket encounters her commune friends. One of the, Orion has a type of sore on his face that Roger diagnoses as skin cancer. The commune leader does not believe in getting medical care. Roger convinces Orion to get treatment and he is thrown out of the commune. This one act leads to three deaths.
This book contains every cliché you can imagine from each decade. In the 50’s girls went to college (joined sororities) are supposed to get married and have babies. The 60’s sexual revolution, communes, protests, etc. The book is very stilted and choppy (lacks flow) going from one event to another. I am afraid that I did not enjoy reading this novel (even the ending was a big letdown). I give Rich Friends 1.5 out of 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of Rich Friends from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 36
- Also by
- 2
- Members
- 962
- Popularity
- #26,759
- Rating
- 3.2
- Reviews
- 16
- ISBNs
- 256
- Languages
- 11