Never Love a Stranger

This is the saga of Francis Kane, an orphan boy growing up in a time that was not conducive for growth - the period known as the great depression - who turns to crime after trying unsuccessfully to eke out an honest living. This is the debut work of Robbins, one of the top best-selling authors of all time. It has strong characters, a flowing narrative, vivid descriptions of the America reeling under the economic slowdown, and some bold scenes one has come to expect from a Robbins potboiler.
Though I found it dragging at a few places, and would have liked a bit more elaboration on the illegal side of the hero's business, this was an engrossing read for me.

"Oh, Lord!" he cried. "Look down on us, thy people, who turn to Thee for strenght and understanding and hope..."
That was the word I could hear ringing in my ears the next few days. It had never-to-be-forgotten world of meaning- the way his rich baritone resonance had sent it winging on its way to the sky-the way Sam looked at him as he spoke.
Hope- that was the word. Where would we be without it?

That is the end of chapter four.

"Never Love A Stranger“ is Harold Robbins first novel. He began his debut 1943, five years before the book was published. It needed a lot of editing and rewriting. Harold Robbins was a bookkeeper and learned in those five years to be world’s bestselling author.

„Never Love A Stranger“ tells the story about show more Francis Kane. Francis grew up in a Catholic orphanage in New York because his mother died after his birth and nobody knows her. The story begins as he is thirteen in 1925. It describes his life as an orphan in an orphanage. Suddenly he has a family. His real aunt and uncle. He lives with them till his uncle gets t.b. About 2 years. His family leaves New York to live in Arizona, because the climate is much better for his uncle there. But he is not eighteen and the law in N.Y. City is strictly: he must go back to the orphanage. But he flees to Baltimore and goes into the Navy.

The story makes a break till 1931. Harold Robbins tells the story of Francis Kane and the economical crisis. Frank fought for a job, sleeps in hallways and eat a meal per day. He has luck and find a job. Life goes up and down. Not only with jobs, also with friends and love affairs. He becomes a big one in the bet syndicate of the ‘30s.

The people talk together in a real speech. With different dialects, terms and phrasing. The story has a good story board and is well-written.

I am not a good reviewer. The book is much better written than my review. In chapter four I must wipe, not only in chapter four. Harold Robbins was really world’s best selling author, because he wrote the stories as if he experienced it. It is as when the characters, the story, jumps out of the book and would be alive. The book is a must have, must read. show less

Cuando se descubre que sus padres eran judíos, Francis Kane debe abandonar el orfanato católico que ha sido su único hogar. Lleno de furia y resentimiento, escapa a su destino en una familia judía y se promete triunfar sin que importe el precio. Atrás deja a Martin Cabell, un joven judío acomodado con el que ha trabado amistad. Y a Julia, su primer amor. Su futuro será forjado por un jefe mafioso deslumbrado con las hazañas callejeras de Frankie.