As the Crow Flies

by Jeffrey Archer

As the Crow Flies

book data

727 ratings, 3.94 average rating, 63 reviews (more data...)

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published

May 1991 by HarperCollins Canada / Harper Trade

binding

Hardcover, 617 pages

isbn

0060179147 (isbn13: 9780060179144)

description

When Charlie Trumper inherits his grandfather's fruit and vegetable barrow, he inherits as well his enterprising spirit, which quickly lifts him out ...more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 887)

All ratings | 5 stars (225) | 4 stars (218) | 3 stars (168) | 2 stars (43) | 1 star (6) | avg 3.94

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Betsy

Betsy rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

02/25/08

Read in January, 1998

I'm a sucker for Jeffrey Archer, 20th Century London and epic novels, so it's no surprise that I've read "As the Crow Flies" a dozen times. Following the life of Charlie Trumper beginning at the turn of the century, the book takes readers on a journey through both world wars, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth and the swinging 60's. While the story is about Charlie's success in retail, the core of the story revolves around his wife, his son and his fierce rivalry with the Trentham fami...more

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Bethany

Bethany rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

01/24/08

bookshelves: best-reads

Read in August, 2007

recommended to Bethany by: Cianne Wallin
recommends it for: umm, everyone

This is a fascinating book about choices/consequences. It's also very interesting from a business perspective.

Note: mild language, one questionable scene with a barmaid (not critical to story)

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Tom

Tom rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

10/25/08

Read in May, 2006

recommended to Tom by: I like Archer
recommends it for: Anyone that enjoys a good story told well

Charlie Trumper learned his Granpa’s pitch before he could talk. Little Charlie grew up listening to his Granpa’s cockney accent as he sold fruit and vegetables from a barrow in Whitechapel Road. And according to locals the old man was the finest trader in the East End of London.
Charlie learned from his Granpa and eventually bargained for and bought his own barrow. But before he had time to show it off to the old man, Granpa Trumper was dead.
Charlie took over the stand and after an e...more

Charlie Trumper learned his Granpa’s pitch before he could talk. Little Charlie grew up listening to his Granpa’s cockney accent as he sold fruit and vegetables from a barrow in Whitechapel Road. And according to locals the old man was the finest trader in the East End of London.
Charlie learned from his Granpa and eventually bargained for and bought his own barrow. But before he had time to show it off to the old man, Granpa Trumper was dead.
Charlie took over the stand and after an early struggle, he learned and began to function as his Granpa had and became known as Charlie Trumper the honest trader.
With the idea of expanding the business, the young man began making home deliveries.
A tragic death in the Salmon family gave Charlie his first business outside his barrow and pitch. The surviving daughter, Rebecca Salmon, had noticed Charlie’s reputation and asked young Trumper to come in as a partner and operate the Salmon family bakery. Charlie knew nothing about the bakery business, but within a few weeks he learned the basics and took charge.
World War I came along and feeling it was his duty Charlie joined up and spent some harrowing months on the battlefield.
When the war was over Charlie had no idea what to expect when he got back to Whitechapel, whether his partner had saved a place for him or not. But he soon learned that Rebecca Salmon had indeed saved his place, but moved from Whitechapel to Chelsea and exchanged the bakery for a grocery store.
Charlie Trumpers integrity and hard work never let him down and the business flourished. Charlie and Rebecca eventually married and the two of them worked toward a common goal building on the foundation they had already established.
They kept an eye on local business affairs and as stores and shops became available along their block they bought them up one by one until they owned every business on the block.
Charlie’s reputation as an honest trader pulled him through some hard times even as the business continued to grow. However, before his grand dream could see the light of day Charlie had to convince banks, finance companies and investors to take a stake in his plan to build the “biggest barrow” in the world.
Charlie and Rebecca’s plans grow far beyond early expectations and even as they are invited to wine and dine with top business leaders and royalty they never lose sight of their humble beginnings and understand that the distance between Whitechapel and Chelsea is only a couple of miles – as the crow flies.
Archer is a great storyteller and this is one of his best.
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Brittany

Brittany rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

08/26/08

bookshelves: mass-market

Read in June, 2006

recommended to Brittany by: Leslie
recommends it for: Fans of mass market books

How I Came To Read This Book: Gill's friend Leslie recommended it to me.

The Plot: Charlie is nothing more than a lowly fruit seller in the slums of London at the turn of the century - but over the 70 years the book spans he becomes increasingly ambitious as the burgeoning world of retail opens up before him. Despite his increasing success, Charlie is still plagued by an ongoing family feud with the Trentham family that holds Charlie back from reaching his full potential as a retail magnate. ...more

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Samuel

Samuel rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

12/08/08

The characted of Charles Trumper, the hero is this novel is an inspiration...rags to riches...barrow to the geatest shopping mall in the world.

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Rob

Rob rated it:

(review of isbn 0330418971)

08/18/07

Read in January, 1997

When Charlie Trumper inherits his grandfather's fruit and vegetable barrow, he inherits as well his enterprising spirit, which quickly lifts him out of poverty in London's East End. Success, however, does not come easily or quickly, particularly when World War I sends Charlie into combat and into an ongoing struggle with a vengeful enemy who will not rest until Charlie is destroyed. Charlie Trumper's epic journey carries him across three continents and through the triumphs and disasters of the t...more

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Greg

Greg rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

11/19/08

I read the hardback edition but didn't see that choice...pretty good story

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Arief

Arief rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

12/31/08

Kesannya hampir sama dengan "Kane dan Abel".

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Priya

Priya rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

06/02/08

Read in January, 2002

recommends it for: epic loving fans

Jeffrey Archer has no equal; he writes mainstream fiction with such command and style that I am yet to put this book down even after reading this multiple times. The history surrounding his sagas are woven so well that they become necessary parts of the main story. Character development is achieved so finely that sometimes I feel that person is someone I know well!
I read Kane and Abel when I was a teenager; that is another book to leave a firm imprint on my mind. Two thumbs up to Lord Archer!!...more

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Premila

Premila rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

12/03/08

one of my all time favourites

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Benjamin

Benjamin rated it:

(review of isbn 0061090972)

07/05/08

Read in January, 2003

recommends it for: Everyone

This is a perfect example of "Don't judge a book by its cover". It doesn't look like much more than a very heavy read, but Jeffrey Archer's skilled writing pulls you in in the first page. This story about the life of boy from White Chapel and how he turns his grandfathers small fruit cart into a family empire is the most enjoyable read of my life. Archer captures the drama of the success and failure that occurs in life and how dedication to a single goal shapes events.

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Cindy

Cindy rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

09/10/07

bookshelves: fiction

Read in February, 2002

recommends it for: people who like a good story

I love Jeffrey Archer because he is a master storyteller. His characters are believable and human. This is one of his best. He can take characters from completely different backgrounds and make you really interested in them. I also love the way he weaves the subplots together into a beautiful tapestry. Charlie Trumper is one of his most colorful and rich characters. This is a great one. It is really long, but once you get into the story, you won't want to put it down.

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Michael

Michael added it (review of isbn 0312997116)

10/28/08

I guess everyone lets one past the goalie sometimes. This is a weary reworking of the author's own excellent "Kane and Abel". Lame and very long. Also he makes use of a device I once thought could work: The telling of a story simultaneously from several viewpoints. In this case he ends with a disjointed and painfully repetitive narrative. I think JA is great in general, this book, not so much.

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Missmath144

Missmath144 rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

09/01/08

bookshelves: audio, reader-simon-prebble, romance

Read in September, 2007

CD book, read by Simon Prebble and Barbara Rosenblat (she does the Mamur Zapt stuff). Charlie Trumper is a fruit and vegetable man who rises to a better neighborhood, huge department store, and becomes a lord. It started out promising, but in the end it was just romantic drivel. I only listened to it because Simon Prebble was one of the readers, and I'll listen to pretty much anything he reads.

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Caleb

Caleb rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

03/30/07

Another epic story, this time of a Charlie Trumper who rose from selling vegetables from a cart to owning one of the largest supermarket chains in the country. This was obviously written in the Kane and Abel mould (including lifelong rivalry) though not as good as the original - which is to say it was still quite a lot of fun.

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Pink

Pink rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

09/22/08

bookshelves: brit-lit, family-sagas

The very first book Archer book I read. Of course, I spent the new few months reading everything he wrote.

Whenever I see his name on a new book at the library, I make a beeline for the new books shelf, eying the people around me nervously, hoping that they won't grab it before me.

I believe I'm addicted.

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Pumpkin

Pumpkin rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

09/01/08

bookshelves: audiobooks, historical-fic

recommends it for: anyone

This is a delicious offering from Jeffery Archer. The story centers around a poor man who rises in the English business world to become the grocer to the Queen. The story passses through WW1 and 2 and also includes some intrigue and revenge killing.

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Debby

Debby rated it:

(review of isbn 1405051337)

08/11/08

A great, intrically woven family saga set in Britain. It begins with a man who is a vegetable peddler who has a dream to do and be more and it's the story of his life and the life of his family. I couldn't put it down once I started reading it.

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Meara

Meara rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

03/15/07

bookshelves: fiction

Read in January, 1996

I don't really remember this book too well other than the fact that I loved it when I was 14. It was my favorite book, I must have read it 3 times that year. Unfortunatley, that was 10 years ago so I'll have to go back and read it again.

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Barbra

Barbra rated it:

(review of isbn 0312997116)

05/12/08

Read in November, 2002

I love these saga-type novels so this one was right up my street.
This novel follows the story of Charlie Trumper's rise from East End of London costermonger to department store magnet.
Really enjoyed this book - recommended.

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trivia questions

Which comedian wrote a book entitled Time Flies, a retrospective on aging?
a. Bill Cosby
b. Richard Pryor
c. Steve Martin
d. George Carlin
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