What do you think?
Rate this book
As the Crow Flies
Growing up in the slums of East End London, Charlie Trumper dreams of someday running his grandfather's fruit and vegetable barrow. That day comes suddenly when his grandfather dies leaving him the floundering business. With the help of Becky Salmon, an enterprising young woman, Charlie sets out to make a name for himself as "The Honest Trader". But the brutal onset of World War I takes Charlie far from home and into the path of a dangerous enemy whose legacy of evil follows Charlie and his family for generations.
Encompassing three continents and spanning over sixty years, As the Crow Flies brings to life a magnificent tale of one man's rise from rags to riches set against the backdrop of a changing century.
Encompassing three continents and spanning over sixty years, As the Crow Flies brings to life a magnificent tale of one man's rise from rags to riches set against the backdrop of a changing century.
800 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1990
2063 people are currently reading
7998 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Archer
646 books12.3k followersJeffrey is published in 114 countries and more than 47 languages, with more than 750,000 5* reviews with international sales passing 275 million copies.
He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (nineteen times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).
Jeffrey has been married for 53 years to Dame Mary Archer DBE. They have two sons, William and James, three grandsons and two granddaughters, and divide their time between homes in London, Cambridge and Mallorca.
He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (nineteen times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).
Jeffrey has been married for 53 years to Dame Mary Archer DBE. They have two sons, William and James, three grandsons and two granddaughters, and divide their time between homes in London, Cambridge and Mallorca.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,071 reviews
October 7, 2020
Reading this book again was very mellowing. It gave me a glimpse into how a board of directors behaves. But it's so much more than that.
The characters each always said the right things at the right time, by that meaning of course the baddies too.
Jeffrey Archer was at his zenith, and it shows. He has the tendency, in his other books, to underrepresent women, but not here. A very satisfactory read, and one that I wouldn't mind repeating for a third time.
The characters each always said the right things at the right time, by that meaning of course the baddies too.
Jeffrey Archer was at his zenith, and it shows. He has the tendency, in his other books, to underrepresent women, but not here. A very satisfactory read, and one that I wouldn't mind repeating for a third time.
October 7, 2020
Jeffrey Archer has proven himself many times. As The Crow Flies proves that he hit the ground running and was already a very good storyteller while young. He knows that even if he repeats himself, as long as there are enough new twists to the plot of any of his book, he'll be forgiven, and his works, enjoyed.
I was thoroughly entertained reading this book which has a few lulls, but which forced me to have stakes in the story at a time when I felt temporarily indifferent. After all why should I care if a millionaire (even self made) is risking his benefits and at worst, would be a bit poorer. No skin off MY nose! Well the author had other thoughts. He made me care.
I no longer think Kane And Abel is this writer's best book. That praise went to Be Careful What You Wish For...now...I'm no longer sure. This book, which I've just read, is one of the strongest 5 star books I've ever rated. The plot points, fleshed out through the way characters behave, present themselves and motivate themselves, generate inexhaustible supply of surprises. Everything is perfectly clear in the book. As The Crow Flies defies any gross accusation that can be thrown at it. It deserved to be read. It's pure entertainment, of the type that can only be offered by books and their makers.
I was thoroughly entertained reading this book which has a few lulls, but which forced me to have stakes in the story at a time when I felt temporarily indifferent. After all why should I care if a millionaire (even self made) is risking his benefits and at worst, would be a bit poorer. No skin off MY nose! Well the author had other thoughts. He made me care.
I no longer think Kane And Abel is this writer's best book. That praise went to Be Careful What You Wish For...now...I'm no longer sure. This book, which I've just read, is one of the strongest 5 star books I've ever rated. The plot points, fleshed out through the way characters behave, present themselves and motivate themselves, generate inexhaustible supply of surprises. Everything is perfectly clear in the book. As The Crow Flies defies any gross accusation that can be thrown at it. It deserved to be read. It's pure entertainment, of the type that can only be offered by books and their makers.
May 4, 2023
My second book by Mr. Archer, and once again it was a page turner. It was hard to put down, I felt like I was watching a thriller which kept me on the edge even though I would put this in family drama category.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
April 13, 2013
OH my what do I say. This book was published some 20 years ago but truly it is timeless. The joy in this novel is in the story telling -- all 600 pages of it devoted to draw you into the richness of the characters as they are woven into this saga spanning decades. Many authors have made their books long-- but end up just filling the pages with fluff....not so for archer--I relished each page and was sort of disappointed when I reached the end.
The character's individual parts are stories within themselves but Archer weaves them into the overall story like the master story teller he is. You will love some and really hate others as Archer brings them to life for you.
This is really the life story of a man named Charlie Trumper born into poverty with great dreams and the disposition to fulfil them. This book was a great read and I am a better person for reading it and sharing Charlie's pursuit of his dreams and life....
The character's individual parts are stories within themselves but Archer weaves them into the overall story like the master story teller he is. You will love some and really hate others as Archer brings them to life for you.
This is really the life story of a man named Charlie Trumper born into poverty with great dreams and the disposition to fulfil them. This book was a great read and I am a better person for reading it and sharing Charlie's pursuit of his dreams and life....
June 27, 2021
This '91 story hardly seems to be "as the crow flies." Instead, it is a long capricious, classist and vindictive story over time. Hardly worth the effort from Mr. Archer. 3 of 10 stars
February 25, 2008
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 family. This is a fun read with plenty of drama woven through the book.
September 24, 2019
As The Crow Flies, first published in 1990.
This is a saga of the rags to riches life of Charlie Trumper. Not really a rags to riches story more the industrious boy from a working class back ground with big aspirations story.
The period of time is from the 1910’s to the 1960’s.
To say that Charlie’s life was colourful would be an understatement, from impoverished childhood with a fruit and vegetable barrow in the East End of London to the fields of France during the WW1. Then in WW2 he became Churchill’s go to man to keep the nation fed. Last but not least, his pride and joy ‘Trumper’s Department Store’.
Nothing in Charlie’s life would come easy. To succeed he will have to fight tooth and nail against a family of high social standing who is out to ruin Charlie hopes and aspiration at every turn.
Charlie’s life unfolds to us via all the principal characters. Each character tells the same basic story but from their pov. This sounds like it should be boring but strangely enough it wasn’t. I soon found myself becoming really invested in all Charlie’s trials and tribulations and infuriated by his enemies.
A satisfying, entertaining read and a must for lovers of family sagas.
A recommended 4 star read.
This is a saga of the rags to riches life of Charlie Trumper. Not really a rags to riches story more the industrious boy from a working class back ground with big aspirations story.
The period of time is from the 1910’s to the 1960’s.
To say that Charlie’s life was colourful would be an understatement, from impoverished childhood with a fruit and vegetable barrow in the East End of London to the fields of France during the WW1. Then in WW2 he became Churchill’s go to man to keep the nation fed. Last but not least, his pride and joy ‘Trumper’s Department Store’.
Nothing in Charlie’s life would come easy. To succeed he will have to fight tooth and nail against a family of high social standing who is out to ruin Charlie hopes and aspiration at every turn.
Charlie’s life unfolds to us via all the principal characters. Each character tells the same basic story but from their pov. This sounds like it should be boring but strangely enough it wasn’t. I soon found myself becoming really invested in all Charlie’s trials and tribulations and infuriated by his enemies.
A satisfying, entertaining read and a must for lovers of family sagas.
A recommended 4 star read.
May 23, 2013
This is a fairly good 200 page novel, hiding inside 600 pages. It was easy to read, but not very fulfilling. I was ready to quit on it at the halfway point, as I became tired of reading of each shop being purchased with great detail about how much it cost, and what a good deal Charlie got on each one. I continued on, and the story improved somewhat. I never felt anything for any of the characters. They all seemed one dimensional.
I did like the way that the story switched perspective from one character to another, filling in the blanks of the story as it did so. That made for more interesting transitions, but became predictable as the story progressed.
On the technical side... I read the novel on my Kindle. The hand written notes scattered throughout the book were almost impossible to read.
I did like the way that the story switched perspective from one character to another, filling in the blanks of the story as it did so. That made for more interesting transitions, but became predictable as the story progressed.
On the technical side... I read the novel on my Kindle. The hand written notes scattered throughout the book were almost impossible to read.
May 23, 2020
Historia de una saga familiar que se va construyendo con diferentes partes, cada una desde el punto de vista de distintos personajes y distintas épocas. Me ha enganchado bastante pero ciertos fragmentos se me han hecho aburridos porque no me aportaban nada.
Read
January 24, 2015Depending on which browser I've opened to read this in (I do hate epub books and the Overdrive app that can never remember my login), I've made it to about 50% of this huge chunkster, so I'm counting this towards Mt. TBR of 2015 and the GR reading challenge. 400-500 pages is a full book in my world.
As far as I did get - the story begins around the latter years of WWI, and focused around a set of characters in the early years of building a financial empire starting with one store at a time - grocery is the first one. Usually I'd be all over a big fat saga like this, and usually I'd love all the details of the empire building, but this one fell flat for me. The biggest problem was the never-ending flip flop back to the same events, only to be recounted to the reader in another first person narrative from another character. B.O.R.I.N.G.
Life's too short, moving on.
As far as I did get - the story begins around the latter years of WWI, and focused around a set of characters in the early years of building a financial empire starting with one store at a time - grocery is the first one. Usually I'd be all over a big fat saga like this, and usually I'd love all the details of the empire building, but this one fell flat for me. The biggest problem was the never-ending flip flop back to the same events, only to be recounted to the reader in another first person narrative from another character. B.O.R.I.N.G.
Life's too short, moving on.
May 9, 2023
Lord Archer is a perfect storyteller and an outstanding crator of characters, even if some of our contemporary underrate him and his writings. He's an author I love and that's the reason why I'm more interested in HOW he writes more than in WHAT he writes.
That's the case with the Crow. And yet, some events (the incest, the secrecy about Daniel) seem to have emerged from the Middle Ages, the final is too pathetic for my taste, so unfortunatelly one star flies through the open window...
That's the case with the Crow. And yet, some events (the incest, the secrecy about Daniel) seem to have emerged from the Middle Ages, the final is too pathetic for my taste, so unfortunatelly one star flies through the open window...
March 24, 2019
I really enjoyed this story! Charlie Trumper starts as a seller of vegetables and fruits on the streets of London. How he gets from there to WW 1 to working for Winston Churchill during WW 2 to running a multi million dollar store is all fascinating and entertaining. He has evil to overcome and he manages well.
If you enjoyed The Clifton Chronicles, then I would highly recommend this book.
If you enjoyed The Clifton Chronicles, then I would highly recommend this book.
June 20, 2020
Finally finished. Loved it!!
October 29, 2016
It's funny how our tastes change, I think that many years ago I would have loved this book, but now I have to admit that halfway through I found myself skimming sections of it....something I very, very rarely do.
It was a good story, that of a poor east end London boy, instilled with an excellent work ethic by his Grandfather, and blessed with brains and ingenuity, who makes good despite bereavement, war, and many other trials and tribulations, including making an enemy determined to undermine and ruin everything he does.
I did enjoy the first half of this book, and because there were some interesting characters I wanted to find out what happened to them, but at times it was all just a little too good to be true.
There were some surprises, but the outcome of the various problems to beset the main character and his family became just too predictable.
June 13, 2011
What a fun read this was. I'd never read any Jeffrey Archer, and had the impression that he was just a mystery/thriller writer. Imagine my surprise, then, to become immersed in this atmospheric novel that begins in the early 20th century in the East End of London and ranges through the years (and the continents!) until 1970, with chapters that focus on the main characters, one by one. Charlie Trumper begins life assisting his grandfather on his fruit and vegetable barrow in the East End. As he grows up, he is faced with his grandfather's death, World War I, a dashing, handsome villain called Guy Trentham, and eventually a chain of events that flows from his brief unpleasant connection with Trentham at the Battle of the Marne. Charlie returns to London after the war, reconnects with Becky, his childhood friend and eventual partner, and begins to make his way in the world, eventually building up a retail empire in Chelsea, but old family secrets keep cropping up and putting roadblocks in his path. A rollicking good read!
January 25, 2022
I read this book for the first time when I was about 14. Since then I have flipped these pages at least twice more. It is one of those books that never lets me down.
It is rare for an 800 page book to hold your attention from start to finish. Archer is a master storyteller. The clarity of his thoughts is reflected in the ease with which the words flow on paper. In Charlie Trumper, the protagonist, Archer has fleshed out a character that will remain with you.
It is rare for an 800 page book to hold your attention from start to finish. Archer is a master storyteller. The clarity of his thoughts is reflected in the ease with which the words flow on paper. In Charlie Trumper, the protagonist, Archer has fleshed out a character that will remain with you.
June 20, 2023
Once again, Jeffrey Archer hasn't disappointed me. Even though the book is almost 800 pages long, only around 50 pages must have dragged. Whenever I felt the book was just starting to bore a bit, Jeffrey Archer would strike back with a terrific plot twist or just something interesting and keep me engaged again. The boring pages are negligible. I highly recommend this book to people who are interested in reading about how a business is built from humble beginnings to becoming one of the most successful in the world.
January 21, 2022
Charlie Trumper's earliest memory is of hearing his grandfather's sales patter from behind his fruit and veg barrow. When his grandfather dies suddenly Charlie wants nothing more than to follow in his footsteps; his burning ambition is to own 'The Biggest Barrow in the World', a shop that will sell everything.
This book is a rags to riches tale taking us from the teeming streets of Whitechapel to the elegance of Chelsea Terrace spanning some 70 years (from 1900 to 1971) through the triumphs and disasters of 20th century Britain. My copy was in excess of 700 pages long yet it didn't really feel like it, its a relatively quick read if not a particularly fulfilling one.
I did like the way that the story switched perspective from one character to another, filling in the blanks as it did so. That made for some interesting transitions, but also meant a certain amount of repetition.
I found that this rather fat novel thin on substance. Too much of the book seemed to centre around just how Charlie managed to buy each shop, how much he paid for them and how quickly he was able to make them profitable again that it left little room for character development. They all seemed paper-thin and one dimensional. As always I found Archer's writing enjoyable but ultimately I simply couldn't shake off the feeling that I'd read it all before in 'Kane and Abel'.
This book is a rags to riches tale taking us from the teeming streets of Whitechapel to the elegance of Chelsea Terrace spanning some 70 years (from 1900 to 1971) through the triumphs and disasters of 20th century Britain. My copy was in excess of 700 pages long yet it didn't really feel like it, its a relatively quick read if not a particularly fulfilling one.
I did like the way that the story switched perspective from one character to another, filling in the blanks as it did so. That made for some interesting transitions, but also meant a certain amount of repetition.
I found that this rather fat novel thin on substance. Too much of the book seemed to centre around just how Charlie managed to buy each shop, how much he paid for them and how quickly he was able to make them profitable again that it left little room for character development. They all seemed paper-thin and one dimensional. As always I found Archer's writing enjoyable but ultimately I simply couldn't shake off the feeling that I'd read it all before in 'Kane and Abel'.
December 2, 2010
It was one book I couldn't put down but did so reluctantly. I would give it five stars. The characters seemed so real I felt they were people I knew.
May 2, 2024
De verdad que este autor tiene una manera de contar historias increíble. “Kane and Abel” sigue estando arriba de todos, pero que buen libro fue este. Satisfactorio, e inspiracional para cualquier persona trabajadora. El personaje principal, Charlie Trumper, es una persona a la que aspiras ser. Te da hambre el libro de comerte al mundo. Y aparte, te hacer ver que es posible y que el potencial de cada quien depende de sí mismo y si dedicación a lo que haga.
Una excelente “rags to riches” story, dándole a todos los personajes su debida profundidad. Jeffrey Archer no pierde el tiempo con detalles innecesarios y la historia nunca se siente lenta. Aparte hay varios plot twists que te hacen pasar por una montaña rusa de emociones que, es al final lo mejor que hace este autor: hacerte sentir el libro. Solamente le faltaron atar unos cabos sueltos a mi gusto, al final. Pero wow con este libro.
Una excelente “rags to riches” story, dándole a todos los personajes su debida profundidad. Jeffrey Archer no pierde el tiempo con detalles innecesarios y la historia nunca se siente lenta. Aparte hay varios plot twists que te hacen pasar por una montaña rusa de emociones que, es al final lo mejor que hace este autor: hacerte sentir el libro. Solamente le faltaron atar unos cabos sueltos a mi gusto, al final. Pero wow con este libro.
January 7, 2019
Jeffrey Archer is echt een topauteur! Dit boek gaat over de lotgevallen van Charlie Trumper, een jongen uit Whitechapel, die van zijn grootvader, die groente- en fruitverkoper was, een venterskar erft en uiteindelijk de president is van de grootste warenhuisketen in London. Maar dit alles gaat niet zonder slag of stoot, Charlie krijgt ook heel wat tegenkanting en ervaart ook heel wat leed in zijn leven.
Het boek bevat verschillende delen, en in elk deel worden de belangrijke gebeurtenissen van een bepaalde periode beschreven vanuit het standpunt van een andere hoofdpersoon. Dit geeft de lezer ook de kans om de situatie vanuit verschillende perspectieven te bekijken.
Ik hou wel van deze stijl.
Het boek bevat verschillende delen, en in elk deel worden de belangrijke gebeurtenissen van een bepaalde periode beschreven vanuit het standpunt van een andere hoofdpersoon. Dit geeft de lezer ook de kans om de situatie vanuit verschillende perspectieven te bekijken.
Ik hou wel van deze stijl.
September 12, 2015
تماماً كما تقول عنه النيويورك تايمز في عبارة الغلاف : جيفري آرتشر هو عبقري الروايات المسلية ..
ذلك النوع من الروايات الذي يشعك بأن حياتك في داخل الرواية بينما يومياتك العادية في صحوك هي الهامش ..
رواية طويلة نوعاً ما ولكنها ملحمة انسانية ثرية جداً بالشخصيات التي حتماً .. ستجد نفسك في احدها
ذلك النوع من الروايات الذي يشعك بأن حياتك في داخل الرواية بينما يومياتك العادية في صحوك هي الهامش ..
رواية طويلة نوعاً ما ولكنها ملحمة انسانية ثرية جداً بالشخصيات التي حتماً .. ستجد نفسك في احدها
November 19, 2010
Such an overly long, convoluted story with a tiny payoff. There were no characters that held my interest. Everything was plot-driven. I like novels with a rich background so that you can lose yourself in the time and place. This fat novel was thin in substance.
October 11, 2011
رواية عندما يطير الغراب للكاتب
جيفري آرتشر.
أعتبر نفسي محظوظا عندما اخترتها
بشكل عشوائي وأنا في المكتبة
لانني لم أقرأ للمؤلف من السابق
مع أنها طويلة...الا أنها تأسرك بحيث
لاتسطيع تركها... تستحق القراءة.
وأنصح بقرآتها لمن كان مترددا.
جيفري آرتشر.
أعتبر نفسي محظوظا عندما اخترتها
بشكل عشوائي وأنا في المكتبة
لانني لم أقرأ للمؤلف من السابق
مع أنها طويلة...الا أنها تأسرك بحيث
لاتسطيع تركها... تستحق القراءة.
وأنصح بقرآتها لمن كان مترددا.
January 27, 2021
I’m quite a fan of Archer’s adult fairy tales - stories which always work out happily in the end - and this one, my first in a number of years, was a pleasure. It was also the first ‘human-read’ audio book I have ever listened to. Good job!
October 9, 2019
A rags to riches story,a barrow boy makes it big.Goes through both world wars,and into the 1960s.Some familiar plot devices.
Very lengthy,but still enjoyable.
Very lengthy,but still enjoyable.
June 27, 2021
Nice plot. Only Jeffrey Archer can deliver this kind of climax
February 5, 2016
This book was really good. It was a great story of one man and his entire life from the age of 0-75.
I loved the main character, his wife and his son.
There was a lot of scandal, drama, backstabbing, mystery and love.
It kept me wanting to know more and I had so many unanswered questions until the very end.
This book was recommended to me by my Nanny, my Mum and my Aunt. They all loved the book and I'm glad I can say I did too.
There was one part in the book that I didn't see coming. I was shocked/blindsided by the information about 3/4 way through the book that left a heavy weight on my shoulders for the rest of the way through my read.
Most people probably won't have that effect on them from it, but I invested so much feelings into a couple of the characters that it was only obvious that at some point I would feel changed.
I am highly recommending this book for the soul fact that it took me away to another life, another time which I feel deeply in love with.
I loved the main character, his wife and his son.
There was a lot of scandal, drama, backstabbing, mystery and love.
It kept me wanting to know more and I had so many unanswered questions until the very end.
This book was recommended to me by my Nanny, my Mum and my Aunt. They all loved the book and I'm glad I can say I did too.
There was one part in the book that I didn't see coming. I was shocked/blindsided by the information about 3/4 way through the book that left a heavy weight on my shoulders for the rest of the way through my read.
Most people probably won't have that effect on them from it, but I invested so much feelings into a couple of the characters that it was only obvious that at some point I would feel changed.
I am highly recommending this book for the soul fact that it took me away to another life, another time which I feel deeply in love with.
October 17, 2012
I love sagas. This book is the epitome of time and family saga. Beginning in early 20th century and going to the '60s, it follows the story of Charlie Trumper and his rise from a local street merchant to the owner of London's largest department store.
Told from multiple points of view, Archer does a great job of getting into the head and heart of the characters. He doesn't waste time with extraneous back story, but just enough to let us know what's going on.
He does start each character's story in first person to introduce them or that section of the story, then goes to third person. He does it well, but just be ready for the switch.
Great read!
Told from multiple points of view, Archer does a great job of getting into the head and heart of the characters. He doesn't waste time with extraneous back story, but just enough to let us know what's going on.
He does start each character's story in first person to introduce them or that section of the story, then goes to third person. He does it well, but just be ready for the switch.
Great read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,071 reviews