The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street in Around the World in 80 Books

Feb 20, 2022 Nancy H rated it liked it · review of another edition

What an intriguing story! The main character is Malka Treynovsky, who emigrated to New York with her poor Jewish family in 1913. The twists and turns in her life are amazing and unbelievable, yet she survives and transforms herself into Lillian Dunkle, who becomes the "Ice Cream Queen of America", as President Eisenhower eventually called her. Her past has made her into a formidable woman who will stop at nothing to succeed and get what she wants, no matter what she has to do to get it. The stor ...more

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Oct 30, 2014 Heidi Siefkas rated it it was amazing

Although this is my first book of Gilman's that wasn't a memoir, I still loved her humor. With many flashbacks in the mostly chronological organization, it left some details out until you needed to know them. This especially was the case with the ending of the book. You get hints as to an accident and trial, but you don't know exactly what until the end.

As far as moments that stood out, I felt for Malka and her sisters. The transition from Russia to America and then from Orchard St to the Dinel ...more

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Nov 14, 2016 Ra rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, audio-book, scribd

A story that is quite light and enjoyable to listen to, read by its author. Lots of interesting anecdotes on immigrant lifestyle and the chutzpah required to make it in the new world. I did enjoy the smart-ass style of the narrator/protagonist.

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