The First Mrs. Rothschild

A Novel

By: Sara Aharoni, Yardenne Greenspan - translator

Narrated by: Elisabeth Rodgers

In this award-winning historical saga, passionate young lovers in a Jewish ghetto rise to become the foremost financial dynasty in the world.

It is the turn of the eighteenth century in Frankfurt, Germany, and young Gutle and Meir Amschel Rothschild struggle to establish themselves in the cramped and restricted Judengasse. But when Meir’s talents as a novice banker catch the attention of a German prince, Meir is suddenly afforded entrée into the European world of finance and nobility, and the Rothschilds’ lives are changed forever. As proud as Gutle is of her husband’s success, she is also cautious - very much aware of the fact that her husband’s rise is tied to his patrons’ willingness to “see past” his Jewishness. As their family grows, and a dream of fortune comes true, so does their belief that money will ultimately bring the power needed to establish Jewish civil rights.

Told through Gutle’s intimate journals, revealed across decades - from the French Revolution through personal tragedies and triumphs - The First Mrs. Rothschild paints a rich and intimate tapestry of family drama, world-changing history, and one woman’s steadfast strength.

©2019 Sara Aharoni (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. English translation © 2019 by Sara Aharoni. Published by arrangement with The Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature.

Inspiring story of a historic family

I loved this book for the information it gave me and swept me along into the history of an incredible family.

Highly recommend!

I was drawn in quickly and kept there throughout. Well written and a very clear descriptios of situations, people and places. Thoroughly enjoyed the narrator as well.

Things we should learn in school.

Beautifully read. I was curious about the Rothschilds and learned a great deal about the world view that follows Jews. Matriarch tells the story of the family from her own viewpoint. It's one that is disciplined, hard-working, steady. I admire the principles her husband founded their fortunes on.

A personal view of history.

Listening to the"personal diary" of Mrs. Rothschild made the view of historical events so intimate, so real. I felt the breeze, the smoke, the terror. I enjoyed the smells of food, the fragrance of flowers, the crisp air. It was a very engaging novel. I highly recommend immersing oneself in the experience.

Superb storytelling

A historical novel loosely based on facts. Rather leisurely in pace, yet the narrative, which spans several decades, remains gripping. The characters are well developed and their fates are vividly interwoven with the real events of the European continent.
This is storytelling of the highest order.
There was one small thing that bothered me about the narrator: towards the end, the voice sounds very sorry and sorrowful, which was a bit tiring. On the other hand, the protagonist gets very old, so it is well realised to give her a different speaking tempo and tone at the end of her life.