The Silver Spooner — Darcy O'Brien

A novel of enduring power, The Silver Spooner is the story of a man who tries to be something he is not, a woman who loves him for what he is, and a friend who tries to free him from his illusions Earl Kruger was one of the last of his breed. A kingpin rancher, he wanted to own all of Oklahoma. He ran the largest cattle operation in the stateand acted as though he ran everything else, too. A. G. Kruger is running hardtrying to catch his father's shadow. But he lacks the old man's confidence and power, and when Earl dies, A. G. feels unprepared to manage the Sunrise Ranch alone. He never knows whether to treat his workers as buddies or servants. He learns the hard way that he can't do both. Claire is A. G.'s wife. She's a bright and beautiful woman whose modern ideas and ambitions are respectedif not thoroughly understoodby A. G. and scorned by his father. But Claire is used to grappling for her share in life. She grapples now with Earl Krugerand his memoryfor possession of his son. Ramsey Hogan is A. G.'s best friend from childhood. Fatherless, he grew up on the Sunrise, and has always felt a great debt to the Krugers. Now he wonders if it was worth the price. These are people whose lives reflect all the subtle complexities of modern American life and the rawness of a land that rose out of dust bowl bankruptcy. Caught up in an environment of wildly clashing values, they struggle to play out their lives, torn between the claims of past and present. Their story is one of powerful dreams, expectations, attempts, and failures; of love that gets buried beneath disappointments, and unwanted desires that appear in its place; of friendship and marriage; of pride and resentment; and of hope. Peopled with characters who live and breathe, The Silver Spooner is an unforgettable human drama that is as funny and sad and unpredictable as life itself.