Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer Free

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Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — Martin Dressler by Steven Millhauser. Young Martin Dressler begins his career as an industrious helper in his father's cigar store. As the eponymous Martin's vision becomes bolder and bolder he walks a haunted line between fantas Young Martin Dressler begins his career as an industrious helper in his father's cigar store. Get A Copy. Kindle Editionpages. Published September 1st by Vintage first published March 25th More Details Original Title. Other Editions Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Martin Dresslerplease sign up. Clearly the last described residence hotel in this novel strays into the realm of fantasy. Is there someone out there knowledgeable enough of turn of the Twentieth Century NY residence hotels to comment on just how far into the realm of fantasy it does stray? Robert Blumenthal I felt it was a metaphorical depiction of Martin not being satisfied unless he, like God, could create his own unique world. And it became his downfal …more I felt it was a metaphorical depiction of Martin not being satisfied unless he, like God, could create his own unique world. And it became his downfall. His hubris almost got the better of him. See 1 question about Martin Dressler…. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. I was underwhelmed by Martin Dressler. I felt his character was one-dimensional and was not enamoured with either Caroline or Emma. I felt like slapping the hapless Martin around for his blindness to love Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer is fine but the author kept returning to this theme a painful number of times that I felt he was beating me over I was underwhelmed by Martin Dressler. I felt like slapping the hapless Martin around for his blindness to love which is fine but the author kept returning to this theme a painful number of times that I felt he was beating me over the head with it. There is such a tiny character arc for Martin as well - he only achieves enlightenment during the last 5 pages of this short novel. Also, it seemed a bit unrealistic especially towards the end how Martin seemed to wave a magic wand and his dreams would just appear in his hotel. This would be fine in a book by Marquez, but anchored in the realism with which the author was attempting to portray the building explosion in the city, it seemed incongruous to me. I do not quite see what the Pulitzer committee of was aiming for in awarding the prize for Dressler that year, but then I have come to question their judgment at several occasions The Known World, Tinkers, All Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer Light We Cannot See. Not sure if I will seek out other books from this author without a strong recommendation. View 1 comment. A cautionary tale for ambitious people, because who likes ambitious people? Not me. I can best describe it as kind of like Atlas Shrugged, but you know, the complete opposite, so good. Also, it's short. So if you hated Atlas Shrugged—and there are plenty of reasons to hate Atlas Shrugged—you'll probably love Martin Dressler. True story: I went out to eat at a restaurant in Brooklyn, The Dressler. I asked our waiter if the restaurant was named after this book. It turns out it was, indeed, named a A cautionary tale for ambitious people, because who likes ambitious people? It turns out it was, indeed, named after this book, and in fact, it's the owner's favorite book. I think we got a free desert out of it. I've never gotten free desert from an Ayn Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer fan. Have you? View all 4 comments. This one caught me by surprise. Though it's not an action- packed page-turner, I was completely absorbed by this book. Just read the author's description of New York City circa Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer lead the Vernon women down clattering station stairways to look at details: strips of sun and shadow rippling across a cabhorse's back under a curving El track, old steel rails glinting in the cobblestones. He bought them bags of hot peanuts from a peanut wagon with a steam whistle. He showed them Mo This one caught me by surprise. He showed them Mott Street pushcarts heaped with goats' cheese and green olives and sweet fennel, took them along East River docks bowspirits and jib booms reached halfway across the street. He walked them through an open market down by Pier 19, where horses in blankets stood hitched to wagons loaded with baskets of cabbages and turnips. Down a narrow sidestreet in a bright crack between warehouses, an East River scow filled with cobblestones slipped by. What a beautiful piece of writing; it's almost magical in the way it conjures up not only images, but sounds and smells as well. Here is the story of almost three decades in the life of Martin Dressler, a young go-getter who starts with nothing and works hard to build a fortune. The kind of man Donald Trump likes to think he Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer. From humble beginnings in his father's cigar shop, Martin comes to own a luncheonette which he manages to turn into a chain of successful eateries. This leads to hotels, ever larger, ever grander and more fanciful. At first, the character of Martin seemed too good, too sickeningly perfect, but he is soon revealed as having a fondness for visiting whores, though technically, this is patronizing a "business," so it may have been acceptable. He then makes the rookie mistake of marrying a lovely, though oddly listless woman instead of her less attractive sister who is so obviously his soulmate. Another flaw Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer that he seems to never be satisfied - everything must be newer, bigger and better. When it comes to the business world, I suppose dissatisfaction can be a driving factor, but it leads to a rather unhappy life for Martin. The first three quarters of the book are utterly, utterly charming. Then things start to get a bit weird with the sisters. The hotels grow more fantastical and the whole book becomes divorced from reality, though it is here that Millhauser's creation realizes the ephemeral nature of his own creations: That was the way of things in New York: they were there one day and gone the next. Even as his new building rose story by story it was already vanishing, the trajectory of the wrecker's ball had been set in motion as the blade of the first bulldozer bit into the earth. And as Martin turned the corner he seemed to hear, in the warm air, a sound of crumbling masonry, he seemed to see, in the summer light, a faint dust of old buildings sitting down. All in all, the book remains a love letter to old New York and a paean to the entrepreneurial spirit. Martin Dressler is Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer central protagonist of this novel. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in We follow him for approximately the first three decades of his life. He is born in and lives in New York City. His father owned a shop selling cigars. No, he would not. He had dreams, much bigger dreams. So, this is about life in New York City a decade or two before and at the turn 19th century. It is chock Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer of period detail. The city was in Martin Dressler is the central protagonist of this novel. The city was in a state of rapid expansion and transformation. Optimism filled the air; prospects were there for the taking. The world was in flux. Much was changing from the old to the new. Alongside stone arches and hand carved wood were steel, dynamos and electric inventions. Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American Dreamer by Steven Millhauser

These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. Martin Dressler is the son of an immigrant who runs a cigar shop where Martin helps, but Martin is unsatisfied, convinced that better opportunities and a deeper sense of meaning are just around the corner. So Dressler quits the cigar shop and finds a job on Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer bottom tier of the Vanderlyn Hotel as a bellboy. Dressler's fierce resolve to work toward the American Dream make him an outstanding worker, and just according to plan, he rises up the organizational ladder until finally he is offered the position of hotel assistant manager. But Dressler quickly realizes that middle management could never satisfy his deeper longing to lead an organization and be at the top of all its systems. So, Dressler quits the job and pursues management of a chain of restaurants. Again, Dressler is unsatisfied and quits to pursue his brain child, the Hotel Dressler. He secures an investment partner in his sister-in-law. His marriage is on the back burner and doesn't seem like it will bring him any meaning. The novel is a picture of the pursuit for the American Dream, and its core meaning lies in the lack of resolve. It becomes clear that the reason Dressler is unhappy is not because he hasn't achieved something specific, but rather because he is unable to experience peace because of his unrelenting belief that someone else's grass is greener and that if he just works hard enough, one day his life will make sense to him. Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American Dreamer study guide contains a biography of Steven Millhauser, Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Remember me. Forgot your password? Martin Dressler : The Tale of an American Dreamer - -

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Transform this Plot Summary into a Study Guide. The novel is set in New York City at the close of the nineteenth century, providing a vivid backdrop for Dressler's rags-to-riches story. Martin Dressler is the son of an immigrant shopkeeper, but he dreams, even from a young age, of something greater than following in his father's footsteps and running Dressler's Cigars and Tobacco. At fourteen years old, Martin goes to work as a bellboy at the Vanderlyn Hotel. He juggles his job at the hotel with his responsibilities in his father's store. Over time, Martin works Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer way through the hierarchy of the Vanderlyn. He goes from bellhop to day clerk, then on to personal secretary before being offered a job in management. As he ascends the ranks, Martin also operates a concessions shop in the lobby of the Vanderlyn. He proves himself to be a dependable and conscientious worker, and his enthusiasm makes him a valuable employee. As Martin amasses more money, he goes into partnership with Mr. Dundee, and they purchase the Metropolitan Lunchroom. The restaurant is extremely successful. When the higherups at Vanderlyn offer Martin another promotion, he turns them down to focus his energies on opening and managing a chain of restaurants. In his personal life, Martin recognizes that it is time to marry. Though he has some slight misgivings, he pursues Caroline Vernon, a quiet young woman with an undeniable air of mystery and sensuality. Caroline is especially close to her younger sister Emmaline, whom Martin employs as a cashier in one of his restaurants. Martin and Caroline marry, though she is placed in a secondary position within the larger framework of the novel—much as she is in Martin's life. Martin sells the chain of restaurants and purchases the old Vanderlyn Hotel. He secures the funding to give the aging building a complete renovation; its grand reopening is a success. This triumph inspires Martin to dream bigger, and he starts planning an even more ambitious project, one that will take years to realize. He envisions the Dressler Hotel as a destination of bold modern design that will not only be the talk of New York City but a centerpiece of its architectural fabric. When the Dressler Hotel opens, it is a Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer. At home, Caroline retreats from Martin. She becomes ill with headaches, tiredness, and other vague complaints. Martin finds himself relying more and more on Emmaline, whom he promotes to Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer positions at the Dressler Hotel. Eventually, she becomes his business partner, and while there is no physical intimacy shared between the two, Martin finds support and encouragement, challenge and inspiration, in his connection with Emmaline. Martin fears he has married the wrong sister. Before long, Martin is laying the groundwork for another majestic and elaborate design: a towering eighteen-floor structure ten blocks to the north of the Dressler. It forever alters the burgeoning New York City skyline. Called the New Dressler Hotel, these state-of-the-art lodgings bring Martin even more wealth and notoriety. Then, his personal and professional worlds collide. One evening, Caroline, in a fit of jealous rage, enters Emmaline's apartment at the New Dressler and fires a gun at her sister. She misses, and instead of tearing the sisters asunder, the shot brings them closer than ever. Emmaline, neglecting her work and responsibilities at the hotel, tends to Caroline—and Caroline's assorted illnesses—around the clock. Martin's ambitions continue to swell. He joins forces with the Austrian designer Rudolf Arling to build what will be his most awe-inspiring project yet: the Grand Cosmo. It will be a world unto itself. Comprising thirty floors, seven subterranean levels, and containing every modern convenience a person would need—from restaurants and Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer to parks and theatres—the residents of the structure will never need to leave. At Martin Dressler: the Tale of an American Dreamer point in the novel, with his marriage in shambles, his trusted confidante Emmaline missing from his life, and both his wealth and aspirations virtually limitless, Martin loses his grip on reality. Whether the Grand Cosmo is ever real, to begin with is a matter that is not entirely clear. The novel veers from a work of historical fiction into something more fantastical as Martin plans his greatest work, one unhindered by the constraints of money or logic or even sanity. Martin overestimates the public's interest in the Grand Cosmo, which leads to his financial ruin. His marriage to Caroline is all but over. Nevertheless, in the end, Martin Dressler does not admit defeat. As he takes a walk through a New York City park, his belief in the American dream seems to be alive and well. He accepts that his monumental ambition has led to his failures, both professionally and personally. He comes to terms with the fate that he himself —and the unfettered thirst for success nurtured by a ravenously capitalistic society—created. Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American Dreamer was a critical and commercial sensation upon its release.