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No Crystal Stair  By  cover art

No Crystal Stair

By: Eva Rutland
Narrated by: Donna Washington
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Publisher's summary

Ann Elizabeth Carter grew up in the segregated Atlanta of the 1920s and 1930s, part of the black privileged class, the much-loved daughter of a doctor, and the granddaughter of a slave. She was a charming, confident young woman with a well-planned life ahead of her.

Then she upset all those plans when she fell in love. It was 1942 and Robert Metcalf was a member of the first black unit in the Army Air Corps, stationed at Tuskegee, Alabama.

For the first time, she left her sheltered life in Atlanta to marry Rob. For the first time, she had to learn what it really meant to be a black woman in 20th-century America.

During the decades that followed, Ann Elizabeth's life, and her marriage, were shaped by the changes that shook the country, that redefined it. During those decades, she learned the truth of a lifetime. You have to guard the love you find, and overcome the hate that finds you.

©2000 Eva Rutland; All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A. All characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Critic reviews

"Optimistic, lightly humorous, and filled with an abundance of appealing characters, this is a well-crafted, compelling romance that does not gloss over the realities of prejudice." (Library Journal)

What listeners say about No Crystal Stair

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Too Bad This Was an Abridge of an Abridged Version

I bought this book when it was hot off the press in 2006, and it was GREAT! I even passed it along to other friends who loved it, as well. This version cut out all the juicy happenings and things that make you care about the characters. I'm glad I bought this on sale for 99 cents instead of using a credit for these four little chapters! Narration was a bit dry.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

This book really is not a Crystal Stair

This book had great appeal initially, but developed into a trite and predictable story. The abridged version was choppy, particularly at the end when you realize that the daughter goes from elementary school to Stanford in 1 chapter.
I would not recommend this one.

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2 people found this helpful