With one act of kindness, the fate of a Manhattan family is forever altered in this New York Times–bestselling novel by the author of Rich Man, Poor Man. The Strands are a happy family, save for the occasional financial struggle. Allen, the father, has a decent job as a schoolteacher, a lovely wife, and smart, ambitious, and compassionate children. When Allen’s daughter witnesses a mugging, she takes the victim back to the Strand home for help and a warm meal. The Strands have no clue that the man they are helping is Russell Hazen, a powerful and wealthy Wall Street lawyer. In his gratitude, Hazen offers gifts, vacations, networking opportunities—even plastic surgery. But with each reward comes baggage, and soon the Strands begin to lose sight of what matters most in life. Bread Upon the Waters is a masterful story about the way lives interconnect, and how every good deed, no matter how selfless, comes with a price. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Irwin Shaw including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s estate.

The book entitled "Bread Upon the Waters" encompasses from historical events occurring during the early development of the United States, Canada and the Canadian West. It dates back from the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. It includes events that transpired in those regions during that episode. It is a story of a gifted woman's extraordinary courage and fortitude as she envisages and endures the brutal hardship of pioneering in the Canadian West.

In mid-1970's, Jon escapes from Ceausescu's dictatorship in Romania and settles in New York City. Faced with an extremely dynamic and pragmatic environment, and enjoying liberties he had not known before, Jon decides he must earn an American university degree to both enhance his knowledge and have a better chance in a highly competitive job market. He pays for his studies by taking odd jobs, where he meets people and learns the ropes of earning, American-style, one's living. However, the integration process is an arduous task. At times, Jon's enthusiasm crosses moments of disillusion, duplicity, and letdown. Luckily, his campus experience helps him overcome real or imaginary obstacles, bringing him in tune with local custom. Very much like in a bildungsroman narrative, Jon's "American" story is one of reshaping a personality into a more complex human being. His efforts are duly rewarded with finding true love and a reason to be happy thereafter. The biblical prediction-that he would find again the bread he had cast away-is thus fulfilled.