Rich Man, Poor Man

About “Rich Man, Poor Man”

A novel by Irwin Shaw follows the lives of two brothers, Rudolph and Thomas Jordache, and their sister Gretchen. The story spans from the end of World War II to the 1960s, exploring their struggles as children of a German immigrant who is filled with bitterness. Raised with traditional beliefs about American success, each sibling searches for happiness in their own way, chasing an idealized sense of their "birthright." The novel examines their personal journeys and the challenges they face in pursuit of fulfillment.