Hands of Gold: One Man’s Quest to Find The Silver Lining In Misfortune by Roni Robbins is a gem. The novel follows the story of Shimshon “Samuel” Fox and how he chased the silver lining even when his life was filled with desperate times that could make grown men cry. Sam’s journey began in 1905 in a village called Jacovo, Hungary. Sam had 12 siblings who all chased dreams and desires while they fought antisemitism. Wanting something more from life, he planned to get to America, but on his second try, he landed in Montreal, Canada where his life truly began. Meeting pretty Hannah Stein was like all his dreams come true. They get married, move to New York, and raise a family. However, that was also when their real troubles began. Borderline poverty, labor union reforms, feeding little mouths, and fighting for their lives, Sam and Hannah made it through. This was their journey, and now the author has shared it with the world. Sam’s journey was unique, humble, and believable, maybe because it was based on author Roni Robbins’ grandfather and grandmother. Sam was an ambitious man who knew what he wanted in life, and he worked harder and harder to achieve what he wanted. I could feel the love, respect, and adoration Roni had for her grandparents (especially her grandfather). He achieved a lot in his life, but he suffered as well. While his journey to America was hard, his health issues, keeping his religion alive in a strange country, focusing on providing for his family, and ensuring everyone was warm at night were his biggest struggles. It was funny when Sam struggled to understand the professions his children took up, but he accepted with a resignation only our parents can. The narrative was realistic; it felt like a conversation between friends and made me feel like I knew Sam personally. Hands of Gold is a wonderful depiction of an immigrant’s journey to a new life!

Based on the lives of her immigrant forebears from Hungary and their American-born children, Roni Robbins has written an absorbing and richly detailed novel about the struggles and triumphs of people who made their way in the promised land of America during the last century. The novel traces the lives of the many members of the Fox family. The characters are vividly drawn and the novel contains many moving stories and episodes. One, in particular, that stands out in the mind of the reviewer involves the journey of Mo Fox to Europe in the wake of the Holocaust to retrieve a family heirloom that represents the title of the novel. Readers interested in learning much about the story of the Jewish immigrant experience in America will find Ms. Robbins' novel a richly rewarding experience.

“Where are all your great miracles now?” the story begins, in the hoarse, wry, honest voice of the much-travelled, much-aggrieved Sam Fox, a Zelig of a fictional spinoff of the author’s grandfather. An Eastern European immigrant, born at the start of the new century – “My birth was not the greatest timing, I know. But who was I to question such a thing?” – he managed to taste, and to suffer, much of what midcentury America had to offer, from the golden age of TV & radio to a mass shooting at a workplace. A natural-born survivor, skipping across borders, changing identities, harboring secrets, Sam always made time to relish moments of happiness, always displaying – even when on the run, even when grieving his loved ones – a tremendous love of life. 

Author Roni Robbins weaves together a historic novel inspired by true events that is a page-turning credit to her literary talents. Her book Hands of Gold is a testament to her storytelling ability, a timeless treasure lost in the horrific tragedies of war, with a spirited main character who lived through one challenge after another. Robbins portrays the spirit of a man, though broken, who is memorable as he holds onto life, time and what truly matters most. An amazing book about resilience, worthy of your immediate attention. 

The author carries us through the lifetime of a fascinating Jewish man who used his wonderful hands to survive. They also were filled with romance as he and his wife spent 6 decades together. The reader will look at his own hands and wonder out loud if they have been as energized as those of the hero. I, too, ask myself – how many special traits do my ten fingers possess? Robbins' book offers each of us our own personal answer.