“A brilliant novel. . . . It will not only captivate you; it will break your heart.” — Detroit News An absorbing saga that consumes an American century, spanning decades of splendor, struggle, upheaval, and war by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Once An Eagle. Two brothers, as different as night and day: one, charming and ruthless, buys his way into Harvard, Wall Street, and high society; the other brother remains by his mother's side and makes his way to the top without the influence of money or prestige. Raised in separate worlds, these brothers are bound by a bitter rivalry for riches and power, but mostly, for the exciting, wildly captivating woman they fight all their lives to possess, a woman whose passion for one destroys her love for the other. This is a page-turning story of innocent dreams and green desire corrupted by gilded temptation. “The glow of nostalgia. . . . An appealing forthrightness and sincerity. . . . The fortunes of two brothers who are as different as good and bad.” - New York Times Book Review "The action is fast, the story absorbing. . . . It's bestseller time once again for Anton Myrer, who richly deserves the honor." - Houston Chronicle “Hugely entertaining. . . . A story of passion, greed, betrayal and the loss of innocence.” - Chicago Sun-Times "A brilliant novel. . . . It will not only captivate you, it will break your heart." - Detroit News Two brothers, as different as night and day: one, charming and ruthless, buys his way into Harvard, Wall Street, and high society; the other brother remains by his mother's side and makes his way to the top without the influence of money or prestige. Raised in separate worlds, these brothers are bound by a bitter rivalry for riches and power, but mostly, for the exciting, wildly captivating woman they fight all their lives to possess, a woman whose passion for one destroys her love for the other. Their story consumes an American century, spanning decades of splendor, struggle, upheaval, and war. It's an absorbing saga of innocent dreams and green desire corrupted by gilded temptation. While attending Harvard University, Anton Myrer (1922-1996) enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps immediately after the Pearl Harbor attacks. He served for three years during World War II until he was wounded in the Pacific. He is also the author of the novels The Big War , The Last Convertible , and A Green Desire . A Green Desire By Myrer, Anton Perennial Copyright © 2004 Anton Myrer All right reserved. ISBN: 0060934638 Chapter One They moved hurriedly down Church Street in the late afternoon chill. Chapin swung their strapped books like a pendulum against his legs; Tipton was carrying the samples box carefully under one arm. In the long field across from Horace Crowell's store Mr. Hunnacutt and the hired man were bucking up an apple tree that had gone down in the big wind storm that September. The blue blade of the two-man crosscut whined in a harsh rhythm, thin and trivial against the hollow roar of the falls. The saw seemed to control their lunging figures, as though it were animate and the men its obedient machines. Behind them the orchard rose steeply to two wooded hills capped by Macomah Mountain; black with firs, it blocked out everything but the depthless gray wall of sky. Chapin kicked at a piece of ice and sent it skittering ahead of them. The mud ruts of the road -- the deep one in the center where the horses' hooves broke it down, the narrower grooves on each side where the carriage wheels cut their way -- were stamped in waves and ridges by the cold. "Going to snow before morning," Chapin said. He scowled up at the mountain. Both boys had the high-bridged Ames nose and narrow, wedge-shaped jaw; but there the resemblance ended. Chapin was slender and good-looking, but there was a hint of uncertainty, of vexed impatience in his curiously pale eyes. Tipton's face was bonier, rougher; there was a stubborn buoyancy in the way he moved. They wore corduroy knickers and pea jackets. Tipton's cap sat jauntily on the back of his head; Chapin had pulled the visor of his down over his eyes against the wind. "--I hate winter", Chapin said with sudden low violence, and kicked at another piece of ice; the breath burst from his mouth in small jets of steam. Tipton glanced at his older brother mildly. "It's not so bad." "Ice and snow, ice and snow -- cold and more cold... Who'd ever live here if he didn't have to?" "Well, just kiss it so long, then," Tipton answered -- and was instantly sorry he'd said it. Chapin's eyes flashed at him hotly, his face turned sullen. You and your big mouth, Tipton told himself. "Well, you can always try Tonga," he rambled on. "Live on coconuts and mango juice. They don't have any ice. Imagine if you could figure out a way to ship ice to the South Pacific -- you could name your price!" "Well, you can't." "Somebody will, Chay. You'll see... Here's Mrs. Gilman's: I want to try her ag