Roast Beef Medium Hardcover – Import, 7 December 2015

Savvy, straight-talking, and self-reliant, Emma McChesney, is as witty and entertaining as the “fast-talking dames” found in old movies, but it’s closer to 1910 than 1930 or 40. Emma’s an early career woman, working as the Midwest sales representative for T.A. Buck’s Featherloom skirts and petticoats, and most of her life is spent on the road--traveling by train, sleeping in hotels, meeting the most interesting people, and outsmarting the male sales reps who are her competition. She’s still stylish and attractive enough to make a man hope, but as a hardworking divorced mother dependant on her income she’s a stickler about her reputation.Roast Beef Medium is the first of three books about the adventures of Emma McChesney. Edna Ferber, also the author of Giant and Show Boat, wrote the McChesney books long enough ago that they’re all in the public domain and ebook copies of them can be downloaded from sites like Project Gutenberg. I listened to a wonderfully narrated Libravox recording, also free, which kept me grinning even when stuck in traffic.

I believe that Ms. Ferber, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1925, was always writing ahead of the time she lived in. She wrote almost every novel (among them "Giant", "Showboat", and "Saratoga Trunk") as well as this one, "Roast Beef, Medium", about a strong female who was fighting to have a stable life in circumstances outside of the norm of women of the time.This book concerns a woman who is a traveling saleswoman. She's on the road selling women's petticoats; she knows her rivals (all men) by sight; she resists their multiple advances, and she doesn't let herself be pushed out of selling to a client by a bluff, genial opponent. She outwits other salesmen by dint of intelligence and sheer hard work. Her life is by necessity excruciatingly self-disciplined; she can't afford to ever give in, get lazy, be run down or less than a professional. She refuses to be downtrodden by the grind of the male-dominated world she's in. She knows which rooms at a hotel to take and which ones to refuse because the clerk assumes she is worthy of less consideration than a man; she knows what to eat in the endless succession of restaurants she's in night after night: thus the title of the book.She's feminine and always appears in public perfectly groomed -- she cannot afford to be anything other than what seems like a paragon.But somehow Ms. Ferber gets into her heart; she is working to keep herself and her son Jock in respectable circumstances, and she continually rises to challenges which, like the opposing wind, lift her higher. She has all the doubts and faults of all the women I know, but has set her will to live a life she can own up to without shame. I LIKE this woman and hope you will as well -- she represents women who fought so my road, the road of all of us now, would be smoother.

I was very surprised by this book. It was published before women could even vote but it's a smart story of the adventures of a woman who travels the country by train as a skirt saleswoman. I think any woman can identify with Emma as she struggles to make a life for herself and her son, Jock. I had no idea that Edna Ferber won a Pulitzer and also wrote Showboat and Giant. Remarkable woman who created remarkable characters.

It is a story of an early 20th century traveling saleswoman who REALLY has to push through the all male sexist fraternity. Ahead of its time. Well written. I was really routing for Mrs. McChesney. I wanted to see her succeed.I would have given it 5 stars, because it IS classic Edna Ferber, but the illustrations did not come through on the kindle. Shame. Those illustrations are period to the story.For free, it's a great Ferber read. Go for it and keep in mind the uphill battle our our heroine.

This novel portrays a woman who goes around the country selling petticoats. As a woman she has unique problems as she is not always readily accepted by the retailers she needs to sell to. She endures mediocre food and over time learns that "roast beef medium" is a safe choice. Character development is also good for herself, her son, and a piano playing competitor. She doesn't marry in the end. More a novela than a full length novel.

Edna Ferber is hands down one of the BEST writers ever (in my opinion anyway). True to her form, this is an excellent read. Whats even better is it is on Kindle (and FREE). Ferber books (in "real" book form, anyway) are hard to come across. It made my day to find this one (which I have been searching for) so readily available in Kindle format. If you liked Show Boat, Giant, So Big etc you will love this, too.

Anything by Edna Ferber is great. She recalls a more innocent, trusting time, and in today's world, I like to remember that such a time actually existed. Yes, I'd recommend this book. Preferably sitting in your easy chair, with your favorite drink by your side, and your television set hidden from view.

Came upon this title when looking for something else and thought it sounded interesting. Loved the story - able to read in one day on a car trip. Mrs. McChesney was a working mom before it was socially acceptable. Her struggles with competing in business with men who didn't believe she should be doing their job and feeling guilty about how her son was growing up are some of the same struggles working mothers today face. I love that the main character confronts men who behave badly...but not just to be right, but to help them to become better men! Enjoy this story!

I read all of Edna Ferber's well known books; Cimmaron, Saratoga Trunk, Giant and many others years ago and remember them as interesting, well written and great reads. I am so glad to have found the Emma Chesney novels. Edna Ferber takes the reader into a world both long gone yet timeless. Her portrayal of Emma Chesney, a woman traveling salesperson in a world of only salesMEN, is wonderfully drawn. Edna and Emma were both ahead of their times.

Edna Ferber is still a delightful writer. I enjoyed this story a great deal once I got into it. I lovely glimpse of life yesterday.

I stumbled on this author when she was referenced in a book review. It is charming and funny. I think it is well-written and suggest that it may even be important. I have lots to read on my kindle, but it is what I am reading!

I collected these Edna Ferber stories on my Kindle for future reading...

Edna Ferber's stories flow from years ago to almost current time. Human nature stays the same and she is able to make a story interesting for years to come. Very enjoyable.

Many different stories that hold your attention.

Sure made me hungry.