Rich Man, Poor Man: Book I

Story begins at VE Day celebration at the school where elder son of a German immigrant, Rudy Jordache is a student. Younger brother, Tom, is also in attendance, but leaves when it is too "corny" for him and his friend. Tom gets into a fight with a soldier and later sneaks home through a window. Julie (Rudy's girl), wants to get married but will settle for "living in sin" with him in New York while she tries for an acting career. Rudy, however, has applied for a grant to Whitby College. They meet Mr. Boylan, who is her mother's boss, and it's quite obvious he is taken with Julie, as is his brother, Tom. After setting a fire at Boylan's greenhouse, Tom is sent away and Rudy is going to Whitby after all. In California at Uncle Harold's, Tom falls in love with the housekeeper. Julie gets a small part in a Broadway play, where Rudy goes to see her and finds her with a married man. Rudy gets his father to agree to give him $3000 to set up a business but his father has to use that money to bail out Tom. Mr. Jordache tells Tom he never wants to see him again. Rudy is forced befriend the daughter of his rich boss to see if he'll back the business. Mr. Jordache leaves home.

In California at Uncle Harold's, Tom falls in love with the housekeeper. Julie gets a small part in a Broadway play, where Rudy goes to see her and finds her with a married man. Rudy gets his father to agree to give him $3000 to set up a business but his father has to use that money to bail out Tom. When Mr. Jordache returns from California, the super market has been built next door and the landlord wants them to move out. Mrs. Jordache is moving out of their bedroom until they move. After this fight, Mr. Jordache walks out. Tom leaves town and lets Teresa come with him.

A few years later, Tom goes back home to give his father back the $3000 but finds a super market where the bakery was. Mr. Boylan shows up at Rudy's college graduation and tells him that Julie is living with "some guy" in the village and let's him know that Julie is in the phone book "under her maiden name". After his father's suicide, Rudy has moved his mother to Whitby. Tom and his wife, Teresa, have a baby boy. Rudy is working on a business plan for Calderwood, who needs to retire.

Four years later, Julie comes to Rudy, in her capacity of photographer and invites him to a party she's having, where she tells him about her marriage troubles and that her husband will not let her have custody of their son. Rudy says he will handle it. They overhear the Tom's boxing match on the radio and go to see him. Tom asks Rudy to meet him the following afternoon. When they meet, Tom gives Rudy the $3000 from the bail his father paid. Rudy realizes that was the reason that he didn't end up getting the money for his business from their father. Tom is angry that Rudy doesn't want the money and, now that he's "paid his debt" Tom wants to be done with the family also. As Rudy is dropping Julie back at home, her son is being taken away by ambulance. Angry that Tom has given away the money she didn't know they had, Teresa leaves with the baby, Wesley.

Now 1958, Tom returns to his old boxing coach and asks for a job. Tom has hired a private detective to find Teresa and Wesley, but the detective hasn't been paid and is sitting on the case. Virginia Calderwood visits Rudy on the job and invites him to the theatre, after which he is "allowed" to take her to supper. Virginia offers to intercede with her father, but Rudy turns her down. Rudy is invited to a gathering tomorrow evening where an old friend of his will be. Upon meeting, Rudy tells Julie to face facts, that they will be married at some time and promises to call her in the morning. Virginia tries to get Rudy to take her back to his hotel room, but he tells the cab driver to go to the Barbizon instead. In the back of the cab, Virginia tries to seduce Rudy and then gets angry that he doesn't comply. She vows to "get" him. Tom is enjoying a flirtation with the wife of coach's new star boxer, and he has someone keeping an eye on them. Tom gets a call from his private detective, with a 6-month-old lead on Teresa and for another $100, he'll be able to track her down. The boxer beats up his wife and she tells Tom to get out of town. Tom waits for the husband in his motel room, where he beats him enough to cancel the fight. The coach tells Tom that the boxer's owner is "connected" and that he has no idea the trouble he's in. Motel room neighbors have called the police. Coach sends Tom to his friend who can set him up in the merchant marines.

Rudy and Julie spend the day together, as if the thirteen years had not gone by. As Julie arrives home, Billy meets her at the door to tell her "Daddy is home and he's going to stay". Willie is devastated to learn that he is no longer married to Julie. Tom meets with his detective and discovers that three large men are looking for him. Tom finds coach's friend with the connection to the merchant marines and finds he will need $500 for a passport and seaman's ticket. Tom goes to Rudy's for the money and sees his mother, who gives him the money.He tells her, if she ever needs him (not for Rudy), how to contact him via Papadakis at the Agean Hotel in New York. Calderwood calls Rudy and tells him he expects him in Whitby Friday night. Calderwood tells Rudy that he expects him to marry Virginia as a consequence of his seduction of her. In return Rudy will be named a full partner and, upon Calderwood's death, Rudy will receive all his shares and full control. Rudy angrily quits and walks out, making Calderwood realize that he is mistaken about his beliefs about Virginia and Rudy and does not accept his resignation. Rudy asks Julie if she wants him to take care of the Willie problem. Tom gets a ship, passport and seaman's ticket in the name of "Tom Jordan" and an address for Teresa..

1962 and Rudy has informed Calderwood that he's "breaking up the partnership". Mrs. Jordache says her son is ambitious, with no time for anything, even his own mother. Is politics next? Julie is with Life Magazine and, according to Rudy, letting her son grow up wild. Rudy wants to get married and give the boy a father. Tom, in South America with the merchant marines, is changing ships and sees a man (Falconetti) beating up another man. One of the other men watching, notices Tom and says he's seen him someplace, "it'll come to me". Falconetti comes to Tom, provoking him, but Tom walks away. Tom and the new "third mate" take a day to see the sights in the French Riviera and learn if they have their own yacht to rent out for parties, they could make a living. Rudy's campaign begins.

Finally Tom confronts Falconetti after the third mate is assaulted by him and the other man now remembers where he saw Tom fight. Tom is told he must get off ship when they get into the New York port. Tom discovers Rudy has been looking for him, due to their mother's change in health. On her death bed, Mrs. Jordache apologizes to Tom, saying that maybe she gave too much to Rudy and there wasn't enough left for Tom, but Tom says it's OK and that he loves her. Tom discovers that Rudy invested the $3000 he tried to give Rudy and today is worth about $48,000. He calls his friend, the third mate, and tells him they have their boat. Rudy promises Tom that he'll find Wesley. Rudy is elected state senator and is called home to a very drunk and destructive, Julie.

1965: Tom writes Rudy that, if he has any rich friends that vacation in the Mediterranean, he should mention Tom's name. The yacht is called Clothilde. While docked in Cannes, Wesley takes the boat out to impress some girls and damages the propeller. Tom has to find the hiding boy and recalls his father beating him. When Wesley approaches, Tom puts his arm around him and says tomorrow he will teach the boy how to repair a propeller. Falconetti sees the father and son pass by him in the night. College students show up at Rudy's house to protest and Julie answers the door, drunk and naked. The students make copies of the photos taken of her, so Rudy goes to the newspaper office and starts throwing stuff around, causing a shelf to fall on a student. The developing chemicals go into her eyes. Rudy asks Julie if they really try, could they be put back together. Tom and Kate get married and are expecting a baby; Rudy and Julie attend the wedding. After the wedding, Julie sneaks out in the night for a drink and is joined by Falconetti. When it's reported to Tom that his sister-in-law is in town drinking with Falconetti, Tom goes to get her. Tom tells Kate that the good thing is that he could have killed a man, but didn't. Tom is attacked on the dock in a set-up.