BKMT READING GUIDES
The Lighthouse Keeper
by James Michael Pratt
Hardcover : 288 pages
0 club reading this now
0 members have read this book
Introduction
As a child, Peter O'Banyon's life changed irrevocably when his family was killed in a car accident. He was sent to live with his Uncle Billie, the keeper of the Port Hope Lighthouse in Massachusetts. From Billie, he learns the secret of keeping love alive -- even when tragedy strikes -- and he discovers how Billie himself was put to the test as a young man. World War II takes Peter away from the lighthouse and his beloved wife Anna, but he isn't prepared for the ravages of war and the brutality, that can kill a man's soul. Peter is tested even further when he returns home and faces a tragedy that almost destroys him. Can he learn the lesson of the lighthouse keeper...and at the end of his life, can he pass it on to his own daughter?
Editorial Review
Off the coast of Massachusetts, a sturdy lighthouse and its inhabitants weather the storms of life. Over three generations, the O'Banyon clan finds solace in the firm walls of the Port Hope lighthouse, and learns to "keep a light on" for each other.In the present day, daughter Kathleen O'Banyon returns to be with her aging father, Peter, in the now retired lighthouse. As Peter reminisces about the past and his childhood with Uncle Billie, we are drawn into a family saga full of tragedy and inspiration. Through two world wars, illness, and premature deaths, the O'Banyon family has learned to trust and love fearlessly. As the characters and the readers soon learn, to be a good lighthouse keeper you must take care of not only those you love, but the "light inside yer bosom," as well.
Not for the schmaltz-allergic crowd, this nostalgic feast of emotion and sincerity could warm up your heart on an arctic vacation. Like Nicholas Sparks, James Michael Pratt knows where the heartstrings are, and plays them with all the subtlety of Tchaikovsky. But go ahead--no one is watching. Pull up the covers and let the sappiness seduce you! --Nancy R.E. O'Brien
Discussion Questions
No discussion questions at this time.Book Club Recommendations
Recommended to book clubs by 0 of 0 members.
Book Club HQ to over 88,000+ book clubs and ready to welcome yours.
Get free weekly updates on top club picks, book giveaways, author events and more