"The Lighthouse Keeper" by James Michael Pratt follows the life story of Peter O'Banyon, an irish lad whose parents were killed in a car accident. Peter is sent to live with his uncle Billie, a lighthouse keeper on Port Hope (an island off the cost of Nantucket.)
Through a well-conceived series of flashbacks, we learn the triumphs and tragedies of Peter's life as the O'Banyon family moves through American 20th Century History.
"[Billie] didn't have to do this [light the lighthouse lamp], he knew. He could give it all up, at least until Peter returned [from WW II], and to keep his promise made years ago to watch for his [wife] Kate [who committed suicide after the accidental drowning of their child].
It was a token, really. A gesture. A gesture of love to be sure, but of faith, also. He was a lightkeeper, a solitary job dedicated to give power to others to see when they needed it most. I'd rather die than give up on that. A lonely cause, it was, but a good one.
A well-written story. If you've ever thought of the lighthouse as a metaphor for God, you'll enjoy this book.
The Lighthouse Keeper
By James Michael Pratt
SSt. Martens Press, New York
February 2000
ISBN 0-312-24113-5 SRP $23.95
Amazon.com [This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 05-21-2000).]