October

by Richard B. Wright

Book Overview

This book presents a concise, general history of the crusades--whose chief goal was the liberation and preservation of the "holy places" of the Middle East--from the first calls to arms in the later... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0002006901
• ISBN13: 9780002006903
• Release Date: August 2008
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.8" x 5.0" x 0.8"

Customer Reviews

Time, Love, Memory

During a visit to London a chance encounter with a friend who he had not seen in sixty years, triggers a cascade of memories and ruminations in retired professor James Hillier. The friend, Gabriel, still cutting an impressive figure despite his age and being wheelchair bound, was easy to recognize. Gabriel is confronting questions of life's value and mortality and, having decided on a definite course of action, urges James to accompany him on a special journey. James, on a visit from Canada to spend time with his gravely ill daughter, has his own anxieties to deal with. Why should he embark on the trip with Gabriel? Why would Gabriel even consider him as a companion after all these years? The summer the two spent together in 1944 on the Quebec coast was far from being all fun and harmony and the friendship did not survive the strains. As he reflects on the invitation, his mind drifts back to that memorable holiday that also led to his budding emotional and sexual awakening. Written in the first person, James' voice is personal and sincere. While recalling the details of that unforgettable summer, his romantic feelings for Odette, the girl next door, and his competing with Gabriel for her favours, he can now critically appraise his behaviour with the benefit of hindsight. Gabriel, although confined to his wheelchair as a result of a polio infection, was the centre of attention, flamboyant and self confident. James was more withdrawn and shy and resented to be called upon to serve the older friends whims. Feelings were fragile and Odette appeared to be the most mature among the friends. Through her story the reader is given a glimpse into the economic conditions of the time that separated the wealthy vacationers from the locals. "Spotting subs", one of the boys distractions, alludes to the war far away. Pondering these recollections, James is pulled back into the present through concerns for his daughter. What will the doctors' verdict be? Father and daughter had always been close, in contrast to his relationship with his son, and her move to England not long ago had required major adjustments. Having lost his wife to cancer some years earlier, his daughter now might face the same fate, possibly leaving him bereft of the two most loved people in his life. Wright writes in an calm and fluid style, drawing the reader into this gentle and tender story from the first page. His meditation on family, the end of childhood, friendships and the inevitability of death are personal as well as universal. Nothing is overwrought or heavy handed. His characters are vividly drawn and, in particular, the young people are utterly believable in their daily banter. The Gaspé coast and the small town of Percé provide a great setting and Wright's knowledge of and affection for this landscape is evident in his description. [Friederike Knabe]