Kathleen Cambor

This is a historical novel about the flood in Johnstown, Penn in 1889. Some of the characters are taken from history, some are invented. The author does a good job of maintaining a sense of foreboding.

The characters are all dealing with their relationship to the greater society, and the flood too was caused by the tension between the rich club members, who owned the dam, and the people who lived below it. The author investigates both the social and the natural forces, and does it quite show more poetically.

This wasn't quite as dramatic as I was expecting. But it's worth reading. show less

In chapters alternating between the story of Edmund, a retired fire fighter, and Anne, his daughter, The Book of Mercy by Kathleen Cambor tells the story of estrangement, as Edmund, the bravest fire fighter in his day tries to capture his lost love, mother of his children, Paul and Annie, Fanny, who has run off. Fanny's passion is dance, and she proves to be harder to capture than flames, Edmund's other passion. His love for flames and Fanny deepens into an interest in alchemy, and as Edmund show more cannot catch or keep hold of Fanny, he believes only the flames can. The lack of passion and caring in the family, leads to Paul and Anne to develop very different careers. Anne studies medicine, after which she spends a life long at home, caring for her father. Paul, whose life is hidden throughout the novel, only to resurface at the end has been educated at a seminary to become a priest, bestows his love on the needy in Africa, where, as a gay man he becomes infected with AIDS, which brings him home, to die.

The Book of Mercy is a book of passion, which consumes each of the main protagonists in its own way. show less

When I first started reading this book I will admit to being disappointed because for some reason I thought it was just about the flood and the causes of the flood. After a short while though, the author had drawn me in with this well written story about the families and lives of the people affected by this tragedy. Rich men, Carnegie and Mellon only concerned about their gentleman's club, ignoring warnings from engineers that the dam was very inadequate, showing once again the abuse of show more power and money. When the flood finally entered the book, it was even more of a shock because now I had connected to many of the characters. Cambor did a wonderful job highlighting the effects of this tragedy on all involved, while also updating the reader on other world events connected with World War II. show less

A beautifully told historical fiction set in 1889 in Johnstown, PA. This memorial day weekend will change the lives of all the town's inhabitants forever. Follow the author as she traces an intimate portrait of love and tragedy. Her evocative telling captures the reader. You will join with the mourners as numerous bright lives are snuffed out together.