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405th out of 1,132 books
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2,638 voters
The Lighthouse Keeper
The beloved bestseller that will shine in your heart forever...
From the acclaimed author of The Last Valentine comes an unforgettable story about family, loss, and eternal love. Bestselling writer James Michael Pratt once again touches our emotions and our spirit as only a great writer can...
Ten-year-old Peter O'Banyon's life changes forever when his family dies in an acci
...more
From the acclaimed author of The Last Valentine comes an unforgettable story about family, loss, and eternal love. Bestselling writer James Michael Pratt once again touches our emotions and our spirit as only a great writer can...
Ten-year-old Peter O'Banyon's life changes forever when his family dies in an acci
Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages
Published
February 15th 2001
by St. Martin's Paperbacks
(first published February 12th 2000)
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Love stories that sets during World War I was already a beautiful thought. It would be one of the most moving stories, as someone would say it. The Lighthouse Keeper was set during WWI, it was the story of a boy named Peter, how he became the person the person he is.
As I was reading the premise of the novel, I expect a lot from it. With the setting that sets during WWI, you would already think that there were many regrets, miseries and heartfelt romances. The Lighthouse Keeper, had have the afo...more
As I was reading the premise of the novel, I expect a lot from it. With the setting that sets during WWI, you would already think that there were many regrets, miseries and heartfelt romances. The Lighthouse Keeper, had have the afo...more
This book begins at the Port Hope Island Lighthouse in Massachusetts, with a woman, Kathleen, who is caring for her dying father, Peter O'Banyon. He'd taken over the family occupation of lighthouse keeper when he was a young man. We learn how Peter had come to live with his Uncle Billie when he was only ten and his parents died unexpectedly; as Peter unveils a lifetime of memories for his daughter before he himself dies from his cancer, the reader is taken into this family's past. We learn how U...more
This book made a great beach read for me. The story telling was superb, and it was hard to put it down. I loved the setting, and would have loved to meet both Uncle Billy and Peter. Both characters were well developed, and I identified with the Irish brogue from my childhood. The struggling immigrant, the war hero, both strong yet vulnerable. Yes, it was often predictable and yes, I would have preferred a different ending; but the predictability made it less tragic for me. If you want an absorbi...more
I would rate this book 2.5 out of 5.0, to be honest. The author is not very good, to the point of, I hope that I can do much better than this at my first attempt at a novel! It is NOT his first, either! The story is a good one but he skips and skims along; perhaps to keep it short? He could add so much more "beef" to it by developing the supporting characters and adding detail. Obviously, they are not necessary to the story but I feel that it would just make it a better read, overall. The fact t...more
I liked the symbolism in this book. I had to read it. My grandmother's grandfather was a lighthouse keeper in Maine. The writing style and tone remind me slightly of the book, Ahab's Wife. It's a story from another time, with remarkably detailed WWI scenes. But it's the story of an Irish family and of two keepers of the light. More than that, it's about the human heart and life. It's more than I can say in a review. What came to mind more than once was how we all ride the waves of life and make...more
Pratt reminds us that through good days and bad, the lighthouse stands magnificently strong, doing what it does so well; standing sentinel where man and beam together work to offer light to those in the forbidding darkness at sea . . . the beacon of hope. He follows the lives of three generations who kept the light burning, both literally and spiritually, through all types of weather. I highly recommend the book - but be forewarned – it’s quite the tear jerker.
Feb 20, 2012
Vickie
added it
Awesome writer. I so enjoyed this book. Am thinking about having our book club read it. The contrast of how one person griefs over another, family secrets kept, not to hurt anyone by not telling but because it hurt so bad to tell. I love the family closeness. I guess cause I have never had that. The stoy rings ture on so many levels but is of course fiction. Really enjoyed this book.
Boy, I'm definitely in the minority with this one. I didn't like this book at all. I finished it, just to see if the ending had any redeeming qualities, but nope, none there. I think what I really didn't like were all the cliche's the author uses throughout the book. It just seemed too predictable to be interesting. This is not an author I would recommend to my friends.
This is my favorite book of all time. It is written beautifully and full of true life lessons. I have recommended this book to many friends and every single one of them has loved it. I love this book, and take it with me on all my travels and read it often to remind me to be content in every situation and to find the beauty in gloomy times. :)
Jul 27, 2010
Robin
added it
This is the first book I have read or heard about by this author but this book very much reminded me of Nicholas Sparks. (Definately some misty-eyed moments.)
It was such a quick read for me and I found myself fully engaged with the characters. It is a great story of love and heartache but with a positive message.
It was such a quick read for me and I found myself fully engaged with the characters. It is a great story of love and heartache but with a positive message.
Writing in the style of Nicholas Sparks, who I don't really care for either. Overly sentimental writing that is trying to make you cry. In this book, TWO men lose the love of their lives early on. One redeeming point is that Peter is in WWII and there are some interesting battle stories and characters.
I loved it! Essentially it's a story about life and how we all face our own situations and have to make our own choices. It's wrapped around two members of an Irish family that are lighthouse keepers and how their experiences brought them to the lighthouse.
Technically, I guess I finished this- if reading the first chapter and the last counts as finishing it. It struck me as sappy and simplistic, and after reading the end, I'm glad I skipped the middle.
This book was just okay. There were parts of it that I loved, but other parts that made me yawn. It was somewhat sad and depressing, but overall a true love story. I think it would have been more interesting had it not delved so much into the descriptions of the war as parts of it seemed totally irrelevant to the rest of the story.
A good reminder that we can get through anything with God's help and love. We need to let our light shine as a lighthouse for others to see so they can continue on throught the storms as well.
Ten-year-old Peter O'Banyon's life changes forever when his family dies in an accident. Orphaned, he goes to live with his garrulous Uncle Billie, the keeper of the Port Hope Island Lighthouse in Massachusetts. There, as the beacon leads sailors home, Peter learns an astonishing truth about Billie's past-- and the power of love. This message guides Peter's life, even when World War II's brutality rocks his faith, even when he returns to his young bride and an unimaginable tragedy. Now, in the f
May 06, 2011
Dawn
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Fans of romance set during war time.
Recommended to Dawn by:
I enjoy books by this author.
Another enjoyable read by James Michael Pratt. He sure knows how to write tear-jerkers. My favorite of his though is "The Last Valentine".
Get out your kleenex box!
This one is a tear-jerker. A story about an old lighthouse keeper who wishes to pass along his legacy to an only daughter, shortly before his death. The story revolves around his earlier life as a simple Irish immigrant, sent off to Europe in WWII, the tragedies of his young life, and how he came to be the lighthouse keeper.
A story of love lost, which is ultimately regained. The ending is a bit farfetched, in my opinion, yet the story itself keeps you reading to the end...more
This one is a tear-jerker. A story about an old lighthouse keeper who wishes to pass along his legacy to an only daughter, shortly before his death. The story revolves around his earlier life as a simple Irish immigrant, sent off to Europe in WWII, the tragedies of his young life, and how he came to be the lighthouse keeper.
A story of love lost, which is ultimately regained. The ending is a bit farfetched, in my opinion, yet the story itself keeps you reading to the end...more
"I loved her, God. That's why I couldn't let her go. But now I CAN thank You... for allowing her to be in my life at all." pg. 271
Taught me quite a bit about the tank role in WWII Africa, something I was not aware of. The different perspectives kept it interesting.
Sweet little love story - skipped a lot of the war time action. Not really my thing but the rest of the book was very sweet.
Jul 05, 2011
Lynn
is currently reading it
This is a good, light, summer read...exactly what I was looking for. Only on page 89 so I'll let you know more later.
I read through chapter 5, just to give it a chance. Too sappy and I can't stand the Irish accent that the author is trying to give the characters.
While an easy quick read, I found it depressing without being redeeming. I dunno, maybe I just didn't like the end.
I Love Lighthouses, and my father served in WWII in the same locations. So the book was interesting to me.
Could only do 60 pages and had to quit--lifes too short to read books that keep making me shudder.
Beautiful story. Couldnt put it down for a second. A book I will keep and cherish.
I read this book in high school and loved it. it's one of my favorite books.
Sweet and sad story. Good moral. Rather forgettable otherwise.
Book was surprising. Did not expect it to talk so much about WWII.
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“The dreams of youth. So noble. So good. And heavy dreamsthey were- made frail only by their own weight.”
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1 person liked it
“This life is a shadowy thing, lad. We live in a crowded space of lights and shadows, and when left to ourselves, we all too often fail to see the brightest light of all.”
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1 person liked it
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