Author Peter Scott presents a prequel to his popular Something in the Water in a panoramic portrait of an extended Maine island family at the onset of World War I. The Boy Who Came Walking Home is a vivid depiction of a close-knit island society -- its morals, bigotry, family strength, and compelling hold on its residents. In particular, it is the story of young Henry Coombs, who abruptly leaves this hardscrabble fishing community to join the army. Within the context of Henry's journey, the reader learns fascinating details about life in a military encampment, the war's effect on the Maine home front, and the devastation of the 1918 influenza epidemic. Scott's gift for period detail, subtle humor, and fully dimensional characters makes this an engrossing and haunting novel.
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About the Author
Former army captain Peter Scott is the author of two other books, including one about his experiences advising a secret army of 6,000 Cambodians. He has also written articles for Down East and Maine Life magazines. Peter is a summer resident of Isle Au Haut in Maine and spends the rest of his time in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, where he is a teacher.
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More About the Author
Peter Scott is the author of one history and three novels (a fourth recently
completed), including the 2007 published Barter Island (Down East
Books), which has been praised by legendary fiction writer Tim OʼBrien as
"tender, funny, sad and scary, and boy oh boy does Scott nail the setting".
The Boy who Came Walking Home and Something in the Water, which
the Boston Globe called "A thoroughly engaging novel", are prequels to
Barter Island, and all of them deal with themes of war and peace. A
veteran of the Vietnam War as a U.S. Army Officer, Peter was raised in
Maryland. He earned his M.A. in 1973, and has published 15 short stories
and numerous magazine articles. An English teacher at Hawken School,
Peter lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.
completed), including the 2007 published Barter Island (Down East
Books), which has been praised by legendary fiction writer Tim OʼBrien as
"tender, funny, sad and scary, and boy oh boy does Scott nail the setting".
The Boy who Came Walking Home and Something in the Water, which
the Boston Globe called "A thoroughly engaging novel", are prequels to
Barter Island, and all of them deal with themes of war and peace. A
veteran of the Vietnam War as a U.S. Army Officer, Peter was raised in
Maryland. He earned his M.A. in 1973, and has published 15 short stories
and numerous magazine articles. An English teacher at Hawken School,
Peter lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Study of Heroism,
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This review is from: The Boy Who Came Walking Home (Paperback)
This novel is remarkable on many levels. It charts the life of the Coombs clan of Barter Island Maine. The tales are all interwoven within the context of some form of heroism. From the heroism of the Coombs women who bear pregnancy, solitude, and mainland snobbery to that of the Coombs men whose adventures revolve around their work, (lobstermen) and the call of young Henry Coombs to enlist in the ARMY for WWI.In a time where literature and movies tend to glorify criminals, con men, and other scofflaws, reading Mr. Scott's realsitic account of honest men and women who are nobly defined by their work and the stark environement which surrounds and defines them is an act of pleasure. Storms, war, miscarriages and the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918 assault the Coombs of Barter Island. But with grace and humility, the author proves to be a grand detective of the human spirit, and through the cumulative power of this tale, the reader discovers within the Coombs collective soul all that which is resilient, good and enduring about humanity. A joy to read.
5.0 out of 5 stars
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Boy Who Came Walking Home (Paperback)
The book came within a reasonable time. I had read it this summer and being a Mainiac really loved it. I wanted a new one to give as a holiday gift and know that the recipient will enjoy it as we did.
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