As bombs pound Malta to dust, Father Salvatore--a simple priest, or kappillan, serving the poor--finds himself caught in the drama of World War Two. In the fragile safety of catacombs revealed by the explosions, he tends to the flood of homeless, starving, and frightened people seeking shelter, giving messages of inspiration and hope. His story, and that of the island, unfold in superbly graphic images of six days during the siege. "...one of the most memorable characters of postwar fiction"--Daily Express.
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About the Author
Nicholas Monsarrat was born in Liverpool in 1910, and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. He served in World War II, first as a member of an ambulance brigade and then as a member of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. His lifelong love of sailing made him a capable naval officer, and he served with distinction on a series of small warships. Resigning his wartime commission in 1946, Monsarrat entered the diplomatic service. He turned to writing full time in 1959, settling on the Mediterranean island of Gozo. He died of cancer in 1979 and was buried at sea from a destroyer, off Portsmouth.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well written, immersive novel a must-read!,
By mike ('s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Kappillan of Malta (Paperback)
Nicholas Monsarrat presents a well written story which draws you in. This is the story of father Salvatore, an ordinary priest who rises to extraordinary circumstances. While the main story is set in mediterranean Malta in 1940-1942, Nicholas Monsarrat manages to seamlessly weave in malta's history from the dawn of time. Story: Father Salvatore, whose church is bombed early on in the scirmishes between Italy/Germany and Malta, provides comfort and solace to a growing number of desperate maltese by showing them what hardships malta and its inhabitants have had to endure throughout the ages and how they have managed to come out stronger every time. The growing popularity of Salvatore and his church in the ancient catacombs is seen as a threat by other clergymen and he faces a constant struggle to keep doing what is his calling..If I have managed to make it all sound boring.. it's not! Buy it, borrow it, but whatever you do read it!
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Kappillan Keeps Giving,
By
This review is from: The Kappillan of Malta (Paperback)
I decided to look this book up again, decades after I first read it. Because it haunts me and stays with me always.
My grandfather gave me a copy of Monsarrat's novel as a teenager, one of his must read classics, like Youngblood Hawke. I was riveted from page one. The Kappillan of Malta is a brilliant, Michener-esque journey through Maltese history. Set during World War II, narrated through the worldview of a priest trying to save people from the bombardments by hiding in the caverns, this story seamlessly moves through time, from past to present and everywhere in between, mapping the island, her people, and their souls. It is an amazing journey. I cannot recommend this books highly enough. Grandfather, you were right. A definite must read.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a history of malta and a priest's story in ww2 time,
By
This review is from: The Kappillan of Malta (Paperback)
two stories here--a history of malta and a priest's story during ww2 maltathis book is superbly written and provides the reader an incredible history of a not too well known country.
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