Land of a Thousand Dreams (An Emerald Ballad #3) [Hardcover]

B. J. Hoff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2001

In famine-ravaged Ireland, the revered poet-patriot Morgan Fitzgerald, himself brought down by a gunman's bullet, seeks to restore his ruined life and bring hope to the next generation. With the help of his mysterious West Indies companion, Sandemon, Morgan establishes a school at Nelson Hall and provides a home for the "fey Belfast orphan," Annie Delaney, and the beautiful, mute "Innocent," Finola. But when violence and tragedy strike, Morgan finds himself locked in battle with the powers of darkness for his own future and the future of those he loves.

On the other side of the ocean, Morgan's friends Michael and Nora discover that the Land of Opportunity teems with poverty, political corruption and racial tension. From the opulence of Fifth Avenue to the squalor of the slum at Five Points, the city of New York staggers under the injustice and degradation brought on by organized crime and the exploitation of the flood of immigrants pouring into the nation. Unaware that his own son Tierney has been lured into the nefarious schemes of Patrick Walsh, Michael vows to bring Walsh to ruin and may bring down Tierney in the process.

In Land of a Thousand Dreams, award-winning author B.J. Hoff continues to spin the unforgettable drama of Ireland's battle to survive both on the Emerald Isle and in the streets of the New World. Their faith is strong, but will the dreams of a better life prevail?

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

B. J. Hoff is well-known to both Christian and mainstream bookstore shoppers for her award-winning historical novels and mysteries, as well as poetry and other inspirational writings.

Hoff is the author of the critically acclaimed AN EMERALD BALLAD, a best-selling historical fiction series based on the Irish immigrant experience, published by Bethany House Publishers. The series includes a Gold Medallion Award finalist and two Excellence in Media Silver Angel Awards. Sons of an Ancient Glory, Book Four in the series, was a recipient of the Christianity Today's 1994 Critics' Choice Book Award for Fiction. The books have been featured selections in Guideposts Book Club, Family Bookshelf, and Doubleday's Crossings Book Club.

Hoff's other novels include the DAYBREAK MYSTERY series and the two-volume DALTON SAGA, recently reissued by the David C. Cook Publishing Company. Her best-selling books of inspiration, Thorns and Thrones and Faces in the Crowd, continue to be popular gift selections in bookstores throughout the country, while providing resource material for various hospital, rest home, and terminal care ministries.

Acclaimed by critics and readers alike for her dedicated research and dramatic, sensitive portrayal of the human experience, B. J. Hoff holds memberships in the Author's Guild, the Irish American Cultural Institute, the American Conference for Irish Studies, the American Irish Historical Society, and the Ohioana Library Association. She and her husband are the parents of two daughters and make their home in Ohio. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 672 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press (December 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786235764
• ISBN-13: 978-0786235766
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,338,715 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

BJ Hoff's writing is known for her historical settings, her unforgettable characters, and her lyrical prose. She is the bestselling author of numerous historical fiction series, including the Riverhaven Years, the Mountain Song Legacy, the Song of Erin saga, the American Anthem series, and An Emerald Ballad series.

Her five-volume Emerald Ballad series was the first major work of fiction to bring the Irish immigration experience to the CBA marketplace-and the work that first brought BJ an international reading audience.

Her readers know they can expect to meet some memorable people in her novels and also know that many of those people will be immigrants-Irish immigrants particularly but not exclusively.

BJ admits to a passion for "building worlds." Whether her characters move about in small country towns or metropolitan areas, reside in Amish settlements, secluded mansions, or coal company houses, she creates communities where people can form relationships, raise families, pursue their faith, and experience the mountains and valleys of life.

She's intent on making her historical novels relevant to the present by developing characters and settings that, while staying true to the history and culture of their times, reflect many of the spiritual trials and social problems faced by contemporary readers. Her novels are meant to be "stories that build a bridge from the past to the present."

Her literary awards include the Christianity Today's Critics Choice Book Award for fiction; a Gold Medallion Award finalist; and a number of Excellence in Media Silver Angel awards. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, and she frequently hears from her international readers in countries such as Ireland, England, Norway, and Germany.

A former church music director and music teacher, BJ is a member of the Authors Guild, the Irish American Cultural Institute, and the Appalachian Writers Association.

She writes from her home in a small town in east central Ohio. She and her husband share a love of music, books, and time spent with their family: two married daughters, three lively young grandsons, a loopy Golden Retriever, and a cunning, incorrigible but lovable cat.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Third Installment, July 11, 2002

By 

Mrs Baldwin (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Land of a Thousand Dreams (An Emerald Ballad #3) (Paperback)

I had forgotten I wrote the other review on here. A long time ago, that was. It's so wordy and descriptive and sparkling with life and vitality, too. So I'm going to try to do this book more justice, now that I've had more practise writing reviews.

I believe this book is the fullest of tragedy and melodrama of the five in the series, and at the time I wrote that other review it was my favourite book of all. When I think of this book, I think primarily of Morgan, Finola, and the rest of the clan in Dublin, because most of the action really takes place there. Occasionally you cut back to New York City for a dose of Nora's, "When am I ever going to have a baby, sweetheart?" or "Sara, darling, you will take down your hair just for me!" It must be that I didn't read the New York episodes as often and they aren't implanted in my mind as the Dublin ones are.

In New York, Nora is married, Michael is engaged, and Tierney is working for a crime boss. In Dublin, Morgan is still trapped in the wheelchair. There is no miracle cure here, unfortunately. A Nun (capital N) named Sis. Louisa and a wolfhound named Fergus join the staff at Nelson Hall. Finola becomes the victim of unfortunate circumstances in the red light district and is brought to live at Morgan's house while she recovers, and her "wicked woman" friend Lucy comes along. I think somebody dies too, but I won't say who. Oh, and I think Nora finally was going to have a baby, too. Sandemon's deep, dark past is uncovered, Aine waits patiently to be adopted by Morgan, and so forth and so on. I love the part when there IS a miracle cure - not for Morgan, but for Finola - when she can suddenly talk again. It is a very incredible scene, perhaps a bit unrealistic, but perfect for fifteen or sixteen year old girls who dote on that kind of romantic dramatisation and swoon over it with their friends.

I shall say no more of the wonders between the front and back covers of this book. You must read it yourself and find out all about it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best, July 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Land of a Thousand Dreams (An Emerald Ballad #3) (Paperback)

I love this book. A friend loaned it to me and once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. It is filled with excitement and inspiration. I was very encouraged to read this wonderful story.

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't miss this one!, April 28, 2011

By 

Copeland, Inc. "Lori Copeland" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Land of a Thousand Dreams (An Emerald Ballad #3) (Hardcover)

Every B.J Hoff book that I read leaves me wanting more and I highly recommend Land of a Thousand Dreams. Her mastery for creating vivid characters coupled with an engrossing story makes her one of today's leading names in Inspirational Fiction.

Lori Copeland, author of The One Who Waits for Me and Walker's Wedding.