Customer Reviews

The Lighthouse Keeper

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

One of the most touching, beautiful books I ever read. I could not put this book down and stayed up most of the night to finish it. Anyone, who wishes to be inspired will buy this book. Also, they will buy it for their family and friends.

This delightful story of personal and family trials, tribulations and triumphs will appeal to all readers. James Pratt allows his readers to share his characters' lifes as he introduces the reader to Peter, Billie, Anna, Katie and Kathleen. Life is a struggle but it also has its rewards. As I was reading, I felt empathy for the characters. I laughed with them; I cried with them. I experienced their misery and I experienced their joy. Seldom has a book pulled at my heart and emotions as much as "Lighthouse Keeper" did. James Pratt has not just written a wonderful story but also a book that teaches a moral. I'm glad that i read "Lighthouse Keeper".

I bought this book simply because some of my online reading buddies have raved about this book. And they were right. Normally, I don't read such sappy stories as it is predictable, but I must confess this book isn't predictable and it's really one of the sweetest books I've read in a long time.

The Lighthouse Keeper isn't about just about lighthouses ~~ it is about two men and a woman keeping in touch with their heritage and learning life's tough lessons along the way. Uncle Bill came to Port Hope after a tragedy happened to him and he found renewed hope and joy in life again. Peter, his nephew, comes home from WWII to carry on the tradition that his uncle has started ~~ by keeping the light on for other weary sailers in the world. And Kathleen, Peter's daughter is the silent observer with her own glimpses into her family's heritage. And Pratt combines the two men's stories into one.

This novel is not normally what I would choose to read because I am spoiled by lyrical writing and thought-provoking novels ~~ but I am glad that I managed to pick this book up. It is one of the most uplifting novels I have read so far this year. It provides a glimmer of life and hope after tragedies abound in one's life. And it leaves you with a warm glow after the last page is turned.

If you like Pratt's "The Last Valentine," then you will like this book. It's one of the sentimental and uplifting book with a moral ~~ never let life's woes keep you down. It's also a quick read and a thoroughly enjoyable one as well. This is one I would recommend to others!

In recent years, a variety of sentimental books like The Lighhouse Keeper have entranced readers everywhere. And this title is no exception for those who enjoy this genre. The reader is consumed by a wonderful story based around a gentle man's past experiences as a once proud lighthouse keeper to a stoic man now suffering from a terminal illness. In a series of flashbacks we learn of his early tragedy, how he came to be a lighhouse keeper and about his powerful love for a woman who becomes his wife.

For those who enjoy windswept beaches and flashbacks to the past, pick up this book. You will enjoy the read and remember it for sometime.

Dear Mr. Pratt,

It has not been that long ago that I read your wonderful book "The Lighthouse Keeper". This book ranged in emotions so greatly that it kept me captivated. I laughed, i cried, i got angry. It was all around a wonderful book to read. I am a very giving person when it comes to sharing great works of literature. Your book is making it rounds as we speak. I'm not really sure who has it at this moment. Whoever it is, I'm sure they will enjoy it as thouroughly as I did. I applaud you on a job well done. I look forward to your next book.

Sincerly A Devoted Fan,

Amy J. Brown

I saw this beautiful cover in the store , totally unfamiliar with
the work of James Michael Pratt. This work is a great love story.
It tells of love between man and woman , yes of course. The love
of members of family bridging generations is the story. Peter O' Banyon 's oral legacy to his daughter Kathleen is touching to
the reader and teaches us lessons in life. The story for his
daughter, telling of suffering , love , lives , and strength is
a family legacy. There are many people who would relish knowing
their first hand family stories. Having a close family member tell their story and the story of those before them is truly a
valuable legacy to be cherished. The setting of the lighthouse
was a beautiful image to the theme of the story as it taught the
idea of strength and faith as one faced life tragedy. This novel
rates very high on the list of my favorites.

I bought the book for the beautiful cover, hoping that the inside would be as good as the cover. I was wrong! This book is decent. This book has substance. This book tells a story that could have been a chronicle of a neighbor lighthouse keeper - and I know because I grew up as the daughter of a lighthouse keeper 17 years worth - on an island in Massachusetts. I tell you this: Mr. Pratt has accurately captured the spirit of people who have manned the lighthouses over the years. I could not get over this! I will read and reread this book for years to come. I will give it to my children and say to them, "That's like your grandfather." Oh read this book, I say for it is love in words - love of the indominable spirit of a people to survive adversity. Thank you, Mr. Pratt for putting the hope of the world on to paper.

I picked this out for a little distraction from my Rat Pack, Sinatra, mafia obsession I was going through.....and it was perfect. First of all, if you love books the cover art and dust jacket art are exquisite. That's what first caught my eye. Truly a keeper.

The story starts as a dying father tells his daughter about the lighthouse and how he came to be the island and how his "Uncle Billy" came there, and the story of the family. Little did I know that the story would parallel my life.....the man at one point goes to basic training at Fort Knox, KY (I'm there), while at war he meets Joey from NJ (my home).

It's love, tragedy, faith, and mostly hope. Pratt never drags you down, he'll leave you with a feeling that you lived with the characters and they were a part of your life. I know I did, I was sorry to see the story end.

I thought this book was charming and heartwarming, it tells the tale of a family from Ireland, and all the things that they endured. It is told by a father to his daughter in the lighthouse, where he grew up on the New England coast. Let the light keep shining.

I was inspired and lifted by James Michael Pratt's first book, The Last Valentine. Now with his second work, The Lighthouse Keeper, he proves that his first book was no fluke. Once again, Mr. Pratt has achieved that which so few fiction writers today seem able or willing to attain: a story that lifts the human spirit; speaks of love, compassion, trial and triumph-and all without the crutch of "Hollywood-style" profanity and sex. As with the lighthouse in his story, the reader is gently drawn into Mr. Pratt's book and encounters an uplifting and unforgettable experience. For all those who enjoy reading words of light, I highly recommend The Lighthouse Keeper. I can't wait for Mr. Pratt's next book!