September Song: A Cronicle of the O'Malley's in the Twentieth Century (O'Malley Novels (Forge Hardcover)) [Hardcover]

Andrew M. Greeley (Author)

Book Description

Series: O'Malley Novels (Forge Hardcover) | Publication Date: September 24, 2001

The enthralling third novel in the chronicle of the O'Malleys in the twentieth century.

The fourth of the O'Malley chronicles is narrated by the ravishing Rosemarie, dedicated wife of our intrepid and trouble-prone hero, Chucky Cronin O'Malley. Destined to be compared to the Lanny Budd novels of Upton Sinclair and the Chicago novels of James T. Farrell, September Song follows the crazy O'Malley saga from Chucky's appointment as Ambassador to Germany by President Kennedy (the youngest Ambassador in history), to his resignation over his violent disagreement with President Johnson, to his in-your-face involvement in Selma, Alabama, the Chicago Democratic Convention, and the Vietnam War.

Chucky can't stay out of trouble, and his loving and devoted wife Rosemarie is often, if not always, by his side. Raising a family and showing up at the hot trouble spots of the world seems to be Chucky's destiny. Greeley recalls the turbulent and history changing events of the 1960s with fondness and clarity.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This fourth installment in Father Greeley's ongoing O'Malley family saga (A Midwinter's Tale; Younger Than Springtime; Christmas Wedding) focuses on the spitfire Irish Chuck O'Malley and his gorgeous wife, Rosemarie. Set against the turbulent events of the 1960s following the Kennedy assassination, the novel opens with Chuck handing in his resignation as German ambassador to President Johnson. On a first-name basis with all the major political figures of the time, Chuck strongly opposes Lyndon's position on the Vietnam War. He returns to Chicago with his wife and five children, only to be notified by Bobby (Kennedy, that is) of the historic civil rights march in Selma, Ala. With the dynamic Rosemarie by his side, he rushes to the South to march alongside Dr. Martin Luther King. The story continues summarily as the O'Malleys skip from one political hot spot to the next, making their appearances at the Chicago Democratic Convention and even in Vietnam, always with Chuck front and center and doting narrator Rosemarie singing her "little leprechaun's" praises. Sprinkled with similarly silly endearments and some chaste love-making scenes, the novel proceeds along a predictable historic course, weaving a Forrest Gump-like path through the '60s. Not quite as entertaining as Gump's tale, though charged with its own innocent brio, the O'Malley saga loses steam faster than its prolific author, who will probably churn out the next installment before the reader reaches the end of this one.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

This fourth novel in Greeley's series about the plucky O'Malley family of Oak Park, Illinois, has the family improbably placed at the center of nearly every historical event that took place in the 1960s. From an appointment to President Kennedy's cabinet for the father of the family, Chuck O'Malley, to wife Rosemarie's participation in the march on Selma, and the family's involvement in the infamous Chicago Democratic Convention, and in protesting the Vietnam War, the O'Malleys are everywhere. Narrated by Rosemarie, the important situations this supposedly typical Chicago Irish family find themselves in become almost too much to believe for the reader. One minute meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. or the president of the U.S., the next flying off to Rome to participate in meetings about Vatican II changes in the Catholic Church--it's just a bit overdone. In the midst of all this important historical activity, the O'Malleys still find time to raise their five impishly beautiful children and to pursue their hyperactive sex life. Despite these problems, the story is entertaining Kathleen Hughes
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 317 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; 1st edition (September 24, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312872259
• ISBN-13: 978-0312872250
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,954,234 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Crazy OMalleys Survive the Turbulent 60s, May 12, 2002

By 

Jill Clardy "So many books, so little time...." (Redwood City, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: September Song: A Cronicle of the O'Malley's in the Twentieth Century (O'Malley Novels (Forge Hardcover)) (Hardcover)

The latest installment in the saga of the Crazy O'Malley's of Chicago is a time capsule from the 1960's and early 1970's. The book begins with Rosemarie and Chucky just after they met with Lyndon Johnson. Chuck had been Ambassador in Germany during JFK's administration, and both he and Rosemarie still mourn the loss of their President and the end of Camelot. The novel explores their liberal democratic politics as well as their connection with the Catholic Church.

They marched at Selma and met with Martin Luther King. They were at the hotel when Bobby Kennedy was shot. They watched with horrid fascination the Kent State riots. They saw the Vietnam War unfolding on the nightly news. They stood by helplessly unable to protect their oldest daughter as she participated in anti-war riots. Chuck went to Vietnam to take photographs. They were beaten by police during a Chicago convention. Chuck continued to chronicle the times through his photographs and was the official portrait photographer of each President. Somehow, the O'Malley's seemed to have a front row seat for the turmoil of the 60's and 70's. No trend or event of the time is left unmentioned, including Vatican II, the feminist movement, hippies, drugs, and Woodstock.

The O'Malley's are known for their ebullience and love of life, with large, joyous family gatherings featuring much singing and dancing, and that side of the clan is seen frequently throughout the novel. Rosemarie and Chucky, who have known each other since childhood, are still deeply in love and are raising a happy family of 5 children. However, the book is at times somber and grave, as befitted the turbulence and civil disobedience of the civil rights movement and the most unpopular war in American history.

The O'Malley's suffer tremendously when their oldest daughter, April, decides to drop out of Harvard and abandon her capitalistic family and find her own way. They also endure the agony of worry when their oldest son goes to Vietnam. Just when it seems that nothing else can go wrong for the O'Malley's, Greeley brings it all together for a satisfying conclusion and sets us up for the next installment which will be eagerly awaited by those of us who are following the trials and tribulations of the O'Malley's.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Father Greeley Meets Forrest Gump, January 6, 2002

By 

Mamalinde "mamalinde" (Dallas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: September Song: A Cronicle of the O'Malley's in the Twentieth Century (O'Malley Novels (Forge Hardcover)) (Hardcover)

Greeley creates the Irish-American Forrest Gump in his delectable SEPTEMBER SONG. Chucky Ducky (a squatty, red headed Forrest) and the beautiful Rosemary are raising their five beautiful children as the events of the 1960s unfold and envelope them. Faithful readers will know more of the O'Malley story from A MIDWINTERS TALE, YOUNGER THAN SPRINGTIME and A CHRISTMAS WEDDING - as well as a character from one of my personal favorites, IN SEARCH OF MAGGIE WARD. Greeley delivers on his love of humanity, his deep seated faith (if not always an endorsement of the church) as well as a healthy dose of politics and some absolutely awesome music. This is one of those books that I wish had a CD inside! Before the book is over, the reader has either had a trip down memory lane or a history lesson, and feels a part of the Crazy O'Malley family of amazing women and good hearted men.

2.0 out of 5 stars boring, May 30, 2011

By 

Wright "Kaatja" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: September Song: A Cronicle of the O'Malley's in the Twentieth Century (Mass Market Paperback)

living through the 60's and 70's was more interesting than reading about it in this book. If you are interested in reading about it, get the book from the library and save your money. That is my opinion. Kaatja Wright