Tears of the Mountain [Hardcover]

John Addiego (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 7, 2010

Tears of the Mountain chronicles a single day in one man's life July 4, 1876 along with a series of flashbacks that all lead up to an eventful Centennial Independence Day celebration in Sonoma, California. Over the course of this surprisingly pivotal moment in his life, Jeremiah McKinley prepares for the celebration and for a reunion with old friends and family. However, as he reflects on past love, the hazardous pioneer journey of his youth across the continent from Missouri, and the many violent conflicts of the West, voices of the long dead come to him, while old wounds and enmities resurface, threatening everything he holds dear. Furthermore, a series of mysterious notes and messages follow him throughout the day. When a visiting senator is found dead, suspicion leads to his old mentor, Professor Applewood, whose sudden disappearance from the festivities makes McKinley a suspected accessory to a fugitive. John Addiego fills this tale of America s coming of age with wit and lively prose, seamlessly moving back and forth through time in a novel that recognizes both our darker side and our promise.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

One man stands up against injustice and ignorance in a frenetically plotted if rangy novel from the author of The Islands of Divine Music. The large crowd that arrives in Sonoma County's Santa Rosa to celebrate Independence Day in 1876 contains a charismatic utopian minister, a snooty newsman, harmless libertine professor Elijah Applewood, blow-hard Senator Morris, and levelheaded Jeremiah McKinley, our honorable protagonist, who is led on a wild goose chase as he struggles to discover who is menacing his family. The plot takes a few wobbly turns as Senator Morris is found poisoned in his hotel room--for which Jeremiah's beloved mentor, professor Elijah, is blamed and arrested--and Jeremiah's wife and children vanish. But the biggest trouble comes as Elijah disappears and Jeremiah is accused of assisting in his escape, leaving Jeremiah to prove his innocence before he's hanged. Though Addiego is no high prose stylist ("He was naked and joined to... his wife's back by the effluence of their loving"), and many of the characters read like they moseyed out of an old dime novel, fans of western fiction will appreciate the setting, fast pace, and Jeremiah's sheer moral doggedness.
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From Booklist

This occasionally confusing but often fascinating novel combines the genres of sweeping epic, personal discovery, and murder mystery, all of which unfold in the course of a single day. On July 4, l876, Jeremiah McKinley and his family await the centennial celebrations in Sonoma County, California. McKinley, a middle-aged farmer, seems relatively comfortable, surrounded by his wife and family. The arrival of a mysterious child triggers an onslaught of memories of his childhood and young manhood, which include a cross-country trek from Missouri, his role in the Mexican War and the gold rush, and other aspects of the early American settlement of California. The apparent murder of a U.S. senator, coupled with the unexpected arrival of McKinley’s former teacher, adds a note of mystery and urgency to his flood of memories. Addiego tends to resort to flowery language, but he also describes scenes of great beauty. The transitions from present to past can be rocky, yet Addiego eventually is effective in stringing together loose ends. Readers will need patience, but those who stay with it should find this a worthwhile read. --Jay Freeman

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Unbridled Books; 1 edition (September 7, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1609530063
• ISBN-13: 978-1609530068
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,563,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thoughtful period piece and mystery, making for a remarkable read, November 10, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tears of the Mountain (Hardcover)

When American California is young, there is much to doubt with the law. "Tears of the Mountain" is a story of Jeremiah McKinley and the California of the nineteenth century, in particular, Independence Day of 1876. A story of the pioneering west and the life of those who lived there centered around a dead senator, "Tears of the Mountain" is a thoughtful period piece and mystery, making for a remarkable read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I don't always read fiction...but when I do, I prefer John Addiego, September 13, 2010

By 

Phil Austin - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tears of the Mountain (Hardcover)

After thoroughly enjoying Addiego's first novel "The Islands of Divine Music", I was delighted to hear that he had recently published a second novel, "Tears of the Mountain". This novel is even more engrossing than the first as he takes us on an historic, wild ride with our protagonist, Jeremiah McKinley, through late nineteenth century California. I would highly recommend this book to any fans of western fiction or for anyone who just wants a fantastic, change of pace read.

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid historical novel, March 24, 2011

By 

Caleb D. Powell (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tears of the Mountain (Hardcover)

This novel took a little time to get involved in, as there are a lot of details and characters and shifts in time. This demands the reader's attention. Yet the novel comes through, and successfully evokes the time as well as the excitement of the age. Once the story gets moving it pulls the reader into a fascinating and satisfying tale of nineteenth century America.