The Windows of Heaven [Paperback]

Ron Rozelle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2000

Set in Galveston during the 1900 storm, the most devastating natural disaster in the history of the United States, this sweeping novel follows the fates of several richly drawn characters. It is the story of Sal, the little girl who is wise beyond her years and who holds out as much hope for the world as she does for her father, the ruined son of a respected father. It is the story of Sister Zilphia, the nun who helps run the St. Mary's Orphanage. The only thing separating the two long buildings of the orphanage is a fragile line of sand dunes; the only thing separating Zilphia from the world is the brittle faith that she has been sent there to consider. A faith that has never been truly tested. Until now. And it is the story of Galveston herself, the grand old lady of the Gulf Coast, with her harbor filled with ships from the world over; her Victorian homes and her brothels and her grand pavilions set in their own parks; and her stately mansions along Broadway, the highest ground on the island, at eight feet above sea level. All must face their darkest night now, as nature hurls the worst she can muster at the narrow strip of sand and saltgrass that is doomed to become, for a time, part of the ocean floor. This is the story of heroes and villains, of courage and sacrifice and, most of all, of people trying desperately to survive. And it is the story of an era now gone, of splendor and injustice, filled with the simple joy of living. RON ROZELLE is the author of Into That Good Night (Farrar, Straus, Giroux), which was a finalist for the PEN American West Creative Nonfiction Prize and the Texas Institute of Letters Carr P. Collins Award. He lives in Lake Jackson with his wife Karen and their daughters and teaches creative writing and English.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Texas Review Press; 1st edition (July 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1881515273
• ISBN-13: 978-1881515272
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,149,487 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And you thought the Titanic had it bad....., April 26, 2001

By 

John Keady "Irish Tenor" (Reston, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Windows of Heaven (Paperback)

The events that transpired in September, 1900 have been too long forgotten in the annals of American natural disasters. Ron Rozelle has painted a picture that very accurately describes the horror and heroism that occurred when one of the most intense hurricanes virtually destroyed Galveston and claimed upwards of 10,000 lives. I discovered this book after reading the recent release Isaac's Storm, a non-fiction telling of the storm and also highly recommended. Ron Rozelle has fleshed out the story without damaging the historical accuracy and brings to us a harrowing story of the people who watched their town literally dissapear beneath the waves. Very highy recommended!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A skillful weaving of fact and fiction, October 28, 2000

By 

Karen Potts (Lake Jackson, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Windows of Heaven (Paperback)

Ron Rozelle's second book is a well-done blend of fact and fiction. He uses many actual people and events from the Storm of 1900, the worst natural disaster in the history of the US. He writes sketches of the lives of several characters in a flash-back format and then switches to the current time, describing the coming of the storm and the blase manner in which the people approached it. Weather forecasting was in its infancy, and no one on Galveston Island realized the full impact of the pending storm. Residents had ridden out many a storm and didn't look at this potent killer in any different way from the storms which had come before. Galveston's lack of preparation and failure to build a seawall resulted in terrible destruction of life and property. Rozelle uses these elements to create a story in which the reader learns to care about the characters and then watches the courage with which they faced this catastrophe. This is a very moving book and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in this subject.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From the publisher, September 2, 2000

By 

Paul Ruffin (Huntsville, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Windows of Heaven (Paperback)

It was our good fortune to manage to secure the manuscript of this book before some commercial press did. WINDOWS OF HEAVEN is a wonderfully written fictional account of the greatest natural disaster ever to befall this country, the great Galveston hurricane of September 8, 1900. Ron Rozelle tells a story of villainy and heroism, love and sacrifice, weaving the tales of a broad spectrum of characters, from children to the elderly, into a rich literary tapestry. This book is a must read--and I say this not as publisher of the book but as an admirer of the work of Ron Rozelle.