Icebergs: A Novel (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A plane crash in a remote area of Newfoundland during WWII leaves Canadian gunner Walt Dunmore to endure the oppressive cold along with his navigator, Alister Clark. Johns' moving debut is at first a gripping account of their quest for survival—intertwined with the stories of their young wives at home—but broadens to a multigenerational epic. When only Walt makes it back to Ontario, his life is forever linked with his comrade who died. The plot rushes forward to Chicago in 1967, where Walt, his wife, Dottie, and their sons, Sam and Charley, live near Alister's widow, Adele, and daughter, Caroline. Both because of and in spite of the bond between their fathers, Sam and Caroline have an affair, cut short by Sam's paranoid jealousy. He enlists and goes to Vietnam, but the family's tragic casualty occurs stateside. The retrospective final part of the novel opens on the characters' lives in 1999. With stark, lovely prose, Johns weaves a delicate tapestry of linked narratives, confirming that the paths not taken can be as significant as the ones taken. Like a ship navigating around an iceberg, "even near-misses leave a wake, an invisible breath that moves through the air." (Apr.)
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From Booklist

As a young Canadian during World War II, Walt Dunmore is on a bombing mission when his plane is shot down over Newfoundland. Initially, only Walt and crew-mate Alister Clark survive the crash. But injuries and subzero weather take their toll, and Walt fails to keep Alistair alive. Walt returns home to his wife as a man recovering from the scars of war. The responsibility he felt toward Alister now extends to Alister's young widow and her baby girl. Together, both families move from their Canadian farming community to Chicago to begin a new life. The novel follows the fates of the Dunmores and the Clarks as they contend with an ever-changing world. As time passes and Walt's son becomes romantically involved with Alistair's daughter, old questions return like ghosts from the past and must be confronted as another war--Vietnam--strains the bonds of friendship and family. A deeply satisfying novel that shows how people--like icebergs--often reveal only 10 percent of themselves, while the rest remains hidden beneath the surface. Jerry Eberle
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (April 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582344981
• ISBN-13: 978-1582344980
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #490,559 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Belongs at the top of Oprah's bookclub list!, May 1, 2006

By	Lynda J. Cruz (Littleton, Co.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I usually read mystery/thriller, but something about the cover of this book peaked my interest and I thought I would give it a try. Best decision I have made in a long time. Plan on staying up and reading until you finish this one. The characters become real, and close to your heart. Romance, sorrow, suspense, humor. It is all here. I can't wait until Rebecca Johns writes her next book. I will buy it on her name alone. I am already a true fan!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read - pulls you in and doesn't let go, April 21, 2006

By	C. Scott (Columbus, OH, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I couldn't put this book down. It has an exciting beginning and the characters are so deep that I was dying to find out what happened to all of them.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entrancing Read, May 26, 2006

By	Ann Rushton (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I picked up "Icebergs" after hearing the writer read from her book on a local radio show. I bought the book on a Friday afternoon, and read it straight through the weekend, ignoring my husband and my children in my urgency to finish it. This is a wonderful book--filled with tangible imagery and compelling, tension building scenes. I found myself yearning for the characters happiness, and wondering if their dreams will be fulfilled--will Dottie and Walt find the bliss they deserve, will Caroline see how worthy she is of love, will the final scenes provide fulfillment of everyone's desires and requirements? I learned so much about the characters through Ms. Johns' tender portrayals, and the heartbreaking events that impacted their lives. I urge anyone to read "Icebergs"--it is a book that echoes long after you put it down.