The Island Walkers - Tapa blanda

'The Island Walkers is a well-written, well-constructed novel. John Bemrose's characters are so firmly established they are permitted occasionally to act against type. They live as real people live.' -- Times Literary Supplement 20041112 'A compelling tale ... Peppered with poetic descriptions and loaded imagery, John Bemrose's novel is beautifully written ... It's not all doom and gloom, with moments of wild abandon and joy often bursting unexpectedly into the picture to ease the tension ... Moving, warm and ultimately positive' -- The List 20041021 'This is a lyrical novel with a strong sense of place.' -- Newbooksmag 20041101 'The book casts an irresistible spell' -- Northern Woman 20050501 'An exceptionally well-drawn family drama ...' 'His style is compelling' -- Town & Village Times 20050501 'An extraordinary debut novel ... an exceptional storytelling talent' -- Toronto Globe and Mail 'In The Island Walkers, John Bemrose tells a compelling human story with such an unmistakable sense of place that the reader could be forgiven for wondering why we haven't heard of this clearly accomplished novelist before![this] beautifully crafted debut novel!should earn [Bemrose] a place in the Canlit pantheon' -- The Edmonton Journal 'The storyline is taut, almost unbearably so at times, from the opening pages' -- Maclean's 'A closely knit family drama ... achieves a real lyrical power, bolstered by a delicately understated prose style' -- The Times 20040911 'The surprise hit of Canada's fall fiction list' -- The Ottawa Citizen 20040911

For generations, the Walkers have lived in the Island, a small, working class mill-town beside Ontario's Attawan River. But in the summer of 1965 their peace is shattered. When a union organiser comes to town, Alf Walker is forced to choose between loyalty to his friends and advancement up the company ranks. His decision threatens to overwhelm not only his own life, but also his family. Through the course of the book, we come to know the Walkers intimately - Alf, as he attempts to keep ahead of these turbulent events; his son Joe, whose world is overturned by the passion and uncertainty of young love; and his wife Margaret, who must reconcile her English upbringing with the world in which she finds herself. The Island Walkers is a deeply moving novel of a family struggling to make its way through a changing world. Written with remarkable understanding and perception, it reveals a writer of rare vision and accomplishment.