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The Hummingbird
From the author of the acclaimed The Curiosity comes a compelling and moving story of compassion, courage, and redemption
Deborah Birch is a seasoned hospice nurse whose daily work requires courage and compassion. But her skills and experience are tested in new and dramatic ways when her easygoing husband, Michael, returns from his third deployment to Iraq haunted by nightmares, anxiety, and rage. She is determined to help him heal, and to restore the tender, loving marriage they once had.
At the same time, Deborahs primary patient is Barclay Reed, a retired history professor and expert in the Pacific Theater of World War II whose career ended in academic scandal. Alone in the world, the embittered professor is dying. As Barclay begrudgingly comes to trust Deborah, he tells her stories from that long-ago war, which help her find a way to help her husband battle his demons.
Told with piercing empathy and heartbreaking realism, The Hummingbird is a masterful story of loving commitment, service to country, and absolution through wisdom and forgiveness.
Deborah Birch is a seasoned hospice nurse whose daily work requires courage and compassion. But her skills and experience are tested in new and dramatic ways when her easygoing husband, Michael, returns from his third deployment to Iraq haunted by nightmares, anxiety, and rage. She is determined to help him heal, and to restore the tender, loving marriage they once had.
At the same time, Deborahs primary patient is Barclay Reed, a retired history professor and expert in the Pacific Theater of World War II whose career ended in academic scandal. Alone in the world, the embittered professor is dying. As Barclay begrudgingly comes to trust Deborah, he tells her stories from that long-ago war, which help her find a way to help her husband battle his demons.
Told with piercing empathy and heartbreaking realism, The Hummingbird is a masterful story of loving commitment, service to country, and absolution through wisdom and forgiveness.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 8, 2015
540 people are currently reading
5138 people want to read
About the author
Stephen P. Kiernan
9 books1,011 followersStephen P. Kiernan's latest novel is THE GLASS CHATEAU, out June 20 and available for pre-order now.
Stephen's most recent book is UNIVERSE OF TWO, a love story set in 1944, amid the development of the atomic bomb. Charlie is a young math whiz drafted into the Manhattan Project, where his duty tests his morals. His sweetheart Brenda, prohibited for security reasons from knowing what he's doing, sees these ethical hesitations as weakness, and urges him to be a soldier, be a man. After the war, Charlie feels culpable for thousands of deaths, while Brenda feels guilty for making him contradict his conscience. Together they spend the rest of their lives seeking redemption -- and they find it.
Stephen also wrote THE BAKER'S SECRET, the story of D-Day from the French perspective: what it was like to live in occupied Normandy with no rights, little food and less hope, until one day hundreds of thousands of soldiers and sailors arrive to fight for liberation.
He's author of THE HUMMINGBIRD, about a hospice nurse whose husband has returned from his 3rd deployment in Iraq with PTSD, and she is determined to help him heal. It is a story about loyalty, patience, and fierce love.
Stephen's first novel was THE CURIOSITY, a scientific thriller and a love story across two centuries. The book came out in numerous foreign editions, and it is currently in development as a television series.
Stephen worked for decades as a journalist, winning over 40 awards. His first book, LAST RIGHTS, was a nonfiction expose of the overly aggressive medical treatment most people receive in the last chapter of their lives, with many suggestions for ways of providing more humane care. His second non-fiction book, the Silver Nautilus Award-winning AUTHENTIC PATRIOTISM, describes the potential for national renewal through nonpartisan civic engagement and volunteerism.
A graduate of Middlebury College, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Iowa's Writers Workshop, he lives in Vermont.
Stephen's most recent book is UNIVERSE OF TWO, a love story set in 1944, amid the development of the atomic bomb. Charlie is a young math whiz drafted into the Manhattan Project, where his duty tests his morals. His sweetheart Brenda, prohibited for security reasons from knowing what he's doing, sees these ethical hesitations as weakness, and urges him to be a soldier, be a man. After the war, Charlie feels culpable for thousands of deaths, while Brenda feels guilty for making him contradict his conscience. Together they spend the rest of their lives seeking redemption -- and they find it.
Stephen also wrote THE BAKER'S SECRET, the story of D-Day from the French perspective: what it was like to live in occupied Normandy with no rights, little food and less hope, until one day hundreds of thousands of soldiers and sailors arrive to fight for liberation.
He's author of THE HUMMINGBIRD, about a hospice nurse whose husband has returned from his 3rd deployment in Iraq with PTSD, and she is determined to help him heal. It is a story about loyalty, patience, and fierce love.
Stephen's first novel was THE CURIOSITY, a scientific thriller and a love story across two centuries. The book came out in numerous foreign editions, and it is currently in development as a television series.
Stephen worked for decades as a journalist, winning over 40 awards. His first book, LAST RIGHTS, was a nonfiction expose of the overly aggressive medical treatment most people receive in the last chapter of their lives, with many suggestions for ways of providing more humane care. His second non-fiction book, the Silver Nautilus Award-winning AUTHENTIC PATRIOTISM, describes the potential for national renewal through nonpartisan civic engagement and volunteerism.
A graduate of Middlebury College, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Iowa's Writers Workshop, he lives in Vermont.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 541 reviews
September 7, 2015
Deborah Birch , a hospice nurse wants so much for her dying patients - a pain free death with dignity and peace and emotional healing. The story is quite sobering as it depicts the dying process of one man, Barclay Reed , a historian and former professor with a tarnished reputation . She also wants so much for her husband, Michael , a returning soldier with PTSD - a pain free life with dignity and peace and emotional healing . This is one of those stories that gets you in the gut as Deborah gives of herself with compassion and understanding to help her patient with his journey to death while trying to help her husband live .
There are alternating narratives - Deborah's in present day and the other , a book written by the professor . At first I felt a bit distracted by the professor's story but surprisingly as it continued, I found myself interested in this story about war and the Japanese fighter pilot who dropped bombs in Oregon in 1942 . I never learned that in school so a quick internet search indicates that it did actually happen and the author confirms that in his notes.
It's easy to connect with Deborah as we learn about her life with Michael before his tours , and her experiences with her past patients, and also with Barclay who eventually opens up to Deborah . But I found it more difficult to know her husband Michael and perhaps that was indicative of his state of mind . It is with Barclay's story that Deborah and the reader get a better understanding of Michael's pain.
The recurrence of the hummingbird, a carved figure given as gift to Deborah and also painted on the bottom of a stoneware bowl owned by the professor emanate the hope that as a reader I was desperately seeking in the life and death circumstances of this novel . Definitely recommended.
Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.
There are alternating narratives - Deborah's in present day and the other , a book written by the professor . At first I felt a bit distracted by the professor's story but surprisingly as it continued, I found myself interested in this story about war and the Japanese fighter pilot who dropped bombs in Oregon in 1942 . I never learned that in school so a quick internet search indicates that it did actually happen and the author confirms that in his notes.
It's easy to connect with Deborah as we learn about her life with Michael before his tours , and her experiences with her past patients, and also with Barclay who eventually opens up to Deborah . But I found it more difficult to know her husband Michael and perhaps that was indicative of his state of mind . It is with Barclay's story that Deborah and the reader get a better understanding of Michael's pain.
The recurrence of the hummingbird, a carved figure given as gift to Deborah and also painted on the bottom of a stoneware bowl owned by the professor emanate the hope that as a reader I was desperately seeking in the life and death circumstances of this novel . Definitely recommended.
Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.
April 26, 2023
Without allowing spoiler alerts, I try to give an assessment of what I learned or what I liked about a novel when I write my reviews. Also, I try not to “re-do” the book jacket synopsis. Feelings on the novel are on the forefront.
That said, I thought THE HUMMINGBIRD did an excellent job of providing the reader information on a really good Hospice Care providers. In my personal history, both of my parents died of cancer, at different years. Both wanted to die at home and had hospice. I can say our family had a really terrible Hospice experience on both deaths. Boy, do I wish we had Deborah from this novel. I am hoping that Kiernan has had experience and has been involved with this sort of hospice care (that it’s not all fiction). Kiernan provides humanity to the hospice experience. I wished we had had the wisdom and guidance that Deborah provided. This is a great fiction novel to read if you have a love one who has terminal cancer.
The other information I gleaned from this novel is the affects of PTSS on the wives of returning servicemen. After watching “American Sniper” and the fabulous Bradley Cooper, I got a glimpse of the agony; this novel provides another personal view of living with and loving a person with PTSS.
Finally, I promise you will learn a tidbit about WWII that you never knew; never heard of; and is a bit of a surprise.
I liked this novel more than his previous novel “The Curiosity”. Perhaps it’s because it struck home to me. I enjoy books that illuminate life and provide a different prospective than the prospective I had. My feelings of hospice have changed, and I’m illuminated and have sympathy to our returning war veterans and their families.
That said, I thought THE HUMMINGBIRD did an excellent job of providing the reader information on a really good Hospice Care providers. In my personal history, both of my parents died of cancer, at different years. Both wanted to die at home and had hospice. I can say our family had a really terrible Hospice experience on both deaths. Boy, do I wish we had Deborah from this novel. I am hoping that Kiernan has had experience and has been involved with this sort of hospice care (that it’s not all fiction). Kiernan provides humanity to the hospice experience. I wished we had had the wisdom and guidance that Deborah provided. This is a great fiction novel to read if you have a love one who has terminal cancer.
The other information I gleaned from this novel is the affects of PTSS on the wives of returning servicemen. After watching “American Sniper” and the fabulous Bradley Cooper, I got a glimpse of the agony; this novel provides another personal view of living with and loving a person with PTSS.
Finally, I promise you will learn a tidbit about WWII that you never knew; never heard of; and is a bit of a surprise.
I liked this novel more than his previous novel “The Curiosity”. Perhaps it’s because it struck home to me. I enjoy books that illuminate life and provide a different prospective than the prospective I had. My feelings of hospice have changed, and I’m illuminated and have sympathy to our returning war veterans and their families.
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June 23, 2016Highly praised and recommended…
The Hook Author Stephen P. Kiernan was a speaker at Booktopia 2016 sponsored by Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, Vermont. Though Kiernan was promoting this, The Hummingbird, his latest book, it was when he spoke about end of life issues, both of the living and the dying, that I knew I had to read his books.
The Line "It is a solid reminder that every patient, no mater how sick or impoverished, gives lasting gifts to the person entrusted with his care. " pg. 7
The Sinker – Stephen P. Kiernan has an interesting background. In addition to many hats he has worn, he is a journalist, one who has interviewed thousands of family members of the dying. Kiernan has given many talks regarding how our deaths are complicated by our health care systems. He is the author of several books including Last Rights: Rescuing the End of Life from the Medical System which I have purchased but have yet to read.
I have to admit I was curious to see what Kiernan would do with the fictional The Hummingbird. I am truly in awe of the book and the man.
As many good books do, Kiernan presents a simple premise. Hospice Nurse, Deborah Birch spends her days helping those nearing death. Her current patient, the elder Professor Barclay Reed has fired many attendants. Birch and he are able to form a bond somehow, initially by her skill of listening and soon by reading with and to Barclay, his unpublished work about the only Japanese bombing on the US in World War II. As they work towards Reed’s final hours, Birch gets as much as she gives as he helps her to heal the breach in her marriage with her husband Michael who battles the demons of his experiences from three deployments in Iraq.
Kirkus Reviews states ”Kiernan (The Curiosity, 2013) seeds this saga with occasional sanctimony, bald symbolism, and overly facile epiphanies.
Tackles but ultimately oversimplifies thorny issues.
I do not agree. I think Kiernan does a fine job of tackling the issues with insight regarding the problems our returning vets endure, the purpose, the comfort and necessity of Hospice Care for both patient and family while delivering a story with compassion, passion, and beauty.
In alternate narratives, Kiernan expertly weaves these three plots, the marriage, the journey to death and the essay about Japanese pilot, Ichiro Soga, who dropped the bombs in the virgin timber of Oregon seamlessly.
The Hook Author Stephen P. Kiernan was a speaker at Booktopia 2016 sponsored by Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, Vermont. Though Kiernan was promoting this, The Hummingbird, his latest book, it was when he spoke about end of life issues, both of the living and the dying, that I knew I had to read his books.
The Line "It is a solid reminder that every patient, no mater how sick or impoverished, gives lasting gifts to the person entrusted with his care. " pg. 7
The Sinker – Stephen P. Kiernan has an interesting background. In addition to many hats he has worn, he is a journalist, one who has interviewed thousands of family members of the dying. Kiernan has given many talks regarding how our deaths are complicated by our health care systems. He is the author of several books including Last Rights: Rescuing the End of Life from the Medical System which I have purchased but have yet to read.
I have to admit I was curious to see what Kiernan would do with the fictional The Hummingbird. I am truly in awe of the book and the man.
As many good books do, Kiernan presents a simple premise. Hospice Nurse, Deborah Birch spends her days helping those nearing death. Her current patient, the elder Professor Barclay Reed has fired many attendants. Birch and he are able to form a bond somehow, initially by her skill of listening and soon by reading with and to Barclay, his unpublished work about the only Japanese bombing on the US in World War II. As they work towards Reed’s final hours, Birch gets as much as she gives as he helps her to heal the breach in her marriage with her husband Michael who battles the demons of his experiences from three deployments in Iraq.
Kirkus Reviews states ”Kiernan (The Curiosity, 2013) seeds this saga with occasional sanctimony, bald symbolism, and overly facile epiphanies.
Tackles but ultimately oversimplifies thorny issues.
I do not agree. I think Kiernan does a fine job of tackling the issues with insight regarding the problems our returning vets endure, the purpose, the comfort and necessity of Hospice Care for both patient and family while delivering a story with compassion, passion, and beauty.
In alternate narratives, Kiernan expertly weaves these three plots, the marriage, the journey to death and the essay about Japanese pilot, Ichiro Soga, who dropped the bombs in the virgin timber of Oregon seamlessly.
September 3, 2016
Hope and despair. Love and loss. Anger and acceptance. Aggression and surrender. These are all emotions that we as human beings will feel at some point in our lives and all are touched on in this quietly affirmative novel.
The Hummingbird is narrated in first person by Deborah Birch, a hospice nurse with years of experience caring for and standing by her patients as they leave the world. I believe it takes a special kind of person to do a job like that over and over again without spiraling into either depression or indifference. Instead, Deborah takes something personal and positive from the death of each of her patients. There were times I felt she might actually be a little too good to be true but in the end, I was ok with that.
Threaded between each of the main chapters is a secondary story about a Japanese WWII bomber pilot and his relations with the American town he once bombed during the war. By providing an analysis on the moral implications of killing during times of war, it handily parallels the struggles that Deborah’s husband is also facing having just returned from war himself.
Though I wasn’t overwhelmed by the writing style or the story in general, the book does have some very beautiful moments that make it worth the read.
The Hummingbird is narrated in first person by Deborah Birch, a hospice nurse with years of experience caring for and standing by her patients as they leave the world. I believe it takes a special kind of person to do a job like that over and over again without spiraling into either depression or indifference. Instead, Deborah takes something personal and positive from the death of each of her patients. There were times I felt she might actually be a little too good to be true but in the end, I was ok with that.
Threaded between each of the main chapters is a secondary story about a Japanese WWII bomber pilot and his relations with the American town he once bombed during the war. By providing an analysis on the moral implications of killing during times of war, it handily parallels the struggles that Deborah’s husband is also facing having just returned from war himself.
Though I wasn’t overwhelmed by the writing style or the story in general, the book does have some very beautiful moments that make it worth the read.
January 14, 2018
I decided to devote most of my Saturday to reading, which is a pleasure I am rarely able to get away with and rarely find a novel I'm happy to spend so much uninterrupted time with. This book contains three stories in one - each is distinct yet connected, and they're all thought-provoking and relevant. You have one arc about hospice care and the death of an elderly professor and expert on the Pacific Theater of WWII, you have one arc about contemporary war veterans and the troubling effects of PTSD on a marriage, and you have a surprising and illuminating story line about a little known, yet historically accurate incident, involving a Japanese pilot dropping bombs on the coastline of Oregon. Don't fear the triple story line as the author does a wonderful job of exploring each one sufficiently without confusing the reader. I closed this book with a great feeling of satisfaction for having been entertained and educated about so many different topics.
July 31, 2023
As hospice worker Deborah cares for Barclay, a dying history professor, he teaches her how to help husband Michael recover after serving three tours in Iraq.
Oh this book. Parks of it broke my heart, but also, I loved it from beginning to end... although I will admit that the excerpts from the professor's book did not fully hold my attention until about halfway through, and I wondered if I could skip them. It turns out the answer is a resounding NO because they are vitally important to the story. In his book, Barclay shares a little-known story with Deborah about a Japanese air attack on the US mainland during World War II and asks her to decide whether or not it's true. I hadn't heard about this piece of US history so I was also anxious to learn the conclusion.
This was a powerful story about love and its healing powers, and I teared up numerous times. I loved how Deborah's work with grumpy, cantankerous Barclay helped her help her husband with PTSD and anger issues. I marveled at Ichiro Soga's grace under pressure and admired the way he tried to right his wrongs. This story was beautiful and tender and definitely makes my list of top 10 reads of 2023.
Location: Portland and Lake Oswego, Oregon
Oh this book. Parks of it broke my heart, but also, I loved it from beginning to end... although I will admit that the excerpts from the professor's book did not fully hold my attention until about halfway through, and I wondered if I could skip them. It turns out the answer is a resounding NO because they are vitally important to the story. In his book, Barclay shares a little-known story with Deborah about a Japanese air attack on the US mainland during World War II and asks her to decide whether or not it's true. I hadn't heard about this piece of US history so I was also anxious to learn the conclusion.
This was a powerful story about love and its healing powers, and I teared up numerous times. I loved how Deborah's work with grumpy, cantankerous Barclay helped her help her husband with PTSD and anger issues. I marveled at Ichiro Soga's grace under pressure and admired the way he tried to right his wrongs. This story was beautiful and tender and definitely makes my list of top 10 reads of 2023.
Location: Portland and Lake Oswego, Oregon
September 9, 2015
A couple of years ago, author and journalist Stephen P. Kiernan made his fiction debut with his novel The Curiosity. That book, about a man reanimated from death, showcased Kiernan's aptitude for a creative character driven story that defied the confines of traditional genres and left an indelible mark in the hearts and minds of readers. In his sophomore novel, The Hummingbird, Kiernan trades in the high concept premise of his debut for a more intimate narrative that is remarkably understated, but equally affecting.
Deborah Birch is no stranger to death. As a hospice nurse, she helps people and their families to pass over with dignity, compassion, and peace. Shepherding her patients to the other side brings Deborah slices of insight about life, family, and love, all of which she relates to her own life and to those of future clients. But all of her past experiences have done little to prepare her for the challenges that she currently faces. Deborah's husband, Michael, is a war veteran who is struggling to acclimate to his life outside of the military. Three tours as a sniper in the Middle East have left him a shell of his former self and caused a rift between him and his wife. Anger issues caused from PTSD only magnify the fear and uncertainty in the couple's rocky relationship. Try as she might, Deborah can't seem to break through to the man she loves so deeply.
The challenges are only intensified when Deborah enters the home of her latest patient Barclay Reed. The former history professor is facing an incurable illness that will soon end his life. He spends his days alone in his sizable estate on the Pacific Coast, thinking back on his academic career and the disgrace that led to its demise. Ridiculous demands and an abrasive temper have made it impossible for Reed to keep a hospice nurse for more than one day at a time. As the fourth nurse from her company to attend to Reed's needs and with no surviving family to intervene, Deborah is his last hope.
Slowly, a mutual trust and understanding begins to form. Reed is a bitter and jaded old man, but underneath that hardened exterior lies a fiercely intelligent man full of knowledge and wisdom about history and life. As Deborah and Reed grow closer, they begin to share about their lives. Deborah tells him of the problems with her husband, and Reed tells her of the last book he was working on. This book, about a Japanese pilot bomber in WWII, was deemed as fabricated plagiarism by Reed's colleagues and became a scandalous end to his distinguished career. As Reed approaches his final days, he has Deborah read from this book and wills her to come to her own opinion about its validity.
Kiernan's quietly nuanced writing paints a breathtaking portrait of life, death, and human interaction. The novel alternates between the present day story of Deborah and Reed with the story of the Japanese WWII pilot seeking redemption from his actions in the war. This alternating narrative device seems to be quite popular in literary fiction these days, but can sometimes make a novel disjointed and difficult to follow. Fortunately, the two stories of this book weave effortlessly with each other as the story of the past becomes a kind of metaphor for the one that is presently unfolding. Kiernan takes what could easily have been a sappy, sentimental tale and elevates it to a deeply moving experience that will stay with you long after the final page. With this poignant novel, Kiernan eclipses the success of his previous effort and reaches a maturity that cements his place as one of the top authors writing today.
Deborah Birch is no stranger to death. As a hospice nurse, she helps people and their families to pass over with dignity, compassion, and peace. Shepherding her patients to the other side brings Deborah slices of insight about life, family, and love, all of which she relates to her own life and to those of future clients. But all of her past experiences have done little to prepare her for the challenges that she currently faces. Deborah's husband, Michael, is a war veteran who is struggling to acclimate to his life outside of the military. Three tours as a sniper in the Middle East have left him a shell of his former self and caused a rift between him and his wife. Anger issues caused from PTSD only magnify the fear and uncertainty in the couple's rocky relationship. Try as she might, Deborah can't seem to break through to the man she loves so deeply.
The challenges are only intensified when Deborah enters the home of her latest patient Barclay Reed. The former history professor is facing an incurable illness that will soon end his life. He spends his days alone in his sizable estate on the Pacific Coast, thinking back on his academic career and the disgrace that led to its demise. Ridiculous demands and an abrasive temper have made it impossible for Reed to keep a hospice nurse for more than one day at a time. As the fourth nurse from her company to attend to Reed's needs and with no surviving family to intervene, Deborah is his last hope.
Slowly, a mutual trust and understanding begins to form. Reed is a bitter and jaded old man, but underneath that hardened exterior lies a fiercely intelligent man full of knowledge and wisdom about history and life. As Deborah and Reed grow closer, they begin to share about their lives. Deborah tells him of the problems with her husband, and Reed tells her of the last book he was working on. This book, about a Japanese pilot bomber in WWII, was deemed as fabricated plagiarism by Reed's colleagues and became a scandalous end to his distinguished career. As Reed approaches his final days, he has Deborah read from this book and wills her to come to her own opinion about its validity.
Kiernan's quietly nuanced writing paints a breathtaking portrait of life, death, and human interaction. The novel alternates between the present day story of Deborah and Reed with the story of the Japanese WWII pilot seeking redemption from his actions in the war. This alternating narrative device seems to be quite popular in literary fiction these days, but can sometimes make a novel disjointed and difficult to follow. Fortunately, the two stories of this book weave effortlessly with each other as the story of the past becomes a kind of metaphor for the one that is presently unfolding. Kiernan takes what could easily have been a sappy, sentimental tale and elevates it to a deeply moving experience that will stay with you long after the final page. With this poignant novel, Kiernan eclipses the success of his previous effort and reaches a maturity that cements his place as one of the top authors writing today.
August 2, 2015
I have to admit that it was the title that first drew me to this book as I love anything at all to do with hummingbirds. Although there was only a slight reference to the meaning of the title in the book, this gorgeous novel did not disappoint in any way.
There are actually three stories in this book. The first deals with a very caring hospice worker, Deborah Birch, and her work with a patient, Barclay Reed, who is a professor and expert on the Pacific Theater of World War II. Deborah is assigned the tough cases and Professor Reed is certainly a tough nut to crack. Their developing relationship and journey toward the end of Professor Reed’s life is a beautiful and emotional one. The gift Deborah receives in return for her loving care is indeed a priceless one.
The second story deals with Deborah’s husband, Michael. He’s a severely damaged war veteran dealing with the memories of the atrocities that he’s encountered and the ghosts that haunt him. Their story will break your heart as her husband struggles to heal and they try to piece their marriage back together.
The third story is an extraordinary one about a World War II Japanese pilot who fire bombs a forest in the US and his journey towards redemption and forgiveness. It’s one that you won’t soon forget and I found it to be a very powerful lesson.
I’ve read a few reviews saying that this book is sappy. I don’t like sappy books and didn’t find this one to be sappy at all. I thought it was beautifully written, moving, touching and emotional with strong insight into the human soul. The author has a true heart of a poet. I can’t wait to read his first novel, “The Curiosity”, although it sounds like a very different type of book.
I won an ARC of this book through The Reading Room with the request that I give an honest review.
There are actually three stories in this book. The first deals with a very caring hospice worker, Deborah Birch, and her work with a patient, Barclay Reed, who is a professor and expert on the Pacific Theater of World War II. Deborah is assigned the tough cases and Professor Reed is certainly a tough nut to crack. Their developing relationship and journey toward the end of Professor Reed’s life is a beautiful and emotional one. The gift Deborah receives in return for her loving care is indeed a priceless one.
The second story deals with Deborah’s husband, Michael. He’s a severely damaged war veteran dealing with the memories of the atrocities that he’s encountered and the ghosts that haunt him. Their story will break your heart as her husband struggles to heal and they try to piece their marriage back together.
The third story is an extraordinary one about a World War II Japanese pilot who fire bombs a forest in the US and his journey towards redemption and forgiveness. It’s one that you won’t soon forget and I found it to be a very powerful lesson.
I’ve read a few reviews saying that this book is sappy. I don’t like sappy books and didn’t find this one to be sappy at all. I thought it was beautifully written, moving, touching and emotional with strong insight into the human soul. The author has a true heart of a poet. I can’t wait to read his first novel, “The Curiosity”, although it sounds like a very different type of book.
I won an ARC of this book through The Reading Room with the request that I give an honest review.
December 31, 2017
Oh, my! Oh, my! Oh, my!
I so loved this book. I truly believe only a sensitive soul could have written this book. It touched me deeply - perhaps because I had so many friends die this past year. If I say this is a love story, you will get the wrong impression. I truly believe that Deb, the protagonist, is completely motivated by love both for her husband and her patients - she is a hospice nurse. She learns from her latest patient ways to help her husband who suffers from PTSD.
I'm glad I own this book so I can revisit this treasure whenever I want.
Thank you, Stephen Kiernan for writing such a jewel.
I so loved this book. I truly believe only a sensitive soul could have written this book. It touched me deeply - perhaps because I had so many friends die this past year. If I say this is a love story, you will get the wrong impression. I truly believe that Deb, the protagonist, is completely motivated by love both for her husband and her patients - she is a hospice nurse. She learns from her latest patient ways to help her husband who suffers from PTSD.
I'm glad I own this book so I can revisit this treasure whenever I want.
Thank you, Stephen Kiernan for writing such a jewel.
November 2, 2015
One of the finest works I've ever read.... wow....
June 26, 2019
This book has been languishing on my TBR since 2015. Thankfully a new book club I just joined had selected it for their December read.
I LOVED the book. Excellent Historical Fiction that revealed to me something I did not know before. Very strong character development with some unique (not all endearing, just unique!!) personalities.
This is the story of Deborah Birch, a hospice nurse; Michael, her husband, who has endured three tours of duty to Iraq and is suffering the consequences; and Barclay Reed, a disgraced history professor, who is dying from cancer.
The setting is Oregon in the 2000's. We do, through the professor, return to WWII and discover some events that no one seems to know anything about. Well, at least not Nurse Birch, who the professor challenges to listen to this story and determine if it is true.
There is a lot of synergy occurring here. Deborah helping the professor to cope with his last days and struggling to help her husband heal. The Professor helping Deborah to help her husband heal.
At Book Club, much discussion occurred about the merits of the book and the members' own experience with the death of a loved one and the effects of war on their spouses or friends. One comment that came out: the book, though written by a male, shows a certain understanding of the female psyche!!
Recommended to those who love diverse culture (Japanese culture explored), historical fiction, and medical novels, as the role of a hospice nurse is beautifully revealed.
5 stars (FULL!!)
I LOVED the book. Excellent Historical Fiction that revealed to me something I did not know before. Very strong character development with some unique (not all endearing, just unique!!) personalities.
This is the story of Deborah Birch, a hospice nurse; Michael, her husband, who has endured three tours of duty to Iraq and is suffering the consequences; and Barclay Reed, a disgraced history professor, who is dying from cancer.
The setting is Oregon in the 2000's. We do, through the professor, return to WWII and discover some events that no one seems to know anything about. Well, at least not Nurse Birch, who the professor challenges to listen to this story and determine if it is true.
There is a lot of synergy occurring here. Deborah helping the professor to cope with his last days and struggling to help her husband heal. The Professor helping Deborah to help her husband heal.
At Book Club, much discussion occurred about the merits of the book and the members' own experience with the death of a loved one and the effects of war on their spouses or friends. One comment that came out: the book, though written by a male, shows a certain understanding of the female psyche!!
Recommended to those who love diverse culture (Japanese culture explored), historical fiction, and medical novels, as the role of a hospice nurse is beautifully revealed.
5 stars (FULL!!)
March 22, 2016
Reading the flap copy about the book, I was not particularly eager to read it. Hospice care is not a happy subject and sometimes, I need a happy book. Stephen P. Kiernan has done his topic justice and his writing kept me turning the pages until I was sadly finished with his wonderful characters. While a couple of his characters were less than nice, the others were beautifully written and realized. I wanted to go on their journey even though I knew where I was going and how it was going to end. Having too much personal experience with hospice, I was leery, but Kiernan dragged me in and got the details right, along with the feelings and experience. This was another book I would not have picked up were it not for my Booktopia friends and I am so looking forward to meeting this author in May.
August 13, 2015
Many thanks to librarything.com for the advanced uncorrected proof of The Hummingbird by Stephen P. Kiernan in return for my honest review.
I generally will not read morbidly depressing stories, regardless of their literary merit. Thus, I was hesitant about reading The Hummingbird as the subject matter of the book alternated between Hospice care and the rehabilitation of an Iraqi war veteran severely damaged emotionally during his third deployment. However, this book surprised me in the very best of ways. This was a fascinating novel. I just loved it. Yes, the story was about death and the cruelties of war, but it was so well done, and despite the subject matter, was one of the most hopeful and inspiring stories that I have read in a very long time.
It is a smart, thought-provoking book. The main character, suffering with her own personal family matters, was a tender and incredibly kind care-giver who dedicated her life to making terminally ill patients feel cared for and loved in their final days.
There were a couple of issues though, I absolutely hated that the main character and her husband called each other "lover". It was distracting and somewhat irritating. Additionally, the main story is disrupted with excerpts from a book documenting a WWII Japanese pilot responsible for dropping incendiary bombs over the Oregon Coast, but who subsequently dedicated his life to making amends for his actions and being a symbol of peace. These excerpts initially were confusing and broke the flow of the main story, but subsequently became less distracting and even enhanced the novel.
I highly recommend this book, and hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. 4 1/2 stars.
I generally will not read morbidly depressing stories, regardless of their literary merit. Thus, I was hesitant about reading The Hummingbird as the subject matter of the book alternated between Hospice care and the rehabilitation of an Iraqi war veteran severely damaged emotionally during his third deployment. However, this book surprised me in the very best of ways. This was a fascinating novel. I just loved it. Yes, the story was about death and the cruelties of war, but it was so well done, and despite the subject matter, was one of the most hopeful and inspiring stories that I have read in a very long time.
It is a smart, thought-provoking book. The main character, suffering with her own personal family matters, was a tender and incredibly kind care-giver who dedicated her life to making terminally ill patients feel cared for and loved in their final days.
There were a couple of issues though, I absolutely hated that the main character and her husband called each other "lover". It was distracting and somewhat irritating. Additionally, the main story is disrupted with excerpts from a book documenting a WWII Japanese pilot responsible for dropping incendiary bombs over the Oregon Coast, but who subsequently dedicated his life to making amends for his actions and being a symbol of peace. These excerpts initially were confusing and broke the flow of the main story, but subsequently became less distracting and even enhanced the novel.
I highly recommend this book, and hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. 4 1/2 stars.
June 18, 2015
This might be a good book club read. However, it was not for me. The novel is about a hospice nurse named Debby Birch who is caring for Barclay Reed, a dying man who is an expert on World War II. He is cantankerous and difficult. By the time Debby comes to care for him, Barclay has gone through two other nurses and the other two hospice agencies in the area.
On the home front, Debby is dealing with a husband who has returned from two deployments and is a changed man. He suffers from PTSD and Debby is never sure what each day will bring. Her goal is to stay married but she is holding on by a shoe string.
The chapters are interspersed with information about Japanese warfare which I found very boring. I don't think it added anything to the book. Rather, it detracted from it. I don't think most people will be interested in these asides.
The writing is alright but cliche-ridden. I was not enamored of the style or the characterizations. Something felt missing.
On the home front, Debby is dealing with a husband who has returned from two deployments and is a changed man. He suffers from PTSD and Debby is never sure what each day will bring. Her goal is to stay married but she is holding on by a shoe string.
The chapters are interspersed with information about Japanese warfare which I found very boring. I don't think it added anything to the book. Rather, it detracted from it. I don't think most people will be interested in these asides.
The writing is alright but cliche-ridden. I was not enamored of the style or the characterizations. Something felt missing.
July 25, 2015
Deborah is a hospice nurse, a category that requires an understanding of human frailty and nature and requires a certain kind of strength to perform. Her husband, home from his third deployment in Iraq, is deeply affected by PTSD, and her newest work assignment is particularly challenging -- a disgraced Professor, expert on The Pacific Theater, who has chewed up and spit out her predecessors. Deborah's reserves and skills are tested by both aspects of her life. Kiernan's knowledge of the subjects that form the backbone of this book is surehanded and decisive. The parallels of the WWII experiences and those of present day are brought into sharp focus, and many issues raised calling attention to the plight of returning soldiers in original and enlightening ways. Highly recommended.
October 1, 2015
How different this was! A soldier recently returned from his third deployment in Iraq has suffered lasting emotional damage. Together with his wife, he struggles to adjust. Part of the story is told by his wife, a hospice nurse. Her curmudgeon patient shares a piece of writing dear to his heart, and so the novel unfolds, alternating between the present day situation and the patient’s treatise. This is a work dealing with an actual Japanese attack on Oregon during WWII, and the ensuing reverberations. The underlying message contained therein, together with the patient’s unique, though often caustic perspective as his life ebbs, provide her a much needed vision of the challenge in her own life. Overall, this was a thought provoking, quiet read. Three stars.
September 11, 2015
Warning! This is an emotionally draining book, but in the best way! I got choked up the first time in chapter one and it didn't let up! The author does not shy away from the painful realities of Hospice care, or PSTD. And, despite living in Oregon for a year, I had never heard about the history shared in the dying professor's book, "The Sword", and was curious to find out if his tale was "fact" or "fiction". Thought provoking and moving, heart-breaking and hopeful, this book will stay with me a long time.
June 12, 2017
The writing was really clunky at times, and is there a couple alive who legit regularly call each other "lover"? I hope not. But, I thought the portrayal of PTSD was nuanced and eye opening, and I loved the bits of wisdom gained through hospice care. What a rewarding but I'm sure exhausting field. I thought the WWII background story was fascinating.
October 13, 2018
Really surprised by how much I enjoyed this. I think my experience was affected by the fact that I also just finished reading Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, a nonfiction book about aging and death and the difficult issues regarding care of the elderly. This novel was a perfect follow-up; the main character is a hospice nurse whose husband suffers from PTSD after 3 tours overseas. You can tell that the author has also written a book in the same lines as Gawande's from the way the characters interact and handle the hard issues of end of life care. Deb is caring for a curmudgeonly old man who has written an unpublished chronicle of a little known incident in World War II history. Chapters from this unpublished work are interspersed in between chapters about her care of her patient and her struggle to understand her husband's struggle with PTSD and help him to heal. Initially, I was really bored by the World War 2 chapters but gradually the connection it has with the rest of the story comes to light. I thought it was such a good book for building empathy, understanding PTSD from multiple perspectives. I also appreciated the dignity the dying character was given throughout the book and the way that both the nurse and her patient discussed the purpose of suffering and recognized the gifts they were able to give each other from their own life experiences.
January 25, 2018
An emotionally rich book. All of the characters in this book were dealing with complex life changing issues. They learned from and came to the aid of each other (often in subtle, unassuming ways).
For a book that could very well have been overwhelmingly sad, that wasn't the case for me. There were varying degrees of closure and what was described as "loving lies". And amongst other things hope. I wholeheartedly recommend this excellent book.
For a book that could very well have been overwhelmingly sad, that wasn't the case for me. There were varying degrees of closure and what was described as "loving lies". And amongst other things hope. I wholeheartedly recommend this excellent book.
October 30, 2020
Stephen Kiernan has a wonderful way of weaving his story by telling the tale of all his characters as if they each are the main one. And in the end you find you've learned something about yourself as well. The story of a hospice nurse hit home personally and helped me understand a little more the death of a loved one. It is definitely a story of hope and commitment. And once again an important story from ww2 that so many of us know nothing about.
October 27, 2021
A most excellent book. A must read for caregivers. I was moved on every level .
October 19, 2015
I think we all take each day of our life for granted. I believe it's because we firmly believe that there will be a tomorrow and the day after that until we grow old. But the people I think truly appreciate what they have are those that have to face a terminal diagnosis, knowing that tomorrow is never a guarantee for any of us. Stephen P. Kiernan has written an unforgettable novel that showcases three very unique relationships in The Hummingbird. It is written in alternating chapters, one in the life of hospice nurse, Deborah Birch, and the story of the Sword she reads to her dying patient Professor Barclay Reed.
Deborah's relationship with the Professor is to help him see that even though time is running out on his life he still has a lot to offer. She promises that even though he has fired every single nurse in three different hospice care facilities, she will not give up on him. As the two work on coming to terms with how they interact with one another in the time that is left, the Professor asks her to read an unpublished book that he had written and at the conclusion of the story, to tell him if she believes it is true or simply a work of fiction. Along the way, the Professor's brilliant metaphors for life, help Deborah deal with her husband, Michael who after returning home from his third tour of duty is not the man she married. His violent outbursts have been a huge strain on their marriage and now they simply exist as roommates in the same home. Not the life she had ever imagined and not one she wanted to open up to the Professor about.
The Professor has written numerous volumes on the Pacific Theater and the Sword was the only one that never got published. As they read through the story together, the Professor helps Deborah understand the subtleties behind what Michael has brought home from the war. He uses parts of the story to help her gain insight into the clues he brings up that offer more than what she has been seeing all along. Deborah also finds that through each case she has worked with her patients, they all offer her the one thing that money can never buy and it's a gift she carries with her to each and every patient. She promises that she will do all she can to ensure that their death is peaceful, as painfree as possible and that they leave behind no regrets if she can help it.
I received The Hummingbird by Stephen P. Kiernan compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. While this is NOT a book for my Christian readers, those who find an interest in hospice, WWII and PTSD, will love where these stories intersect and find such value for life, it kinda of changes how you move forward after reading this. There is some profanity, but taken in the context of the character of Michael, as a returning soldier from the war, it would be what one would expect dealing with the nightmares and issues he has. In my opinion, this one is worth 4 out of 5 stars.
Deborah's relationship with the Professor is to help him see that even though time is running out on his life he still has a lot to offer. She promises that even though he has fired every single nurse in three different hospice care facilities, she will not give up on him. As the two work on coming to terms with how they interact with one another in the time that is left, the Professor asks her to read an unpublished book that he had written and at the conclusion of the story, to tell him if she believes it is true or simply a work of fiction. Along the way, the Professor's brilliant metaphors for life, help Deborah deal with her husband, Michael who after returning home from his third tour of duty is not the man she married. His violent outbursts have been a huge strain on their marriage and now they simply exist as roommates in the same home. Not the life she had ever imagined and not one she wanted to open up to the Professor about.
The Professor has written numerous volumes on the Pacific Theater and the Sword was the only one that never got published. As they read through the story together, the Professor helps Deborah understand the subtleties behind what Michael has brought home from the war. He uses parts of the story to help her gain insight into the clues he brings up that offer more than what she has been seeing all along. Deborah also finds that through each case she has worked with her patients, they all offer her the one thing that money can never buy and it's a gift she carries with her to each and every patient. She promises that she will do all she can to ensure that their death is peaceful, as painfree as possible and that they leave behind no regrets if she can help it.
I received The Hummingbird by Stephen P. Kiernan compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. While this is NOT a book for my Christian readers, those who find an interest in hospice, WWII and PTSD, will love where these stories intersect and find such value for life, it kinda of changes how you move forward after reading this. There is some profanity, but taken in the context of the character of Michael, as a returning soldier from the war, it would be what one would expect dealing with the nightmares and issues he has. In my opinion, this one is worth 4 out of 5 stars.
August 6, 2024
Have you ever heard of Clackamas County, Oregon? Have you ever been to Clackamas County, Oregon?
Deborah Birch, a hospice nurse, has received her new assignment to care for Barclay Reed at his home by Lake Oswego. One of the details in his office file is that he has no surviving family. What once was a mere part of his resume reveals that he was a professor with tenure at Portland State University and a nationally recognized expert on WWII. At home, Deborah struggles to connect with her husband, Michael, who has returned from his 3rd deployment in Iraq.
Sometimes, the book title's meaning is not immediately evident, nor does it reveal its significance when first viewing it. However, when the moment of revelation arrives, there are chills. At that moment, the title is meaningful beyond words. The title suddenly becomes more than just a few words. It becomes powerful with images in your mind created that you'll always remember when you hear someone mention the title, see the novel in a bookstore, or see another reader holding, looking at, or reading the book, knowing they have an extraordinary story in their hands.
This historical fiction novel is not just enlightening, but also profoundly moving. It is powerful, poignant, and meaningful on multiple levels. It presents history with a depth that goes beyond any history text or class discussion, profoundly impacting the reader's emotions and intellect. Each reader will form a unique, personal connection with the novel, remembering different aspects and creating their own mental images. However, it is the universal impact of the story that connects us all.
I had never heard of Clackamas County, Oregon, or traveled anywhere in Oregon. Now, I'll never forget it.
It is not difficult to find statistics about veterans with PTSD. This novel gives gripping clarity that these individuals are not numbers. Each veteran has a name. The individuals are more than can be captured in any statistical analysis. They have served their country and should not come home to statistics, indifference, and apathy. They deserve more. The novel challenges the reader to see beyond the numbers and understand the human stories behind the statistics.
Available at the end of the novel, the Author’s Note, Sources and Acknowledgments, Interview with the Author, and Reading Group Guide are vital parts of the reading experience.
Reviewer’s Note: The last question in Interview with the Author shares the title, "The Taste of Hope," as the author had completed the 1st draft of this novel at the time of the interview and provided the tentative publication date of May 2017. The novel was released in May 2017, with the title, "The Baker’s Secret."
Deborah Birch, a hospice nurse, has received her new assignment to care for Barclay Reed at his home by Lake Oswego. One of the details in his office file is that he has no surviving family. What once was a mere part of his resume reveals that he was a professor with tenure at Portland State University and a nationally recognized expert on WWII. At home, Deborah struggles to connect with her husband, Michael, who has returned from his 3rd deployment in Iraq.
Sometimes, the book title's meaning is not immediately evident, nor does it reveal its significance when first viewing it. However, when the moment of revelation arrives, there are chills. At that moment, the title is meaningful beyond words. The title suddenly becomes more than just a few words. It becomes powerful with images in your mind created that you'll always remember when you hear someone mention the title, see the novel in a bookstore, or see another reader holding, looking at, or reading the book, knowing they have an extraordinary story in their hands.
This historical fiction novel is not just enlightening, but also profoundly moving. It is powerful, poignant, and meaningful on multiple levels. It presents history with a depth that goes beyond any history text or class discussion, profoundly impacting the reader's emotions and intellect. Each reader will form a unique, personal connection with the novel, remembering different aspects and creating their own mental images. However, it is the universal impact of the story that connects us all.
I had never heard of Clackamas County, Oregon, or traveled anywhere in Oregon. Now, I'll never forget it.
It is not difficult to find statistics about veterans with PTSD. This novel gives gripping clarity that these individuals are not numbers. Each veteran has a name. The individuals are more than can be captured in any statistical analysis. They have served their country and should not come home to statistics, indifference, and apathy. They deserve more. The novel challenges the reader to see beyond the numbers and understand the human stories behind the statistics.
Available at the end of the novel, the Author’s Note, Sources and Acknowledgments, Interview with the Author, and Reading Group Guide are vital parts of the reading experience.
Reviewer’s Note: The last question in Interview with the Author shares the title, "The Taste of Hope," as the author had completed the 1st draft of this novel at the time of the interview and provided the tentative publication date of May 2017. The novel was released in May 2017, with the title, "The Baker’s Secret."
August 31, 2015
Review also found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher William Morrow via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is September 8, 2015**
This is a story that hit a little close to home at the moment so I am not sure if I can give it a truly unbiased review. So this will be a short one.
This is a story of someone who is dying from a horrible disease and the caretaker whose job it is to stay with him until he passes. It is the story of healing during the dying process as well as a story of learning and growing right up until the end. It is a story about how those at the end of their path still have the ability to teach those who are not.
I found this to be a moving story. From Barclay's story of Cancer to Michael's struggle with integrating back in to life following three deployments, it is one that consumes you emotionally. Then for extra interest there is the story of WWII just to add a little bit extra.
This was a story that I took my time with as I feel it deserved to be read slowly instead of the usual power reading I do. While it may have left me a little bit emotionally drained due to its subject matter I found it to be a wonderful read
**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher William Morrow via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is September 8, 2015**
This is a story that hit a little close to home at the moment so I am not sure if I can give it a truly unbiased review. So this will be a short one.
This is a story of someone who is dying from a horrible disease and the caretaker whose job it is to stay with him until he passes. It is the story of healing during the dying process as well as a story of learning and growing right up until the end. It is a story about how those at the end of their path still have the ability to teach those who are not.
I found this to be a moving story. From Barclay's story of Cancer to Michael's struggle with integrating back in to life following three deployments, it is one that consumes you emotionally. Then for extra interest there is the story of WWII just to add a little bit extra.
This was a story that I took my time with as I feel it deserved to be read slowly instead of the usual power reading I do. While it may have left me a little bit emotionally drained due to its subject matter I found it to be a wonderful read
June 16, 2017
When I was a kid, our neighbor had a Russian nesting doll on her end-table. If she was in the mood, she would let me play with those dolls. Sitting on the floor at her and my mother's feet- I would nest and un-nest those dolls over and over: big, medium, small, smaller, tiny, tiny, smaller, small, medium, biggest.
It was one of my childhood delights and one of the few memories I hold for my own self, not a memory that was planted from photos or someone else's story that I absconded with.
The Hummingbird is a Russian nesting doll: three stories tucked inside of each other, each one bigger, then smaller, then bigger again. Tucked and tucked and tucked. Delightful and hard at the same time, but worth it.
We live our lives on a whole planet, seeing and learning and going from place to place. But eventually there arrives a time for each of us when our world becomes smaller: one house to which our whole gigantic life has been reduced. And when that happens- this is a thing I have witnesses, this is a thing I know- that room becomes sacred. It is the holy, modest place in which we will perform perhaps the hardest task of our life: letting go. Kindle 300
It was one of my childhood delights and one of the few memories I hold for my own self, not a memory that was planted from photos or someone else's story that I absconded with.
The Hummingbird is a Russian nesting doll: three stories tucked inside of each other, each one bigger, then smaller, then bigger again. Tucked and tucked and tucked. Delightful and hard at the same time, but worth it.
We live our lives on a whole planet, seeing and learning and going from place to place. But eventually there arrives a time for each of us when our world becomes smaller: one house to which our whole gigantic life has been reduced. And when that happens- this is a thing I have witnesses, this is a thing I know- that room becomes sacred. It is the holy, modest place in which we will perform perhaps the hardest task of our life: letting go. Kindle 300
October 17, 2015
I gave this four stars alone just for the historical information Kiernan provided about WW2. I thought he did a tremendous job of interweaving the past and present. What a great balance of so many aspects - the behind the scenes Hospice work was an excellent portrayal. I am glad the main character made the connections to what the Professor and the book was trying to tell her about helping her husband, because I sure didn't always see those connections. There were times when the book was a bit too slow. I didn't find it sad, just realistic.
December 14, 2017
I listened to this incredible story on audible. The performance was excellent! Stephen Kieran is a Master Story Teller. This is a story about loss, war, forgiveness that reaches deep into the heart. Highly recommend this incredible story!
March 1, 2018
This book did not grab me at all. The historical part was boring and I ended up skimming a lot. Not my cup of tea.
April 29, 2018
As a dedicated hospice nurse, Deborah Birch is compassionate, confident and skillful in helping her patients through their last struggles. As the wife of Michael, a 3-time deployed veteran of Iraq, Deb is less certain of her role in his life. Michael has turned cold, tortured by nightmares and the beginnings of violent behavior have begun to show. Deb feels helpless in her marriage but will try anything to reach the loving man she knows is still inside her husband.
Barclay Reed is Deb's latest patient, a retired history professor in the final stages of kidney cancer. Curmudgeon would be a kind word to use about Barclay; he is gruff, demanding and verbally abusive. Slowly, Deb is able to break through his hard shell as she patiently listens to his history lectures and reads to him from his unpublished WWII book "The Sword".
The book deals with a little known attack on the Oregon coastline by the Japanese in 1942. The book also led to a huge scandal that discredited Professor Reed and led to his firing from his university position. Barclay hesitantly opens up to Deb about his past while giving her insights into her husband's behavior and ways that she might heal Michael's torment.
It took me a while to enjoy this book but eventually I did. Deborah is a great character with a lot of spunk except with Michael. I liked her interaction with Barclay and he became quite an admirable man by the finish of the book. "The Sword" is quite a long story and is presented in every other chapter, so a book within a book. It started out rather clinical and confusing to me but eventually took on a life of its own. Not a bad little book.
Barclay Reed is Deb's latest patient, a retired history professor in the final stages of kidney cancer. Curmudgeon would be a kind word to use about Barclay; he is gruff, demanding and verbally abusive. Slowly, Deb is able to break through his hard shell as she patiently listens to his history lectures and reads to him from his unpublished WWII book "The Sword".
The book deals with a little known attack on the Oregon coastline by the Japanese in 1942. The book also led to a huge scandal that discredited Professor Reed and led to his firing from his university position. Barclay hesitantly opens up to Deb about his past while giving her insights into her husband's behavior and ways that she might heal Michael's torment.
It took me a while to enjoy this book but eventually I did. Deborah is a great character with a lot of spunk except with Michael. I liked her interaction with Barclay and he became quite an admirable man by the finish of the book. "The Sword" is quite a long story and is presented in every other chapter, so a book within a book. It started out rather clinical and confusing to me but eventually took on a life of its own. Not a bad little book.
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