There were three gnarled and twisted spruce not far from the north bank which were named Faith, Hope, and Charity. Before we left, both Faith and Hope had died, but Charity still remained, which is ample proof that “the greatest of these is Charity.”—George Millar
I have to confess my bias off the start. This book was written by a friend of mine, the writer and journalist, Ruth Edgett. But I only review books that I like, and I love stories of pioneering women (and men too). The subtitle of the book is: The Story of Pomquet Island’s Last Lightkeeping Family. Ruth’s grandmother (and namesake) and grandfather lived on a lighthouse island with no running water, no electricity, and often no communication with the mainland for weeks at time, weathering storms and calamities, while raising a passel of children, horses, pigs, and dogs, keeping the light burning all the while. It was one of the last lighthouses on the east coast and it is a life that has now gone forever. Perhaps a gruelling life, but one full of love and hard work and adventure and great animal stories. I devoured this book in a few days. And finished it feeling satisfied and a little nostalgic for days of yore. I think of this book as a perfect summer read: wholesome, likeable, adventurous, and concluding with a mostly happy ending. Something we so need nowadays. What are your favourite pioneer stories? Feel free to share.
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