Book Description
The latest case in Donna Leon's bestselling Brunetti mystery series—“one of the most exquisite and subtle detective series ever” (The Washington Post)
The Philadelphia Inquirer called Leon's incomparable creation Commissario Guido Brunetti “the most humane sleuth since Georges Simenon's Inspector Maigret.” It's no wonder then that Leon's legion of fans continues to grow with each new book that's published. In Through a Glass, Darkly, Brunetti investigates the murder of a night watchman, whose body is found in front of a blazing furnace at Giovanni De Cal's glass factory along with an annotated copy of Dante's Inferno. Did the cantankerous De Cal kill him? Will Brunetti make the connection between the work of literature and the murderer in time?
Customer Reviews:
Good Brunetti Book.......2007-07-13
Donna Leon continues her streak of delightful Guido Brunetti novels -- this one set mostly in the glass factories of Murano. She combines fascinating details of the fabled Venetian glass factories with well-developed characters and vivid geography to cook up a tale of intrigue and complexity. I think her characters here are more nuanced than in her other books, which is not a criticism of those other books. Fortunately, Donna Leon seems to be avoiding the trap of other popular authors who, after a few successes, seem to go into a slump. Leon just gets better and better with her irresistible tales of Venice.
A Murder(?) in Venice.......2007-05-19
It was not on purpose that I purchased another book set in the facinating city of Venice. If I get any more of these books, I will have to take it as a sign to travel to Italy and spend a few weeks in Venice.
This is a murder mystery, but you are not really sure that there really is a murder at all. The death under question does not happen until over half way though the book and it is only at the very end that we get our answer as to whether it was or was not.
A very good book.
Brunetti rules.......2007-05-12
As always, the subtleness of Brunettie's character continues and the formula for mixing mystery, family, location, and all those other good things works so well. Thank you Donna Leon!
Book Description
Donna Leon opens doors to the hidden Venice like no one else. With her latest novel, Through a Glass, Darkly, Leon takes us inside the secretive island of Murano, home of the world-famous glass factories. On a luminous spring day in Venice, Commissario Brunetti and his assistant Vianello play hooky from the Questura in order to help Vianello's friend Marco Ribetti, arrested during an environmental protest. They secure his release, only to be faced by the fury of the man's father-in-law, Giovanni De Cal, a cantankerous glass factory owner who has been heard in the bars of Murano making violent threats about Ribetti. Brunetti's curiosity is piqued, and he finds himself drawn to Murano to investigate. Is De Cal the type of man to carry out his threats? Then one morning the body of De Cal's night watchman is found. Over long lunches, on secret boat rides, in quiet bars, and down narrow streets, Brunetti searches for the killer. Will he unravel the clues before the night watchman's death is allowed to be forgotten?
A fascinating novel set in the intersection between tourism and native Venetian society, Through a Glass, Darkly is Donna Leon at her finest.
Customer Reviews:
You've heard of Italian "slow food"? Now welcome the Venetian "slow book".......2007-05-24
As someone who is interested in Italy and books, it was only a matter of time before I read a Commissario Brunetti tale. But I guess I should have done my homework first, as it seems that this was probably the wrong place to start. Sheesh, even devoted Donna Leon fans seem upset about THROUGH A GLASS, DARKLY.
This is not to diminish Donna Leon's novel too much. It is a pleasant read, with interesting asides about Italy, its culture, and the environmental challenges it faces. But it's telling that I made a note of page 110. That is the first place where anything that could be called "action" takes place. And what happens there? Some glass blowers blow glass. So while I enjoyed this book, it may provide too phlegmatic of a plot for many readers, and it is apparently the wrong place for first-timers to begin.
Highly Recommended: The Shape of Water and the other Inspector Maltalbano books by the extraordinary Sicilian, Andrea Camilleri.
Way under par.......2007-05-07
I previously read A Noble Radiance by the same author and enjoyed it. I grabbed this book while away on business when I finished the other book I was reading. The only good thing to say is that this novel helped me go sleep quickly.
The plot meanders and is not very interesting. Brunetti is basically investigating a threat to someone which gets his foot in the door when something finally happens. Basically, the first half of the book is about something which is only marginally related to the dead body. I struggled to finish the book and will not put it in the pile of books for my wife to read. Instead, it is going in the giveaway pile.
Deadly glass.......2007-03-04
Inspector Vianello asks his boss, Commissario Brunetti to help him obtain the release of one of his friends who was arrested at a demonstration protesting the chemical pollution of the canals of Venice. This leads them into the investigation of the murder of a worker at a glass blowing factory in Murano, the world famous home of the glass blowing industry. The main culprit seems likely to be the owner of one of the factories, a choleric old man who is convinced that his old ways of getting rid of the residue of his business isn't harmful to anyone and who refuses to bend to any new, environmentally friendly rules. What follows is a story of greed, lust for political power and one of Donna Leon's usual great reads about the exploits of the Venetian police officer, Commissario Brunetti and the every day life of the people of Venice.
Another excellent Commissario Brunetti myster.......2007-01-21
Donna Leon not only writes a good mystery tale, but she shows you a picture of Venice and of the people who live there; their attitudes and beliefs. It is refreshing to have the main character in a strong marriage with normal teenagers interacting positively. In this story, Ms. Leon lets you decide in your own mind about the mystery involved, but she deals with some very important issues that the world should be considering. She has developed and strenghtened her characters through her novels, and you anticipate what is happening. She does a have a cynical attitude toward politicians and politics, which is also true worldwide. Commissario Brunetti, in this story, tackles a difficult death in a caring manner. One of the enjoyable characters, Signorina Elettra, continues her control of gathering information, as she has also gained importance through the book series. I strongly recommend this book to those who enjoy a good mystery set among people who have to deal with death and narrow-minded people.
The first Donna Leon book I haven't finished - and don't plan to........2007-01-20
Donna Leon must have cooking something when she wrote this book. It was like she kept checking to see if the something was done in the oven and came back and wrote a chapter to a different book. Some chapters seems totally unrelated to the book. Characters get mentioned and when I thumbed back to see who she was talking about, I couldn't find them. How can someone write such a great series of books and then totally bomb?!! It is a limp and tired story involving an environmental problem at a glass factory. Donna needs a vacation...from Venice!
PS. I never finished the book - it just isn't interesting.
Average customer rating:
- Mixed Feelings About This One!!!! (spoilers)
- Interesting Story, Characters, and Setting
- Lots of family feuding, scheming and passion.
- Not for fans of historical fiction
- Not going to just give it all away...
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Through a Glass Darkly
Karleen Koen
Manufacturer: Sourcebooks Landmark
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
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Literary
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| Literature & Fiction
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Historical
| Genre Fiction
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ASIN: 1402200447
Release Date: 2003-05-01 |
Book Description
Sourcebooks Landmark proudly reintroduces this classic historical novel.
Karleen Koen's sweeping saga contains unforgettable characters consumed with passion: the extraordinarily beautiful fifteen-year-old noblewoman, Barbara Alderley; the man she adores, the wickedly handsome Roger MontGeoffry; her grandmother, the duchess, who rules the family with cunning and wit; and her mother, the ineffably cruel, self-centered and licentious Diana. Like no other work, Through a Glass Darkly is infused with intrigue, sweetened by romance and awash in the black ink of betrayal.
--Sold 130,000 hardcover and 600,000 mass paperback
--New York Times bestseller for five consecutive months
--A former Book of the Month Club Main Selection
"Lives up to every expectation. It's magnificent!"-Cleveland Plain Dealer
"A completely involving story power, greed, family conflict, burning ambition and passion kindle the plot. Readers will be captivated!"-Publishers Weekly
"Fast-paced and fun to read!"-Glamour
"Engaging, elegant, chock full of sex and gossip."-Philadelphia Inquirer
Customer Reviews:
Mixed Feelings About This One!!!! (spoilers).......2007-09-25
Ok here goes.....I love fictional books based off historical times. I must admit that this book was definitely a page turner for me, I could not put it down. I cried, cheered, fumed, and laughed(very little though). Do not read this book if you suffer from depression. The leading lady went through more in her 5 years (15-20years old in the book)then some of us and our own parents go through put together.
I have mixed feelings about this book because it seemed like there was never any happiness. The leading man was 27 years older than her, I can get passed that because of the time period. He feel in love with her, how and when? From part one to part two, 3 years in between, there was no real detail as to what happened to her life, just little snippets that she would think about.
The descriptions of places and events was just too much. There was more thinking in their heads and descriptions of events than conversation and this is a pretty good sized book for all that.
I do not think I would ever buy another book from this author because she is just too depressing!
Interesting Story, Characters, and Setting.......2007-07-09
I liked this book. Just Like, not Love. The setting, details, and timeframe were intriguing to me and there were definitely some strange happenings in the book that kept it interesting to the end. The characters and relationships are well-developed. This author is certainly not afraid to kill off characters, that's for sure. I think this book is worthing reading, though I haven't bothered to order the sequel or prequel yet. Maybe when my to-read list gets a little shorter...
Lots of family feuding, scheming and passion........2007-07-08
There is something about summertime that just begs for a long, lazy read. Books for the beach have become the catch-phrase for this sort of thing, novels full of intrigue and passion, of lovers doing all of the wrong things, and plenty to make you sit up and go Oh! How could he do that!? If your tastes run towards the historical novel, author Karleen Koen has come up with a humdinger of a story, full of frustrated longings, greed, and plenty of tangles to keep anyone engrossed for a week or two.
Queen Anne of England has died, and a new dynasty has come to rule in England. King George I is from the small German kingdom of Hannover, and has a very tenuous claim to the English throne. Already there is a brewing rebellion, and for one noble English family, strife is already pulling the family apart.
Alice, the Duchess of Tamworth, is elderly, and has already buried her beloved husband and all of her children, save one. That particular child, the vicious, sexual Diana, is creating scandal by trying to divorce her husband, a known Jacobite rebel, and is more than willing to do anything to see it happen. One of those things is selling her daughter, the beautiful, vivacious Barbara off to the highest bidder. The same goes for her son, Harry. Clearly Diana is one of those parents who doesn't care too much for the wellbeing of her children.
For Barbara, there is only one man that she cares for -- the wealthy, charming Roger, Lord Devane. She has had a hopeless love for him since childhood, and now at the age of fifteen, she's certain that he is the man for her, despite the fact that he's more than old enough to be her father. And Roger, for his part, has always been on good terms with the Tamworth family -- he was a close friend of Alice's husband, Richard, serving alongside him in the long wars with Louis XIV of France. And Barbara, with her enchanting voice, red-gold hair and vibrancy, has more than a little of her grandfather with her.
But for every rosy romance, there's bound to be a few spots of trouble. And for Roger and Barbara, the list is long. There's her mother, Diana, whose greed nearly ruins everything, Aunt Abigail who wants Barbara to marry not at all, her hulking son Tony, the current Duke of Tamworth. But Barbara perserves and when she finally manages to get Roger as her husband, it seems that the future is going to unfold itself into a glamourous future.
Most of the novel takes place in Paris, where Barbara and Roger settle for a time. This is the time of the Regency, where the child-king Louis XV is little more than a mouthpiece for his uncle, Philippe d'Orleans. Paris is a decadent, free-wheeling society where gambling, sex, duels and adultery are common. For an innocent like Barbara, madly in love with her husband, it's going to be an eye-opening adventure. She attracts several would be lovers, including the wicked Duc de Richelieu, and finds out that wanting isn't quite the same as having -- especially when an old friend of her husband's turns up, more than eager to renew the relationship...
I don't want to reveal much more of the plot here, as it's quite a potboiler, full of betrayals and friendships. Koen's writing style tends to be rather florid, but she manages to keep it from getting too over the top. I was hooked by the descriptive writing, and how she managed to let the reader into this world of aristocratic indulgence. There's flashes of humour and insight, along with some pretty deep personal anguish and unhappiness. Too, she's not afraid to have tragedy strike a beloved character either.
Best of all, it was her knowledge of the lifestyles and attitudes of the period that made this book such a pleasure to read. A major twist of the plot invloves the infamous South Sea bubble, and the theories of John Law, an economist that proposed letting credit and inflation solve the debt of a nation. All of this has a major effect on the story, and builds to quite a climax -- and a very unusual ending.
While this isn't a short novel -- it takes more than 750 pages to tell the story, it is certainly worth the time. The narrative flows smoothly, the anachronisms are kept to a minimum if at all, and I got to genuinely care about what happens to everyone. Even Diana, the spite filled bag of venom that she is.
This was originally published in 1986, and turned into an instant bestseller. There was a sequel to this as well, Now Face to Face which continues the story; the sequel has been long out of print, but is scheduled to be reprinted in January 2008. And for those who are intrigued by the story of the old Duchess, Alice, her story is told in [...]
If you want an involved story that blends history, romance, and human nature, this is one great read. I was happily entertained for several days over this one, and would happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
Not for fans of historical fiction.......2007-07-02
I had seen this book on a list of recommended reading under the category, British historical fiction. The history is a backdrop; that is, the setting is the early 18th Century. But don't expect to learn much about the times.
The author spends the first 200 pages on a marriage contract that ultimately fails. Why she takes 200 pages to get to the point is beyond me.
I did get a good sense of the characters. So if you like character development and stories about family relationships, you might like it. What I read of the book resembled WIDEACRE by Philippa Gregory. But if you are looking for historical fiction, look elsewhere.
Not going to just give it all away..........2007-06-29
Well, I'm not going to tell you what happened and spoil the book - like some readers do. What's the use in reading it if you already know what happens? This is a great book. It is highly recommended.
Book Description
As Cecilia lies ill in bed and her family prepare for Christmas, knowing she will not recover, an angel steps through her window. But Ariel is no ordinary angel - at least, he does not conform to conventional ideas of what an angel looks like and says. He likes nothing better than to sit around and chat about life, death and the universe. Through a Glass, Darkly is a springboard for a spirited and thoroughly engaging series of conversations between Cecilia and her angel.
As the weeks pass and winter turns to spring, subtle changes take place in the relationship between Cecilia and her family, as she swings from feelings of anger and denial, hope and despair, to a calm acceptance of her lot. She is preparing to leave...
Customer Reviews:
Preparing to leave.......2005-02-12
This book is usually being considered a children's book. However, having taken care of a parent who died, I recommend this book to everyone who is going through the same thing - either preparing to leave, or guiding and assisting someone who is dying. This book is deeply touching, true, and above all comforting. No matter what age.
Lovely.......2004-09-03
The only reason I did not give 5 stars is that this book was so short. I actually made myself stop reading the first night I got it because I did not want it to end so fast.
I think that the author could have written much more with the plot... a girl talking to an angel about heaven, an angel asking a girl about life on earth...there is a lot of room for discussion. The ending was very abrupt. Even so, Mr. Gaarder shares some lovely ideas through the words of Cecilia (the main character). This book had a few moments that reminded me of Sophie's World, something totally bizarre that made me literally stop, and think. I love Mr. Gaarder's style, it is almost magical.
My only regret is that I read this book in just 2 nights, but I am certain I will read it again. I highly recommend it!!
Awesome!.......2003-04-05
I loved this book! Jostein Gaarder's books are all very good, at least the one's I have read, and I am looking for more to read. In Through a Glass, Darkly Jostein Gaarder shows the readers insightful philosophies to life.
This book is about a girl who is dying of cancer. Her guardian angel is taking care of her, keeping her company, and asking her insightful questions that lead to her own philosophising. It was really a very good book, I couldn't put it down!
Wondering at Wondering/gnirednoW ta gnirednoW.......2002-04-26
Reading "Through a Glass, Darkly" is like having a conversation with one's image in the mirror and learning that a whole other world exists on the other side of the glass. It's enough to make anyone's mind a little turvy-topsy, if you take my meaning.
Here is an example of what to expect: At the beginning of the novel, Cecilia draws an angel on her windowpane with one of her tears--a tear angel. It makes her wonder if tear angels are the same as angel tears. Like I said, everything is turned downsideup . . . but it all still manages to make sense.
The two main characters are a human girl named Cecilia and an angel from Heaven named Ariel. Cecilia is so ill that she cannot leave her bed, so Ariel comes to visit her on an angel watch. As he tells her things about Heaven, she tells him things about Earth; so this is really a conversation between an aspect of Heaven and an aspect of Earth. It so happens, Ariel tells Cecilia, that only angels and humans are able to wonder at themselves--to wonder at being able to wonder.
The conflict in this story comes more from their dialogue than from the plot. If you like philosophy, then you'll love the way they toss ideas back and forth like a game of pong-ping. "Through a Glass, Darkly" is more mystical than "Sophie's World", however, and more poetic. In "Sophie's World" Jostein Gaarder toyed with everyone's world of knowledge, asking us how we can be sure we know what we think we know. In this novelette, he plays with the heady concept that we are all eyes of God, scattered throughout Creation: the mirrors the Creator uses to see Himself and all His works. A philosopher/astrologer named Alan Watts described this same concept as "God, playing hide-and-seek with Himself." (Or isn't it seek-and-hide?)
This book is a lot like "Mr. God, This Is Anna" by Fynn. Part irreverent theology, part reverent heresy, "Through a Glass, Darkly" is so far-out that it speaks directly to what is close-in. Read it with an open mind and a young heart.
Two sides of the mirror.......2002-03-06
...This book is less than 200 pages long, but in it packs life's greatest revelations.
Cecelia, the book's central character, had been so sick in bed until she met an angel, Ariel. Ariel is a some kind of a missionary from Heaven. He's not fleash and blood like humans are and doesn't feel anything. He appears in front of Cecelia sometimes and when he does, you'll learn that there's a lot more than life (and death). From Ariel, anything can be so good that it hurts and anything so bad can actually be good. Ariel reminds Cecelia that human beings can only see one side of the mirror, and hence only read/see/feel/think one-sidely.
When Cecelia eventually revels in the philosophical teachings of Ariel, she begins to understand that death is, in fact, a continuity of life somewhere else somehow. While reading the book, I came across so many thoughts that seem simple but never been reflected before. A very wise book that makes you think that extra mile, of life and love.
Book Description
Through a Glass Darkly
was William Hinton's last book. It draws on a lifetime of immersion in Chinese politics and society, beginning with the seven years he spent in China, working mainly in agriculture and land reform, until 1953. On his return to the United States in that year, Hinton first encountered the distortions and misrepresentations of the Chinese Revolution that he examines in this book.
Hinton defends the achievements of the Chinese Revolution during the three decades from 1948 to 1979 from its detractors both in the United States and, since 1979, in China itself. His starting point is the work of John K. Fairbank, for many years a professor at Harvard and the “dean of China Studies” in the United States. But it is not limited to critique. Instead, Hinton's critique of Fairbank leads into a wide-ranging examination of the nature of the transformation attempted in China, its social and political bases, and the causes and consequences of its policies in land reform, agriculture, combating famine, popular culture, industrialization, morality, and much else besides.
Moving from large questions to concrete details, often drawn from his own experiences, Hinton brings everyday life in revolutionary China graphically to life. In a time when the distorted views first developed by U.S. critics of the Chinese Revolution are often propagated by the new Chinese elite themselves,
Through a Glass Darkly has more than just historical relevance. For anyone wishing to understand present-day rivalries between the United States and China, Hinton shows how these began. This is a fitting completion of the work of a great scholar and revolutionary.
Customer Reviews:
Not Hinton's Best, but Still Very Fine.......2007-04-05
Hinton's courageous, fascinating, and incisive life and work are best reflected in his, "Fanshen," and "Shenfan," the former a view from the grassroots of the Chinese Maoist revolution demonstrating the many advances made by peasants and working people. Fanshen means overturning, as in overturning the soil, or overcoming a social system, or transforming yourself. "Shenfan," describes the counter-revolution in China, the restoration of capitalist social relations, again as seen from the grassroots (literally, Hinton was both a farmer and a writer).
The book at hand is mainly a polemic opposing what Hinton saw as reactionary, biased, research produced in the west, research attacking the advances of the Chinese revolution, without good foundation. As Hinton's work on China stands up better than most, and as he was there at the time after all, his views cannot be dismissed.
Moreover, Hinton recreates much of the history he offered in his earlier works, in shorter form, which may appeal to some readers, but the price of reading the longer works is worth is. Even so, Hinton's near worship of Mao can get to be a little much.
The Chinese Revolution was a great advance over the Bolshevik coup in that it truly involved millions of people in daily decision making power as well as the fact that it truly transformed the industrial and agricultural base of China, making the present dramatic economic leaps possible.
Hinton's defense of the revolution's gains is passionate and well put. He locates his opposition withing the old Guomindang and social reaction in the US, an interesting parallel. And, for those who tend to forget, Hinton is one of those who will always serve as a reminder that all of history is a history of class struggle.
Book Description
Through a Glass Darkly tells the story of Ron Hennessey, an Iowa farmer who returned from the Korean War to discover that farming no longer held much allure. Hennessey joined a Catholic missionary society and after nine years of study was ordained a priest and sent to Guatemala. The book describes Hennessey's conversion from being an unapologetic patriot from America's heartland to a staunch opponent of Ronald Reagan's policies in Central America - policies that occasionally threatened Hennessey's life. Hennessey's story has a subtext: America's ideals of freedom, democracy, and progress-with-justice have been violated abroad by one U.S. president after another.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Book about Guatemala's recent history.......2006-06-03
I highly recommend this book, which is both a personal narrative and an overview of Guatemala's history. In telling the story of Fr. Ron Hennessy, it also provides adequate background and context for understanding what happened in Guatemala from the 1960s to the present.
Life of Ron Hennessey changes direction of our lives........2005-08-05
There are individuals and events that change our direction. These persons or events are so meaningful that we see or possibly live in a better way after that experience. Through a Glass Darkly is a book that can improve the way you live. This is about the U. S. Holocaust in Central America. This window into the life of Ron Hennessey is two intertwined stories. Ron's life with the remote hill people of Guatemala is presented as if you are with him as he meets people in the front room of his tiny residence or in his jeep. The heroic and savage experiences were taken from letters Ron send home and from many interviews by the author who worked in Guatemala seven years before Ron's arrival.
The other equally compelling story intertwined with Ron's journey in Guatemala is a well documented and pertinent Central America and U.S. political and social history from 1954 and the next 40 years. You will view the U. S. government in a new way after this book. We know the media gives a sanitized simplistic view of world events. What happens behind closed doors both in government and church that gives direction to human behavior whether it be heroic, bazaar or horrific? This book gives a documented view into the cause and effect of the range of human behaviors. Current controlled conflict behaviors are the results of lessons learned in Central America and they are exposed here. If you want to observe U.S. policies on conflict, judge your approval of our government behavior and, thereby formulate reasonable action, read this book.
A gripping tale of genocide.......2005-03-03
This is a book for which many have been waiting. Genocide is a difficult subject to think about, let alone read about in gruesome detail. The stark facts about the genocide of the indigenous Mayans in Guatemala during the 1970's and 1980's have been reported by others, but not in an easily readable format. Other sources have attempted to spell out the role of the US government in the genocide, but more in a legal or academic tone. There are many documented accounts of individual massacres in Guatemala. These individual stories are important, but are more in the nature of individual snapshots. This book tells the longitudinal story in measured detail and in a personal manner through the life story of Maryknoll priest Ron Hennessey.
The book pulls the reader in by describing the gentle nature of the indigenous Mayans and their struggle for survival in their simple villages. Those who are fortunate to escape early death due to malnutrition and poor health care are faced with the new threat of the Guatemalan military. The unspeakable torture and murders are so much more meaningful after identifying with the villagers through Hennessey. The question screams out in the reader's mind: "What did these gentle people do to deserve their fate?" The book presents a thorough explanation of the role (both active and passive) of the US government in the genocide.
This book will appeal to those with a strong interest in Latin America, but also to the general reader with interests in US foreign policy. One warning -- most readers will feel emotionally drained after experiencing the horrors of the Guatemalan villagers through the eyes of Ron Hennessey.
One Man's Fight to Stop US Betrayal of American Ideals.......2005-02-21
Through a Glass Darkly describes how US foreign military aid breeds hate and fear and the disasters that result. Many foreigners have a split vision of America - while they admire individual Americans for their ideals they abhor US foreign military aid.
This book chronicles the life of Father Ron Hennessey, a Korean War veteran turned missionary who dedicated himself to bettering the lives of Mayan Indians living in the remote mountains of Guatemala. Padre Ron gets caught in the war between communist inspired insurgents and the army of a banana republic despot. Most of the victims of this tragic conflict are innocent children, women and men. This is a tale of a dedicated man's resolve to tell Americans about US duplicity and this disastrous page of US foreign policy.
Unafraid to name names the author reveals the lies and deception of US government diplomats and CIA operatives as they tried to cover-up the consequences of a policy run amuck. It's not a pretty picture but Melville suggests how we can change this on-going dysfunctional foreign policy that continues to this day. Americans need to hear about these behind the scene goings-on so they will pressure the government to change our policy to reflect America's ideals as practiced by men like Ron Hennessey.
For those unfamiliar with Mayan culture and 500 years of repression in Central America Melville sprinkles anthropological and historical insights throughout the story. It's the kind of book that inspires the reader to exclaim, "Oh now I understand why we're in this mess. That's why young people turn into insurgents."
It's a good read with an important message that will help defeat terrorism at its roots.
Ron Hennessey ¡Presente!.......2005-02-20
Through a Glass Darkly by Thomas Melville. Reviewed by Larry Egan
Government corruption, hit squads, ecclesiastical intrigue, blood and guts and a lone person fighting the forces of evil sound like the ingredients for Dan Brown's next thriller. But this is Tom Melville's biography of Ron Hennessey, Maryknoll Priest, and his struggle in Guatemala to help his parishioners in El Petén and later in San Mateo Ixtan survive between the military forces of the government and the guerilla forces attempting to overthrow the various military regimes of the 70s and 80s,
Tom starts with Ron's early life in Iowa. His family,-sharecropper farmers,-provide a conservative but deeply socially involved environment in which he develops his own commitment to others. His service in Korea opens his eyes to the suffering and needs of others outside the US. In his own way he helps them-within and outside "the rule". This eventually leads Ron to Maryknoll.
As a classmate and friend of Ron since he joined Maryknoll, I found the book really portrayed Ron as we knew him. The class of 64 had a great habit of giving its members nicknames. Ron's was VOM (The Vile Old Man). He was the senior student and famous for his earthy farm humor. You never knew whether Ron had just given you a compliment or a real zinger. Ron always allowed you to draw your own conclusions.
Ron arrived in Guatemala in 1964 and served in several parishes in the Quetzaltenango area with Mayan Indigenas. This area was adjacent to Huehuetenango, the major commitment of Maryknoll in Central America at that time. Like most of us Ron was aware of the exploitation of the indigenas by the local power structure dominated by the Ladinos (Spanish speaking mestizos). But he tended to see it as a local issue rather than a systemic one.
Tom Melville's own experiences and reaction to the situation was not embraced by most of us in the region. Butit moved many of us to study the situation more globally and in a more systemic manner. Tom refers to his and Marge's own involvement with the guerillas in a few short sentences and in some footnotes and moves on. He is telling Ron's story and not trying to score points or -fight old battles.
As Ron witnesses the genocide of the various military regimes of Arana, Rios Montt and Lucas Garcia he begins to agonize how he can best serve the people with whom he works. He is never comfortable with overtly promoting the guerillas' cause since he was never convinced that they would produce positive changes for the indigenas, though he unquestionably favored them as the lesser of two evils. He also knows that what ever he says will influence people and likely get some of them killed. This struggle is the underlying thread of all that Ron does. He second-guesses himself at times. He gets angry with himself, the Church and God, but continues in the struggles despite his doubts and lack of clear and precise answers.
As the massacres began to increase Ron actively sent eyewitness accounts to his three nun sisters in Iowa and asked them to publicize the atrocities in the US press. His later conversations with the US Embassy officials who try to get him to change his statements to a "more balanced" view are right out of Alice in Wonderland. Embassy officials then proceed to misquote him out of context.
Ron's distaste for Cardinal Casariego and his policies is clear. His growing friendship for Archbishop Romero comes through in ways that probably will surprise many. His willingness to publicly expose Casariego and the Papal Nuncio's machinations in the Vatican against Romero are an illuminating but little known aspect of the larger struggle in the Church in Central America. Pope John Paul II should at least question his choice of informational sources if not his own part in the devastation of the local churches of Central America in this period.
The members of the Maryknoll Central American Region elected Ron regional superior four times,-twice before he began his public campaign to publicize the atrocities-and twice after. Ron always joked that academically he was 41st in a class of 40. People chose Ron as their leader not because of his intellectual prowess, but because of his honesty and commitment to justice for all. His willingness to work with everyone and slowly but surely call it as he saw it resonated with the region. This comes out clearly in his dealings with Bill Woods and Bill's subsequent death. His investigation which finally leads Ron to the conclusion that Bill and his five companions were indeed killed by the Guatemalan military powers will add lots of new information for many.
Tom uses two literary techniques in telling the story. The first is translating the rudimentary Spanish of the local indigena people into idiomatic (pidgin?) English. This is particularly effective in capturing the flavor of some of the discourses. The conversations that Ron has with five guerillas who arrive at the rectory at midnight are a microcosm of the ideological and human concerns that were dominating the area. Despite significant differences in outlooks, the guerillas and Ron part "friends". Tom also weaves the past history of Guatemala, from the conquest to the elections of Arévalo and Arbenz in the fifties, to the later military regimes of Castillo Armas and his successors. This background is essential for placing Ron's life in the wider context of the situation of Central America. For those who know the region this is effective. For those coming to the region for the first time the jumps in chronology may be a bit difficult to follow at times.
While there are a few things that I would have a different interpretation of or different take on, they are minor and in no way detract from the author's main thrust. The book does not use Ron's story to provide a vehicle for a larger social thesis but presents the social, religious and political realities of Central America as the context in which Ron had to make painful decisions.
This book should be a must for all persons who value justice.. It recalls the idealism and conviction that they have felt in their own life. For those who knew Ron it recalls in vivid detail his laconic wit, pithy sayings and deep commitment to serving the Mayan Indians of the altiplano of Guatemala. It also should be on the mandatory reading list for the Vatican School of Diplomacy. It highlights the role that nuncios play in the political and religious life of the people they serve and the devastating influence they can have if they forget that they are Church people before they are political operators. The State Department should also put it on its list of books diplomats should read. Why the people of the world like Americans and hate the foreign policy of the US Government, Republican or Democratic-is graphically presented. US Government officials who lie to protect the integrity of US policy and bishops who lie for the good of Holy Mother Church are apt bedfellows. Tom names names. Lastly anyone involved in Peace and Justice work will find in the book an inspiration to continue the struggle to help those in the two-thirds world.
Customer Reviews:
deeply intreging.......2000-04-05
Through a Glass Darkly: Reflections on Personal Identity in Early America is an outstanding resource for entertainment and aquiring knowledge on a civilization that has been long overlooked and misrepresented. This book is for someone looking to better understand the relationship between early American settlers and Native American tribes. What ended in the massacre of the indigenous tribes, began with a peaceful relationship based on trade and commerce.
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Through a Glass Darkly: Essays in the Religious Imagination
John Hawley
Manufacturer: Fordham University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0823216365
Release Date: 1996-01-01 |
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