Marie Graham has driven from Northampton and the funeral of her much-loved great aunt, Clara Pelletier, to Montreal to find her dear Uncle Charlie in the Sisters of the Sacred Heart nursing home, where he has lived for over twenty-five years. Their reunion is bittersweet. Uncle Charlie, nearly ninety-three, is failing. His greatest wish is to know everything that happened to the family that he left behind when he disappeared after serving his prison sentence for the accidental killing of his brother. Marie tells him the story of their French-Canadian family from the time right after World War II until 1980. All the joy and sorrow are here, all the choices made and the consequences described. This is a tale of lives lived in a time of change when old ways gave way to new challenges and new possibilities. Pete returned home from the war determined to pursue his dream of a successful business. Angela learned from her experience working in a bomb factory that she likes the feeling of accomplishment she experienced then and seeks to find that again. Clara demonstrates her capacity to love and to survive whatever life deals her. Marie and Amy and Petey are examples of how the strength of strong family bonds guide each new generation. These are characters to capture your interest and your heart.

This is a continuation of a story about a family of French-Canadians living in Northampton, Massachusetts. If you have not already met these characters in "Forgive me, Father," meet them here. The time now is 1941. Newsreels shown before every movie pictured Hitler making speeches, storm troopers marching through villages and bombs raining down on England. Newspapers were full of front page stories of Japanese soldiers wreaking havoc as they swept through the Asian continent. Men discussed the probability of going to war and women wept at the thought. Pete Billieux and Ray Carpenter declare it is their duty to enlist as the family clusters around the radio listening to the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Despite the pleas of the women the men go to war. This is the story of the women left behind to learn how to drive a car, handle money, grow a "victory" garden and work in a bomb-making factory. It is also about the lives of two men, following different paths, who endure boredom, frustration, venality, fear and pain. In letters back and forth between stations in England, France, North Africa, Sicily and Northampton, each of them remember the importance of family and the endurance of love. This book covers the time period between 1941 and 1945. The country was swept with patriotic fervor. Every man in the service felt that the cause was just, that the evil of Hitler and his Nazi Party and the warmongering of the Japanese Military leaders must be stopped. Factories ran night and day to produce the necessary equipment to win the war. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the war would be won, even knowing that the cost in lives of brave young men would be high. This is a tale ofordinary heroes, gallant men and women. They are complex individuals, full of contradictions, passionate in their commitments, courageous, infuriating and exasperating, all at the same time. You will recognize them from your own family histories and remember them long

This is a story about four generations of French-Canadians living in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1937. The country is still in the throes of the Great Depression. Living together, sharing chores, following old traditions, they are facing a major change as the elderly matriarch of the family is slowly dying. The turmoil that often accompanies inheritance issues grips them. Tensions between the oldest son and the youngest son about the disposition of property after Maman's death erupt in violence and tragedy. The younger daughter, a widow, lives at home, works in a hosiery factory and enjoys amorous adventures with traveling salesmen. One of those relationships brings an unexpected twist to the story. The tale is enriched by details of French-Canadian culture, Catholic Church rituals and the atmosphere of the period just before World War II. Although many people struggled to find jobs during that period, the majority carried on, adjusted their living accommodations, shared their resources and lived their lives in the same way people before them met adversity. They endured. These are complex characters, full of contradiction, passionate in their commitments, poignant in their grief. Readers will recognize them in their own families and remember Charlie, Oscar, Tillie and Clara long after they turn the last page.