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AudibleInk - The Last Town on Earth: A Novel
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List Price: $13.95
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Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
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FREE SHIPPING on Orders over $25!
Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780812975925
ISBN: 0812975928
Label: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 432
Publication Date: 2007-07-31
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Release Date: 2007-07-31
Studio: Random House Trade Paperbacks
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Editorial Reviews:
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Set against the backdrop of one of the most virulent epidemics that America ever experienced–the 1918 flu epidemic–Thomas Mullen’s powerful, sweeping first novel is a tale of morality in a time of upheaval.
Deep in the mist-shrouded forests of the Pacific Northwest is a small mill town called Commonwealth, conceived as a haven for workers weary of exploitation. For Philip Worthy, the adopted son of the town’s founder, it is a haven in another sense–as the first place in his life he’s had a loving family to call his own.
And yet, the ideals that define this outpost are being threatened from all sides. A world war is raging, and with the fear of spies rampant, the loyalty of all Americans is coming under scrutiny. Meanwhile, another shadow has fallen across the region in the form of a deadly illness striking down vast swaths of surrounding communities.
When Commonwealth votes to quarantine itself against contagion, guards are posted at the single road leading in and out of town, and Philip Worthy is among them. He will be unlucky enough to be on duty when a cold, hungry, tired–and apparently ill–soldier presents himself at the town’s doorstep begging for sanctuary. The encounter that ensues, and the shots that are fired, will have deafening reverberations throughout Commonwealth, escalating until every human value–love, patriotism, community, family, friendship–not to mention the town’s very survival, is imperiled.
Inspired by a little-known historical footnote regarding towns that quarantined themselves during the 1918 epidemic, The Last Town on Earth is a remarkably moving and accomplished debut.
From the Hardcover edition.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Stranger Than Fiction
Comment:
Referencing a real life incident- the Spanish Flu of 1918, this book deals with a town that quarantined itself and the ramificantions of such a decision. The characters are well-defined. Excellent book for book clubs!
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Last Town on Earth
Comment: An interesting scenario plays out when a small and remote logging town quarantines itself to escape a mysterious illness that has spread through the nation. The illness is reminiscent of the plague and the fear that grips the town leads to interesting interactions. However when the illness comes anyway despite their precautions, there are new and interesting challenges they must face. This is a book worth reading.
Customer Rating:
Summary: great book
Comment: This was a great book I couldn't put it down. My bookclub read it and we did a town hall meeting and voted on different scenarios before we discussed the book. I enjoyed reading the book and it made for a spirited discussion.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Last Town on Earth: A Novel
Comment: I absolutely loved this story, this would be a great read whether it was 1958 or 2008. If well-developed characters are an interest for you, start reading. If we are interested in our future, we must learn lessons from the past. I see so many parallels from this historical tale to our world of today. Don't worry about the details of the story, the less you know in advance the more interesting the tale. The writer takes you to this time and place, emotionally and physically; you can see it, taste it, smell it, feel it, and experience it. The characters are believable and their conflicts very real. As the author so delicately weaves the historical, philosophical, and ethical issues together, the importance of respect and understanding for each human being is crystalized. Enough said. I have never provided a review before but I just had to share my thoughts on this book and this author. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Decent idea poorly executed.
Comment: Astonishing that this book has gotten 5-star reviews from readers; I couldn't even finish it.
It's a worthy premise, and because I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, I was hooked by the dust jacket promising a powerful piece of historical fiction set in a small Washington logging town. But the author proves to be a rather clumsy writer, his prose full of anachronisms, and his characters shallow and obvious.
The horrific incident that sets the plot in motion, when two townsmen have to kill an interloper (fearing he may be carrying the influenza virus) is handled perfunctorily to say the least. I also didn't like the way the story's hero is set up to be shy, physically handicapped 16-year-old Philip Worthy -- whose unworldly viewpoint could have provided a prism through which to follow events, in the grand tradition of so many other novels centered around a youthful protagonist -- but the author suddenly leaps into the mind and memories of his adult friend Graham. I found this jarring, and a sign of a novice writer struggling to advance the tale he wants to tell. My interest waned steadily and after a few more chapters, I ultimately put the book aside unfinished. I don't often do that.
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