The Day the Falls Stood Still - Softcover

Buchanan, Cathy Marie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1401341632 ISBN 13: 9781401341633

Publisher: Hachette Books, 2010

Synopsis

"A wonderful love story . . . Buchanan weaves Niagara Falls' history and her storytelling together masterfully."
--Elle

1915. Niagara Falls. The dawn of the hydroelectric power era. Seventeen-year-old Bess Heath, who has led a sheltered existence as the younger daughter of the director of the Niagara Power Company, meets Tom Cole by chance on a trolley platform and finds herself inexplicably drawn to him--against her family's strong objections. Tom is not from their world. Rough-hewn and fearless, he lives off what the river provides and has an uncanny ability to predict the whims of the falls. His daring river rescues render him a local hero and cast him as a threat to the power companies who seek to harness the power of the falls for themselves. As the paths of Bess and Tom become entwined, Bess must make a painful choice between what she wants and what is best for her family and her future.

About this title

About the Author:

Cathy Marie Buchanan was born and raised in Niagara Falls and lives in Toronto. A graduate of the Humber School of Writing, her fiction has appeared in some of Canada's premiere journals, including: The Antigonish Review, The Dalhousie Review, The New Quarterly and Toronto Life. She is the recipient of grants from both the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council.

From Publishers Weekly:

Set against the backdrop of WWI and Niagara Falls, this debut tells the story of young Bess Heath and her struggle to navigate a quickly modernizing world. A child of privilege, Bess sees her fortunes change when her father loses his job. Cast into poverty, her family disgraced, Bess tries to hold things together while her sister slips into depression, her father drinks and her mother withdraws. After another tragedy strikes, Bess finds comfort in the love of Tom Cole, a river man with a mysterious connection to the falls. Overcoming the deep privation of the war and their own limited means, the two begin building a life together and renew their commitment to each other and their family. Based loosely on the history of Niagara river man William Red Hill, the book incorporates mock newspaper articles with limited success, but does integrate some detailed depictions of domestic life and fascinating natural history into an otherwise uneventful romance. (Sept.)
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About this edition

• Publisher: Hachette Books
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1401341632
• ISBN 13: 9781401341633
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320