The Peacemakers

I thought this was an excellent overview of the Sixties era. In fact I'm going to have my homeschool teens read it for historical value. It most certainly should keep their attention, as we were just discussing this particular time period, and then I came across the book and read it myself. I thought this book sums up the period pretty succinctly and does it in an entertaining way.

sole tiny nit: some of the dialogue is wooden, real wooden Characters: deep and interesting as usual. Travis Morgan's got the old inadequacy complex to deal with...he comes from a family who's spiritual and war history is rich, full, deep, and too good for him to live up to. Paige Morgan's big problem is that she's too ready to support causes not really her own. If she's ever going to be her own person she'll need to ditch the chameleon tendencies. Plot: Decently moving; Cavanaugh bounces the reader back and forth from Vietnam to California then to Chicago. The protests and wartime skirmishes are adequate, but not the best Cavanaugh's ever come up with. Comments: This is a fitting end to the An American Family Portrait series. I wish the series went on. It's open ended enough to have room for another but I think 8's a good number to close on. The family's faith has been weathered and time tested and is still growing strong. (no one who's never read the book will get the last comment: I think the epilogue is a Cavanaugh delusion of grandeur; but one I secretly share:-)

I don't like it as much as the first 7 books, but Jack Cavanaugh still has a way of drawing you into the story and keeping your interest alive. It does show the awful situations of the 60's...I guess that's why I didn't like it as much; because of the immoral living condition of the college people. And I also wasn't sure what to make of the ending, about the "Jesus movement". It seemed to be leading people to Christ, but it was an unusual and odd sort of thing, and I felt uncomfortable with it. I'm sure the Lord did use the young people in that movement, but it just seemed to go against some of the Biblical principals. Maybe not.Anyway, I enjoyed the book over all--the war part was exciting and emotional, as well as the rest--and I hope Jack Cavanaugh continues to write these kinds of good historical novels!

Jack Cavanaugh gives an exciting glimpse of one of the most turbulent times in our country's recent history. He weaves the stories of a brother and sister deeply involved in the politics of the day, with the Vietnam War and the protester riots, and he does so with such depth of emotion and engaging style that a subject I would ordinarily have found depressing took on new meaning. I want to read more books by Jack Cavanaugh.