HOSANNAH TREE

by Margaret Shedd ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 10, 1967

This is very different from Margaret Shedd's earlier, contemporary novels and it is based partially on her own experience as a missionary child in Persia. The time is World War I and a city in Kurdistan represents the multi-national interests, from material (oil) to spiritual (Moslem vs. Christian) which divide and destroy. Aliabad, once a ""place of peace and righteousness's"" now witnesses the killing of one of the missionaries in an American compound and this follows the fate of two of the families within it; the death of Dr. Cogswell, its head (fever) after his daughter runs off with a Moslem; the succession of Will Lucas who during the time here will lose his wife (also fever), his retarded son (whom he is forced to send away) and eventually his own life. Personal sacrifices annotate the larger tragedy and while the story itself sometimes straggles and strays, it is historically instructive and it does reflect the self-effacing strength of its characters.

Pub Date: March 10, 1967

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1967

Categories: FICTION