CATHEDRAL IN THE SUN

Not since I read The Journey of the Flame have I been swept back into the early days of California with such a convincing sense of seeing things happen around me. Cathedral in the Sun is the story of the Mission at Carmel, of the fine old priests who made it a wide influence through the people around it, of the struggle for ownership of California -- Spaniards, Mexicans, Americans, and of how the Mission was sacrificed to greed and ambition, of brief spurts of war and revolution and a shifting of government and control, from the years 1818 to 1882. The Indians, the peasants, the soldiers, the land grabbers and the gold seekers, all form a rapidly moving panorama of figures against which is told the story of Juan the fiddler and the mission convert, and of his daughter Loreta. It is in these simple Indians that the faith is kept alive, when the time comes for the rebuilding of the Mission. It is a moving story, with a deep emotional quality, with plenty of action, with conflict within and without. I found it fascinating reading, and feel sure that its sale on the Coast is assured. As for the rest of the country, word of mouth recommendation should help bring it the recognition it deserves. Read it and see for yourself.