Letters by a Half-Moon: A Novel

by Donald S. Smurthwaite

When his beloved wife dies without warning, John's life takes a turn he could never have predicted, and never would have made of his own choosing, as he struggles to survive a loss so suffocating that he can't even define it. Why was she taken so suddenly? What more should he have learned from his vibrant Callie? And how will he fill the seemingly endless days ahead? Unsure of his direction, John begins what appears to be a common journey but one that leads to an uncommon destination. Ultimately, Letters By A Half-Moon is the story of imperfect triumph in the most difficult of circumstances, as faith, feeling, and thought lead John to surprising conclusions.

Genres: Lds Fiction

142 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Karrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminded me a little of The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. I have read most of Donald S. Smurthwaite's books and have enjoyed ALL of them.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find this book very good it drew me in as I could feel the way John felt. My first wife has died and I felt the same type of loss even tho the circumstances were different. I felt the same yearning to be alone to figure out how to cope with the loss. This book is inspiring and helpful in helping to find reasons for such losses

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Hallmark kind of book, but I liked it more than the other. It's about a man who is widowed at the first page. Then how he deals with his loss. I'm at the age that I think about who is going to go first, me or my husband. A scary thought, but inevitable.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite LDS writer. Just enlightenment. And life.

[Christie Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this author, who is also one of Dave's favorite authors

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read this one this week.... loved it... I think it's the time of life I'm in now vs. in my 30's when I read it before... Several great quotes. From pg 87 "Wisdom and courage are inseparable. In what quantities, in what delicate equation, I'm unsure. But one cannot stand without the other." pg 89. in reference to relationships... "...It's a funny thing to say, but it's not half and half that combined makes a whole. It's a whole and a whole that makes a whole..." Beautifully written, and well thought out.

[Summers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read, but not an easy, lightweight one. It is the spiritual journey of a man who has just lost his wife. Gives some good insight into the feelings of loss and the hardship of recovery, though I'm sure each individual's conclusions may be different. A good book to remind us to not take anyone for granted.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

After my sister-in-law's death, I found a strange kind of comfort reading books of other people dealing with grief. This man's wife dies suddenly and unexpectedly. He goes to a friend's cabin to be alone and grieve - to get away from everyone and everything. He works on repairs at the cabin and begins to heal.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really nice, quick read about a man whose wife dies and he has to take some time to cope with it. Nothing too incredible but a nice read. I really like "A Wise Blue Autumn" by the same author.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

a Mormon man writes after his wife's passing

[Sheree · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the ending of the book. It is just a restful read but comes together in the end with several good messages. It wasn't the type of ending I was expecting.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read from Smurthwaite--directed to his typical audience of those of us in the back half of life.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books that help me reflect about important things in life, and Smurthwaite has a gift to see things with an eternal perspective.

[Aspen Flake · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sad and heavy yet hopeful. It made me want to be better