Lightning in July

by Ann L. McLaughlin

Hally, a gifted musician, and Dan, a history scholar, meet and fall in love when both of them are admitted to the hospital after being struck by polio

Genres: Fiction

179 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Ann L. McLaughlin is the author of eight highly acclaimed novels including Lightning in July and Amy and George. She teaches at the Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland and lives in Chevy Chase.

Reviews

[Ramona · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short medical romance about the pandemic of Polio that hit around 1950, putting people of all ages into the Iron Lung. The author and her husband were victims, survived but their lives changed forever. The Polio vaccine was discovered by Dr. Jonas Salk three months later. Many are paralyzed for life and live in the Lung. Others died. Many survived, but forever in wheelchairs or unable to speak and others had some or no effects. Hally and Dan are the main characters-a professional flutist with a budding career and Dan a Harvard man from a rich family. What will be their outcome? An easy read, but I would have liked more background or characterization through the story of Halley, Dan, and the other main supporting characters. This was a big event in history, so the story could have elaborated on that a bit more, also.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of two people brought down and through the Boston polio epidemic of 1955. An eye into the dire struggle with polio in the days before the Salk vaccine. The human spirit prevails.

[Taffey Champion · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book. Although the characters within this manuscript are fictitious, it was phenomenal reading about how the two protagonists find true love, while recovering from the catastrophic effects of two differing variations of the polio disease. Fighting their fears of the unknown whilst falling in love, had its moments of realism; especially since the novel's courageous Author, and her spouse were BOTH equal sufferers of the life-threatening polio epidemic in America. I do indeed recommend this novel to anyone that may be interested in reading it.

[Margaret Boehm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riviting story about two young people who contaced polio. They had never met before a concert they attended separtely days before they both came down with polio. Compassionate and well written

[Gary Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to read. A page turner. Enjoy.

[Diane Wachter · Rating 3 out of 5]

RDC-M V 5 1991, 7/10. A novel about a scholar and a flutist who both contract polio in the early 1950's and find love and courage during their struggle to survive. Good.