Synopses & Reviews
With his unique blend of humor, Irish-American charm, and solid family values, Father Andrew M. Greeley continues to attract a new generation of readers and delight. his legion of loyal fans. A Midwinters Tale is the charming story of Charles Cronin's coming of age on the West Side of Chicago and post-war Germany.
The Second World War is over, but in Germany, the aftermath is a dangerous and heart-rending time: the black market is booming, government agents hunt down suspected war criminals and refugees for ruthless Russians, and everywhere the streets are filled with human suffering.
Charles "Chucky" Cronin is a short, wisecracking clerk typist with flaming red hair in the First Constabulary Regiment in Bamberg. All Chucky wants out of life is to go to his beloved Notre Dame, become an accountant, and have a nice orderly life, but the Deity seems to have other plans for him. Again and again his courage and compassion get him into impossible scrapes -- with black marketeers, border patrols, his commanding officer, and the U.S. Army -- and only his trademark combination of quick wit and blind luck (and maybe a little Heavenly intervention) see him safely out of harm's way. He may yet make it back home to a certain Rosemary Clancy in one piece after all, and wouldn't that be grand, don't ya know?
Review
"Fans of Greeley's trademarked light touch will enjoy yet another tale of the trials and turmoils of Chicago's own." --
The Irish American Post"Sentimentality and nostalgia for bygone days underlie this coming-of-age story from Greeley....Fans will love it." --Library Journal
"In this deft addition to this shelf of novels, Greeley once again shows his knack for combining solid characterizations, folksy prose, a bantamweight sense of history, and understated Catholic morality to make highly entertaining fiction." --Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Stationed in Bamberg, Germany, in the chaotic aftermath of WWII, pint-sized Charles "Chucky" Cronin O'Malley can't seem to keep himself out of harm's way. Whether it be with black marketeers, border patrols, or even his commanding officer, Chucky always seems to land in impossible scrapes, relying on a quick wit and blind luck (or is it Heavenly intervention?) to save his hide. And until the day he meets beautiful seventeen-year-old Trudi, a girl on the run from smugglers and the U.S. Army, he manages to keep himself in one piece. Trudi needs Chucky's help. If he isn't careful though, she may also make off with his heart.
About the Author
Priest, sociologist, author and journalist,
Father Andrew M. Greeley built an international assemblage of devout fans over a career spanning five decades. His books include the Bishop Blackie Ryan novels, including
The Archbishop in Andalusia, the Nuala Anne McGrail novels, including
Irish Tweed, and
The Cardinal Virtues. He was the author of over 50 best-selling novels and more than 100 works of non-fiction, and his writing has been translated into 12 languages.
Father Greeley was a Professor of Sociology at the University of Arizona and a Research Associate with the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago. In addition to scholarly studies and popular fiction, for many years he penned a weekly column appearing in the Chicago Sun-Times and other newspapers. He was also a frequent contributor to The New York Times, the National Catholic Reporter, America and Commonweal, and was interviewed regularly on national radio and television. He authored hundreds of articles on sociological topics, ranging from school desegregation to elder sex to politics and the environment.
Throughout his priesthood, Father Greeley unflinchingly urged his beloved Church to become more responsive to evolving concerns of Catholics everywhere. His clear writing style, consistent themes and celebrity stature made him a leading spokesperson for generations of Catholics. He chronicled his service to the Church in two autobiographies, Confessions of a Parish Priest and Furthermore!
In 1986, Father Greeley established a $1 million Catholic Inner-City School Fund, providing scholarships and financial support to schools in the Chicago Archdiocese with a minority student body of more than 50 percent. In 1984, he contributed a $1 million endowment to establish a chair in Roman Catholic Studies at the University of Chicago. He also funded an annual lecture series, “The Church in Society,” at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein, Illinois, from which he received his S.T.L. in 1954.
Father Greeley received many honors and awards, including honorary degrees from the National University of Ireland at Galway, the University of Arizona and Bard College. A Chicago native, he earned his M.A. in 1961 and his Ph.D. in 1962 from the University of Chicago.
Father Greeley was a penetrating student of popular culture, deeply engaged with the world around him, and a lifelong Chicago sports fan, cheering for the Bulls, Bears and the Cubs. Born in 1928, he died in May 2013 at the age of 85.