A Letter That Will Come Tomorrow

Naomi O’Hara
iUniverse (2008)
ISBN 9780595478835
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (9/08)


It is the year 2021.  Naomi O’Hara is a psychiatrist who knows she is dying.  She is on a train bound for New York for two reasons.  First, she wishes to be present for her grandchild’s birth.  Second, she intends to participate in a hunger strike at Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center bombings, because that act of terrorism has resulted in America being at war ever since.  Aboard the train she meets many interesting people and listens to their stories.

“A Letter That Will Come Tomorrow” incorporates the theme that war is wrong at all costs.  It does not bring about peace as many people suggest.  O’Hara examines how war often leads to a “forced patriotism” in the country’s residents or they will be deemed as traitors.  This heightened sense of patriotism rallies the citizens of a country but leads to a loss of humanity towards residents of the other countries involved.  Innocent people are killed or left homeless.  She also emphasizes how the national anthems of many countries glorify war.

This book is very philosophical in nature and should cause the reader to closely examine his or her beliefs about war.  O’Hara expertly uses the supporting characters to promote her views.  Joe is a Vietnam veteran who recounts his war stories, which involve not only the actual fighting, but also a special woman he met after his tour of duty.  Brianna is a highly intelligent teenager who seems to rebel against just about everything.  O’Hara uses Brianna’s innocence and her ability to only view things as right or wrong, with no shades of gray, to remind the reader that difficult situations can often be resolved if people would follow the basic principles of morality.

“A Letter That Will Come Tomorrow” by Naomi O’Hara would be a good choice for a reading group because it revolves around a highly-debated topic.  It could also provide stimulating conversation about what future societies may be like.  (In this novel, there is a female president, robots, and extremely tight security measures for travelers.)  When I started reading, 2021 seemed as if it is a long time from now.  It is actually a lot closer than many realize.

Make comment on weblog