Unity (1918)

By Kevin Kerr

Book Overview

In the fall of 1918, a world ravaged by four years of war was suddenly hit by a mysterious and deadly plague--the "spanish Flu." The illness struck not only the young and the elderly, but also people in the prime of their lives, advancing rapidly toward mortality in its victims. This phenomenon in effect brought the terror, the panic, the horror and the sense of helplessness of the Great War home with the returning soldiers--more people died of this epidemic than had been killed in battle throughout the armed conflict. As fear of the dreaded flu begins to fill the town of Unity with paranoia, drastic measures are taken. The town is quarantined in an attempt to keep the illness out. Trains are forbidden to stop, no one can enter, and the borders are sealed. Mail from overseas, feared to be carrying the deadly virus, is gathered and then burned. But when the disease descends upon the town despite their precautions, the citizens begin to turn on each other as they attempt to find a scapegoat for the crisis. Very little has been written about this worldwide calamity which, more than the war itself, destroyed forever the genteel and naive presumptions of European colonial society at the beginning of the twentieth century. Kevin Kerr offers audiences not only an epic chronicle of this forgotten chapter of Canadian history, but a chilling preview of the beginnings of our own new century. The play is a gothic romance, filled with dark comedy and the desperate embrace of life at the edge of death.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0889224617
• ISBN13: 9780889224612
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Talonbooks
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Bound to be a classic

After learning that Unity (1918) was awarded the prestigious Governor General Award for English Drama, I had to have a look. What a joy! Although I don't regularily read plays, but I am sure glad I read this one. The characters (esp. Sissy!!) are amazing. Although it is set near the end of WWI, I feel like I know these people. With the craziness that is happening in our world today, one can sure relate to the happenings in this story.I know it is bandied about way too much--eveything seems to be labelled a classic within minutes--but I honestly forsee Unity becoming a Canadian classic. Mark my words, your kids will be studying this in highschool at some point. It's a universal story with gorgeous details and characters so real they slap in you in the face.I haven't had the opportunity to see a production of this, but if one comes to my city (please!) I'm going to rush out an see it. I strongly, highly, deeply recommend this book!

Heartbreakingly beautiful

A beautiful play about the 1918 flu epidemic in a small town on the Canadian prairies. Kerr writes full and loveable characters that seem to breathe off the page. There are elements of Canadian Gothic, humour and poetry that make the story complex and intriguing. We feel the terror and love the people of Unity experience. Kerr is a first class playwright with a promising career ahead of him.