At the core of the book is the internal struggle that can created by choices and Hansen's own struggle of faith. Should he and the town's doctor impose a quarantine, given the twin threats of diphtheria and fire? If so, when? Should he use his knowledge of the fact that a couple outsiders have died of diphtheria to send his wife and infant daughter away for safety's sake while not telling anyone else? What risks do his jobs pose his family and anyone else with whom he comes in contact? Why has God beset him and his town with plague and fire? O'Nan packs this all into less than 200 pages of highly readable prose.
Originally published in 1999, Picador Books is using the book's 10th anniversary to release a paperback edition as the summer 2009 selection for "The Best Book You Never Read." While A Prayer for the Dying isn't beach reading, it is a superb choice. If, like me, you haven't read this novel before, you are missing something very special. If you've already read it, it is unquestionably worth reading again - and again
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