Ash Wednesday

A Point in Time collection

By: Paula McLain

Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner

In this wrenching short story based on a real-life tragedy near Cleveland, Ohio, New York Times bestselling author Paula McLain reflects on one family’s perseverance in the face of the unthinkable.

On Ash Wednesday in 1908, Swiss German immigrant Fritz Hirter arrives at his children’s school, where he is the lone custodian. But soon after lessons start, a fast-moving fire breaks out—its cause is unknown, but its effects are horrifying. Although Fritz is soon cleared of any responsibility for the catastrophe, the community continues to suspect him, supremely testing Fritz and his family.

Paula McLain’s Ash Wednesday is part of A Point in Time, a transporting collection of stories about the pivotal moments, past and present, that change lives. Read or listen to each immersive story in a single sitting.

©2022 Paula McLain. (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Best of the Collection

Of the six I have listened to so far, backwards, this is the best one so far. I really enjoyed it and the narrator was fantastic.

Beautiful written and heartbreaking

A very short story told by the janitor of a school for immigrant children back in the early 1900s. Fritz shares his feelings that the school is dangerous and that there is not enough attention given to safety in the immigrant areas. Things start out normally, like all of the other days, but once tragedy starts to unfold, the story is riveting. The emotion Fritz displays as things unfold really struck a chord with me. It's a sad story, yes. But beautifully written and narrated.

Accident Waiting to Happen

Even though this is a story about a horror that actually happened, it was written in a style that the author masterfully created. I am a huge fan of all Paula McLain has written. I am a retired school teacher and this well-written novella resonated with me. The narrater did such a superb job with this narration. This is a story that will not be forgotten by me. I look forward to reading all of the novellas in this series, and will recommend them to all book lovers I know. I hope to see future novellas available in the future. What a great idea! Thank you Paula McLain for choosing to write this story and bringing the historical tragedy to life.

Important, little known true human drama

I didn’t realize until the epilogue that this was based on an actual historical incident, a sad chapter in American immigrant history. Dramatically narrated and compelling.

The agony of the families.

The way we have mistreated immigrants is deeply disturbing. We have created ghettos where those who came here to better themselves and create better lives for their families. While this man was exonerated that often not the case. I enjoyed the telling of his story.

Giving life to a very deadly tragedy

While the subject matter is depressing I’m glad to have read something, even though fiction, of a real event that at least gives us something to give us a view of the victims into what may have been true emotion and horror. I have read the account of this tragedy a few times and it’s shocking how immigrants and the poor were treated. However when I think back to my primary days in school, that building was also a death trap and I didn’t live in a community of immigrants and poverty. But there has always been cut backs and shortages in schools which create these dangers. Sadly, I don’t think that will ever change.

Short and Intriguing

This was a quick read but very interesting. I enjoyed the details about the main character and his role in the event.

Another real-life tragedy

Not my favorite work of McLain’s, I still appreciate the work that went into researching and crafting this work of historical fiction. The closing scene describing the 7 chairs remaining around the kitchen table for decades, waiting for the lost children to come home and claim them, was especially haunting.

immigrants seen as less than

heartbreaking story about the discrimination of immigrants in the USA. It is still happening to this day.

Tribute to the Dead

Short, well-researched account of a forgotten tragedy that occurred in 1908, in a poor community near Cleveland, Ohio. The book itself pays tribute to the mass unmarked grave of immigrant school children. A work of fiction brings to life the forgotten dead.
Paula McClain is a brilliant writer.