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The Gatehouse Boy
In The Gatehouse Boy, readers are transported to a distant, misty town on the river, where the sound of industry fills the air. This town is home to a shipyard, where a young boy grows up and shares his experiences of life in a bustling, prosperous place. Through the magic of words, he invites readers on a journey through his past, from his childhood in the shipyard to his adventures in other forgotten places of work. Along the way, he shares tales of happiness, sorrow, excitement, routine, humour, and horror, offering a glimpse into the life of a young man growing up in a time long gone. So, stick on your ovys (overalls), put on your takkities (boots), pull up a seat round the brazier and join the boys doon the yard for a few wee tales.
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The Great Survivor
The First World War offers many tales of survival against the odds, but few can have been so meticulously documented as this. Wounded at Passchendaele in October 1917, then sent to a supposedly quiet area near the Aisne just before the Germans’ ‘Spring Offensive’ intensified, Private William Roberts was both desperately unlucky and extremely fortunate. His wartime diary provides not only a compelling insight into the carnage and mud-filled misery at the front, but also glimpses of rare lighter moments – a quiet drink in a local French bar or the surreal experience of attending a concert while battle raged only miles away.
The diary brilliantly captures his training in Doncaster, with the excitement and foreboding of what was to come, and the blend of doughty camaraderie and daily tedium that was life in a POW camp.
Locked away in a chest for nearly a century, this is perhaps the most remarkable diary by a private soldier of the Great War.
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The Growing Pains of a Colonial Boy
This book is the sequel to Peter Hunt’s memoir about his childhood entitled Child of a Bygone Era.
Born in Brighton in 1940, it was at the end of the war that his father, a chartered accountant, was sent to develop his company’s office in Hong Kong. There Peter lived with his parents and flourished until, at the age of seven, he was sent back to two boarding schools (preparatory and public) in post-war England.
This memoir continues the story of his life from his days at Trinity College, Dublin to a life in London in advertising and marketing through the 1960s and 1970s.
To give the reader an idea of the pleasure in reading this memoir, this is a quote from the publisher’s acceptance letter. “We can confidently state that your work was found to be a compelling memoir, full of fantastic takeaways the reader can benefit from. You have expressed your experiences in an incredibly emotive way, conjuring a strong sense of engagement in the reader… The exquisite writing style and honesty with which you detail your experiences make this story one that will intrigue many.
The author will be delighted if you receive the same pleasure from reading this book as the publisher would seem to have acquired.
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The Interview
Would you go for a job interview that your partner had chosen for you after sending your CV without your knowledge? Especially when the said partner is very suspicious about doing anything on Friday the 13th, which is when it was to take place? This true story tells the hilarious events of what happened on that fateful day.
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The Journey
Do I attract tragedy? Should I have made better choices? Why is my life and the lives of those before me so plagued? If I got another go, what would I do differently and why? Riches to rags, happiness to despair, for better or worse – this is me. On a journey to find out if love, trust, and faith in oneself is the key to breaking the generational curses that have plagued her family, Sara’s courageous reflections provide a unique and thought-provoking view on the path to discover inner peace and happiness.In this inspirational memoir, a story of triumph over adversity, Sara’s transformational journey highlights the importance of mind and body healing to help achieve our greatest potential by living our truest self.Her story is filled with broken pieces, terrible choices, and very ugly truths. But it is also filled with a major comeback, peace in her soul, and a grace that saved her life.
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The Kid From Port Douglas
You are transported into this huge-hearted girl’s world and gasp at the earthy honesty of a child condemned to a life of hard-working business-owning parents as she goes on to unfold the similarities in her own eventual career and life path. Some of the stories will break the hardest of hearts or produce the heartiest belly laughter. The author has an easy literary style whilst also embracing some controversially high-brow topics, in contrast, emerging as infamous winners of reality TV. Military parade life, travel petty officers and parade grounds, Switzerland, Kensington High Street, Port Douglas, Hotels, Mareeba and Wales. Also some incredible stories of family war heroes; of Changi Prison and the Red Baron. And of Taffy Lloyd, the last man on the beach in Dunkirk. Every page has its own charm, you will consider it a well-chosen book, so curious reader, enjoy.
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The King of Jesolo and Other Short Stories
Dive into The King of Jesolo and Other Short Stories as the author navigates a vivid mosaic of adventures across the globe. From unexpected friendships formed in distant lands to seemingly harmless escapades that take unforeseen turns, each tale offers a unique glimpse into the world’s diverse tapestry. Sail the tempestuous Italian and Greek seas, where in one thrilling episode, a boat’s mast teeters dangerously close to the water. Embark on a spiritual sojourn to Greece’s revered Mount Athos. Whether it’s the vibrant streets of South America or the historic trails of Europe and Asia, these stories capture the essence of travel, the surprises it holds, and the connections that bind us.
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The Law and I
Delve into the riveting memoir of an attorney who navigated the transformative world of litigation law in private practice. Journey back to an era when senior partners donned wing collars and were addressed as clerks by their surnames, and when solicitors weren’t confined to specialisations.
Experience the spectrum of clients he represented, from navigating harrowing cases at police stations – covering everything from murders to activists challenging government departments – all the way to the House of Lords, now known as the Supreme Court.
Beyond the courtroom, he shares insights into his dealings with prisoners, including those under maximum security, managing matters from adjudications to parole requests. Simultaneously, he paints a picture of his life outside the law, tending to an 18-acre smallholding.
As he reflects on his career, the author offers a poignant commentary on the evolving landscape of legal practice, weighing in on the advancements and setbacks since his retirement. This is not just a tale of law but of resilience, adaptability, and profound change.
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The Life and Times of the Knights
Alfred Fredrick John Knight was born in Yeovil to his mother Amelia and father George. When Alfred was three years old, George his father left Amelia telling her that he was taking their son Alfred with him. George took Alfred and in secret eloped with his lover to Wales. Alfred was later adopted and lived with his adopted family talking to the family about emigrating to Canada. He told his family that he wanted to stay in England and try and find his birth mother.
He left home and went back to Yeovil, but there was no trace of his mother, he did manage to find his grandmother Mary, who was still alive. While looking for a job, he saw a sign which read, ‘YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU!’ Alfred then decided that he wanted to become a soldier and join the British Army. After joining up with Prince Albert’s light infantry, the Somerset Light Infantry was sent out to India to fight the rebellion.
Will Alfred ever find his birth mother?
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The Lump
‘The Lump’ started back in the 1950s and possibly even further back in Ireland whereby men worked many hours in tough conditions and were paid cash in hand thus avoiding payment of tax. Bricklaying was one of those trades where there was little in the way of mechanical assistance, as they either didn’t exist yet, or were expensive to hire. For example, elevators, forklift trucks and cranes. Often starting work at 6 am to have everything ready for the bricklayers to start at eight and finishing sometimes at 8 pm, it was down to the hod carriers to carry all the materials up a ladder. There were advantages to this way of life as you will see when reading this book.
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The Most Undeserving Case
The author asks you: Is this a story of the longest standing oppression in the history of humanity?
- …thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. – Genesis 3:16 – c. 1600 BCE.
- …the male is by nature superior, and the female inferior… – Aristotle – c. 340 BCE.
- …even the most undeserving case will win if there is no one to testify against it. – Christine de Pizan. 1405 CE.
- …have they not all violated the principle of equality of rights by quietly depriving half of mankind of the right to participate in the formation of the laws…? – Nicolas de Condorcet – 1790 CE.
- …the adoption of this system of inequality never was the result of deliberation, or forethought, or any social ideas, or any notion whatever of what conduced to the benefit of humanity or the good order of society. – J.S. Mill – 1869 CE.
- ...All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. – Declaration of Human Rights – 1948 CE.
The format of the book is encyclopaedic. Each chapter follows on from the previous one but also is an episode in its own right.
… that our descendants, by becoming more learned, may become more virtuous and happier, and that we do not die without having merited being part of the human race. – Denis Diderot – 1750 CE.
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The Needle and the Damage Done
The Needle and the Damage Done is the story of a boy from a small Irish village who became an adventurer, multi-award-winning doctor and physician to the stars. Part travelogue, part thriller, part celebrity tell-all, the memoir is a whirlwind of adventure and a fascinating insight into the colourful life of Dr Patrick Treacy.
Cosmetic doctor Patrick Treacy grew up in rural Northern Ireland during The Troubles. Determined to become a doctor, he raised money for medical school in Dublin by smuggling cars from Germany to Turkey. He studied biochemistry at Queens University Belfast and medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons. While working in a Dublin hospital, he was accidentally jabbed with a needle from an HIV patient. He took blood test after blood test for many years until he was confirmed negative. Initially overwhelmed by the experience, he moved to New Zealand, away from everyone who knew what he was going through: his girlfriend and his colleagues. Thus, he began a peripatetic existence, working as a doctor around the world. In Saddam Hussein’s Baghdad, Treacy was arrested and imprisoned, spending days wondering whether he was going to be hanged as a spy. He worked as a ship’s surgeon in California and with the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Australia. On returning to Dublin, Treacy set up the Ailesbury Clinic where he pioneered the emergent field of cosmetic dermatology, championing treatments regarding the use of botulinum toxin and dermal fillers. His award-winning research brought him numerous international accolades and many celebrity patients, including the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, who came flocking to his door.
Central to this memoir is Treacy’s personal journey: his efforts to escape the conflict of The Troubles, coping with the fear that he may have contracted HIV, getting over his lost love and surviving the crippling Irish recession. Most of all, it gives us a fascinating insight into his award-winning research on the influence of Botox ® on the brain and how he developed protocols to reverse the damage being done to patient’s faces as a result of the complications of dermal fillers.
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