The first book in a quartet. The book captures the everyday lives of a returned serviceman, his wife and young son in the 1946 post wwii England. A fourth character is the provincial town and its inhabitants. This book superbly captures ordinary people coping in difficult times . The author captures the times and the emotions wonderfully as well as the more then common inability of families to communicate their fears, ambition and desires. ( )

Beautifully written tale of Sam, returning from fighting in the 'Forgotten War' in Burma, to his wife, Ellen, and son, Joe. ( )

If you like Catherine Cookson, you'll love this!
By sally tarbox on 29 July 2012
Format: Paperback
Telling the story of a World War 2 soldier, home from the horrors of Burma and struggling to pick up his former life: a wife and child who have a close relationship from which he feels excluded; a humdrum job after the excitement and responsibility of war; memories of things he has seen but cannot share.

Despite the heavy subject matter, this book put me in mind of the popular family sagas by Catherine Cookson and others. It offers a snapshot into 1940s life- rations, slum housing, social life etc. The 'trauma', such as it is, is gentle- perhaps because the characters are not very convincingly developed- and has a nice romantic ending.

Somehow I expected something a bit more from a life peer and President of National Campaign for the Arts! ( )

Not what I expected from a Melvyn Bragg at all! Enjoyable though.

Worth 3½ - if halves were an option! ( )

In 1946 Sam an Englishman returns home from fighting the war in Burma to his wife Ellen and young son Joe. Like many who fought alongside him and lived to come home Sam feels suffocated by life in tiny rural Wigton. When people ask too many painful questions Sam suffers horrendous nightmares of his time in battle. Work is scarce and what there is , is demeaning. His relationship with wife and son is strained and he has difficulties relating to his family. His wife wants her own home with a garden and also yearns for another baby . Then Sam is tempted by a relocation offer by the government to Australia and in the end all this readjusment nearly destroys Sam's family. This was a good read about the struggles, sacrifices and bonds of soldiers during the aftermath of war and how homecoming is not always the joyous experience you want it to be. Not a book with dramatic plots or dramas , just small episodes in a life but written with sensitivity and emotion. This would appeal to anyone who enjoys Pat Barkers war novels. ( )