Sons of the Sea

Sons of the Sea is a riveting and compelling book which tells the remarkable story of Harry Cecil Gaffney who had the somewhat dubious distinction of serving at sea through not one but two different world wars.

The subtitle of the book is: "Royal Naval Stories and Tales of Foreign Seaports from 1910 to 1966."

It is written by Patrick Gaffney, the son of Harry Cecil Gaffney. According to Mrs Gaffney whilst her husband was at best a "woeful husband" ha had been a "brilliant sailor."

He had known something of his father's life, but, upon realising that there was so much more to the story of his father's life, Patrick decided to really dig deep into his father's life, to undertake years of very thorough research.

He discovered that his father had, indeed, been a consummate seaman, a Master Mariner of the old school, who had, as the saying goes, 'been born with salt water in his veins.'

Gaffney senior had served at sea during both the Great War and the Second World War,

It relates how he trained on the HMS Conway, and was subsequently to serve a three-year apprenticeship on a steel-hulled barque by the name of the Inversnaid in 1911.

The Inversnaid worked in South American waters and Gaffney senior progressed well through the ranks, also learning Spanish.

Upon his return to Britain  he found the country at war, so swiftly joined the Royal Navy, serving on HMS Kinsfaun Castle.

Eventually at the age of 24 he was made the commanding officer of his first ship, Torpedo Boat No 24.

The book is also well illustrated with photographs and it follows Gaffney's senior and junior through their respective naval careers (for Patrick also served in the Royal Navy, but during peacetime) and is a very interesting book, especially for those who have an affinity for the sea and the Royal Navy.

It is published by Matador at £9.99 and is available through the That's Books bookshop, which you will find to the right of this book review, along with many other books and DVDs on naval history and the like.

A Journey Through Time in Africa

A Journey Through Time in Africa is an utterly compelling book written by husband and wife team of Dr Peter Peeters and Claire Van Velsen.

We go back to 1981. Dr Peter Peeters has a sabbatical year. During this year and his wife Claire Van Veelen will travel through the continent of Africa.

It is their intention to explore the country and to try to learn why it is that some countries in African have been able to develop whilst some seemed stuck in the past and were unable to grow and develop.

Eventually, after all their planning it is a snowy evening the the Belgium capital of Brussels and they are ready to start off on the first leg of their amazing journey in a somewhat elderly Land Rover.

The book, which is copiously illustrated with their evocative photographs, follows their journeys through Africa.

They met with a wide variety of vastly different people and peoples, learn to go with the flow and work at a less frantic pace than they were used to.

They had preconceived ideas about Africa and the people who made up its disparate populations. They swiftly learn to re-think all they thought they knew.

It was an interesting and life-changing experience for them, filled with drama, comedy and some pathos as they allow their Land Rover to take them through Africa.

They coped, very well, as it happens with a variety of emergencies: The rainy season, coping with a three inch thorn stuck in a foot as they drove along, unable to stop. The treatment -whilst mobile- was a bucket of Detol with the foot jammed in it as blood flowed all over the floor of the Land Rover, the quaint way of making phone calls back home to Belgium from Zaire, meeting with witchdoctors and much more including seeing and interacting with the bewildering array of wildlife.

This highly interesting travelogue is ideal for armchair travellers or those who know Africa and who want to be reminded of it or who want to learn more.

It is a coffee table sized book and is worth every penny of the  £18.50 price.

It will make an ideal present or a wonderful minor indulgence for yourself.

It is published by the Book Guild and is available via the That's Books and Entertainment online book shop. just check it out on the right-hand side of this review, plus thousands of other travel books, DVDs, etc.

The Mystery of the Magna Carta

The Mystery of the Magna Carta is a novel by Denise Elaine Conquest Steele, who also created the illustrations for this book.

We have just celebrated the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, widely held to be the corner of justice and freedom from tyrannical rule.

But what do we really know about the Magna Carta, besides the fact that it has played a major role in the historical development of not only Britain but other countries round the world?

author and illustrator Denise Elaine Conquest Steele has taken the decision to create a unique fictional adventure based on the known facts that surround the Magna Carta.

Together with educational app developer Paul Skidmore they have produced a unique historical fictional adventure that is aimed at younger readers.

Percy Hope De Courage is a young lady who is bored. She has a term paper to put in, but it is on a subject that holds no interest for her. The dull old Magna Carta.

But due to the intervention of her faithful cat, Jeeves, she begins to realise that whilst the Magna Carta might be old, it is in no way dull!

Percy travels through time and finds herself in England in a quaint village called Wraysbury. Here she meets the village Historian, Dennis.

Together they travel back in time, 800 years, to the year of Our Lord 1215, where they launch an investigation into the true story of Magna Carta.

They sift through the data and are able to sort out the legends and the myths, the rumours and the facts. Somehow her pet kitty, Jeeves, is always on hand when things start to go a bit wrong or a little bit dangerous!

The book is incredibly well-written and Denise is unsparing in her praise for the people who helped her, including Dennis, the archivist/librarian from Wraysbury. Because, yes, Dennis is a real person.

To learn more about the book visit http://themysteryofthemagnacarta.com where you will find interactive apps and you can learn more about the Magna Carta line dance!

The book costs £12.99 and is published by Matador. You can purchase it -either singly or in bulk for history lessons on the Magna Carta- through the That's Books bookshop which is to the right of this book review. It is also available as an ebook.

Pick 'n' Mix

Pick 'n' Mix is an anthology of short stories written by Gabriele Ansbach.

Having read Gabriele's book I can only reveal that I seem to have somehow stepped into a room where I think I should be able to recognise everything I see, but when I try to properly look at any of the apparently familiar objects in the room, they suddenly shape shift into something wondrously otherworldly.

For example, did you know that cats will attend the Cat Scan at your local hospital (they have their letters of referral or should that be refural? sorry) on Caturday?

But there is a whole array of other stories, there's angst, there's heartache, there's horror, something that can be heard yet not seen, a visit to the future that might be dystopian rather than welcoming.

There's something for everyone in this book. It will intrigue you, astound you, amuse you, alarm you and make you understand more about the world around you.

And I will recommend that you buy this book for you, for your mum, your dad and your best friend. They'll thank you for it.

It is published by The Book Guild at £8.99 (£3.99 Kindle) and is available via the That's Books online bookshop, which you will find to the right hand side of this book review.

A Book of Children's Rhymes

A Book of Children's Rhymes by Pixie Dean is exactly what it says on the tin, a book of children's rhymes.

It is a delightful book that is filled with poems that are both whimsical, downright funny, hilarious, magical and perhaps some that are a little bit scary, too?

There are also a good smattering of limericks and some cautionary tales, too!

Read about a pretend Gypsy and the smell that might just give her away, the day it rained sweeties, learn about the Tyrannosaurus that was bred in a shed, the man who got so big he was stuck in his garden gate, Jack and his magical blue stone and many more poems besides!

And you will be able to learn the fate of the Dancing Pig!

The book is vibrantly illustrated by Jackie (of KJA Artists) and the illustrations and the poems by Pixie Dean make this book a must have for the birthday boy or girl or to be put to one side for the canny parent looking for early Christmas presents.

It cost £7.99 and can be bought via the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, which you will find to the right of this book review.  You'll also find thousands of other books, DVDs, presents, etc.., there, too.

Roseita and the Beast

Roseita and the Beast is a delightfully quirky thrilling book by someone who has decided to use the nom de plume of Ann Onymouse.

It is Ann's novelistic  début and it tells the story of a very privileged young girl called Roseita Fortesque.

Although she is only five years of age, she has some pretty firm ideas and convictions. And on of those is that dogs are destined to be loved as pets and not as the next meal.

Which is why, when she visits a bazaar she takes the decision to free the dog in the Kiruma bazaar as it was waiting to be sold for the table.

The Kirumese thought the dog had escaped and bitten her in passing. They never suspected the truth.

She loves that dog. Which is unfortunate as the Kirumese people believe that the existence of the dog will bring about the ruination of their nation.

She is also in love with the boy next door. His name is Hamish Martlett. Hamish is a boy with a mystery in his past life.

They combine forces to continue, in secret, to feed the dog.

But the consequences of their kindness might well turn out to be be staggering for all concerned. With far reaching implications down through the years.

The father of Hamish Martlett, Greg Martlett, suborns, by threats and bribery, a Kirumese man in to becoming the implacable nemesis of Roseita, sworn to kill her.

Down through the years of her life, Roseita is tracked and traced, fleeing from country to country, always trying to evade his murderous clutches.

She longs to once again find Hamish. But what is the tragic secret of Hamish? Why does Greg Martlett hate Roseita?

And what significance does the dog have throughout the years?

The book costs £7.99 and is published by Matador and is available through the That's Books and Entertainment online bookshop, which is to be found on the right hand side of this review.

Whatever Next?

Whatever Next is a memoir by Tony Porter.

Tony Porter's name will be best known to those who keenly follow the world of fashion, especially British fashion.

Indeed, Tony Porter was one of a select group of people who were at the forefront of organising British Fashion Week 40 years ago.

Tony Porter has lived a life that is rich and varied.

Ill-health dogged his young life, but he did not allow this to hold him back.

He began his foray into the world of work by selling paint for the British chemical giant, ICI.

ICI sent him to represent the firm in Nigeria. He married his fiancée Beatrice and they produced three children.

The Biafran war  commenced eight years later and ICI decided to bring Tony and his family home.

He decided that he needed a change and, as this was during the era of the swinging '60s, he went ot work in sales for the famous Biba fashion house.

As a result he met the stars of the day like Marianne Faithful, Cilla Black, Mia Farrowand Brigitte Bardot.

Eventually Tony departed from Biba and launched his own PR business specialising in the world of fashion in the heart of the West End of London.

It was then that Tony helped launch the group that would launch British (now London) Fashion Week.

Together he and Beatrice grew their PR company so that it prospered and became one of the top agencies in its field.

They bought a yacht (as you do) and then bought Burg Island, which is off the coast of Devon. (As you would like to do, but probably will not!)

They spent a considerable amount of time restoring the wonderful Art Deco hotel on the island, they took the decision to sell the hotel and island on.

And now Tony is concentrating on his new career as a writer.

Whatever next is a well-written, fascinating and compelling book that allows the reader to take a look back into the British fashion world.it is also illustrated throughout with interesting and evocative photographs.

The book, published by Matador, is available through the That's Books and Entertainment online bookshop at £9.99 and is ideal for anyone who wants to know what it was like back then.