Sandra and the Flying Elephants of Belfast

Sandra and the Flying Elephants of Belfast is a wonderful biographical book by Darrin Wedlock.

The book tells the story of Darrin's mother, Sandra, and how she coped with the Belfast Blitz.

When her father left the family home in Northern Ireland to fight against the Nazi German army he gives his daughter an order. He charges her with the important job of looking after her mother and her little brother, Billy.

She sets to the task with great gusto, but she has to do this against a backdrop of the Nazi blitz that severely damaged Belfast, being strafed by the Germans, nearly drowning, but fortuitously saved by a Gypsy, getting burns and also suffering the ignominy of having her hair turn green!

The book that Darrin has written is filled with moments of high drama (such as being strafed by a Luftwaffe pilot) but also the ordinary and the mundane events and the funny and amusing happenings that run together to make up a person's life.

In this case the life of his mother Sandra. The family, including grandparents, were close and they looked out for each other, especially during times of danger, such as the blitz aimed at destroying the docks and the Harland and Wolff yards.

Only this time the house of Sandra's family was subject to a direct hit, luckily when the family were out of the house. But even so, they lost everything, not even one piece of crockery survived.

The book has some lovely photographs that certainly made much to the stories contained in it.

The family moved to a cottage in Bangor which was owned by an aunt where Sandra made friends with a sickly rat.

Did her dad return safely? And as for what a flying elephant might be and why there is a picture of Sandra on board a ship, you will have to stump up your £8.99 to find out.

The book is published by Matador and is available through the that's Books Bookshop, just look for it on the right hand side of this review.

Gnomes an adult 'airy tale

What happens when worlds collide?

When the world of the modern, physical realm and the world of the realm of magic collide?

Well, you'd expect all sorts of mayhem to start happening. And you would be right.

For that is the starting point of the book Gnomes an adult 'airy tale, from author Paul J. Elliot.

James and Alison Allison had a perfectly normal and perfectly happy life together.

Well, that was the case until, well, until the Gnomes turned up.

The Gnomes. Happy go-lucky  little chaps (well, with one notable exception, of course!) who live with a Princess and work down the mine, right?

Wrong. Very wrong. For these Gnomes are not friendly or happy go-lucky little chaps.

These Gnomes take over the home of James and Alison and spread misery and destruction as if they were frightened they might be going on ration any time soon.

There is Cedric, who is a philosophical and compassionate sort of chap, Joshua (who is grumpy by nature, if not by name), there is Archbald who is inventive and quite clever.

Then there is Florence (who flirts. Perhaps a bit too much?) and Ernest who is moody and a bit touched and his wife who is very bored and perhaps also board as she is as thick as one.

But why are the Gnomes really there? What, as every good method actor wants to know, is their motive?

Are they there to just have a good time by stirring things up and generally causing a whole lot of chaos and consuming vast quantities of alcohol?

But what if there is a different, rather more sinister motive for their presence, for their behaviour?

And exactly how much devastation could they bring about?

(EDITOR: Please note this is, as the title states, a tale for adults)

It is available via the That's Books and Entertainment book shop, you'll find it to the right of this review.)

"The Dwelling" The poems of Eleanor Zuercher

"The Dwelling" The poems of Eleanor Zuercher is a collection of highly evocative poems that are aimed at assisting those people who are on a spiritual quest or a spiritual journey. No matter what their faith.

The author takes as the source of inspiration poetry in the classical Anglican tradition, plus it combines other influences such as ecclesiastical architecture, texts from the Bible and also the English countryside.

The result is something that is both wonderful and highly inspirational.

It examines the human soul, the existence and the assistance of God. Which might, sometimes, not be what one is expecting but is, however, what one truly needs and what one will benefit from, more.

It brings concepts to mind that might not have previously come to our attention. For example, we look at how prayer can serve as the punctuation of our day, (page 48) or read such thoughtful and quite brilliant poems as Sound II in Winchester Cathedral (page 9) or the somewhat ethereally charged An Affectionate Appreciation of the Churches of the West Buckingham Benefice (page 11) which is both edifying and uplifting.

On the face of it, this poem is An Affectionate Appreciation of the Churches of the West Buckingham Benefice, but when one reads it and studies it, one will appreciate the subtle undertexts that playfully illuminate this poem from within.

Indeed, all of these poems are playfully illuminated from within.

Published by Matador at £7.99 this book of poems would be a boon and a benefit to any bookcase, be it a person who is a believer or otherwise.

It is the opinion of this reviewer that every church and chapel in the land should buy at least four copies of this wonderful book of poems. Perhaps more, as they will make a fine resource for people who are seeking spiritual enlightenment or spiritual comfort.

It is, of course, available through our bookshop, just to the right of this review.

The Dreams of the Black Butterfly

The Dreams of the Black Butterfly is a fantasy novel by Mark James Barrett.

It tells the story of Moises Quispe who has heard rumours and reports that there could well exist a Black Butterfly that resides in the jingles of Peru.

With its wings of velvety black, with a span of two feet across, it lives in the jungle that is under threat of destruction of the chainsaws of the loggers.

Why does Moises want to track down this elusive Black Butterfly?

Is it the reward of a million Nuevo Sol that is offered by the mysterious Mr Dollie?

Or are there other calls upon Moises, that compel him to seek out the Butterfly that might, or might not exist in the dark nights of the jungles of Peru?

But what is the purpose of the Black Butterfly? What terrifying messages does it carry for humanity?

This book is available from Matador at the price of £8.99 and can be bought through the That's Books bookshop, which is to be found on the right side of this review.

Mutable Passions

Mutable Passions is a new novel by a novelist about another novelist. One of the greatest English novelists of the last 200 years, Charlotte Bronte.

April 21st is the bicentenary of the birth of Charlotte Bronte.

But author Philip Dent poses some interesting questions about Charlotte Bronte.

What, exactly, do we know about Charlotte Bronte?

What, for example, do we know of the experiences of Charlotte Bronte in regards to love in her own life?

During her life Charlotte Bronte knew of the pains and problems of poor health, insomnia and of an extreme form of loneliness.

At the time of this novel, her siblings were all dead and Charlotte had the distinction or honour (dubious though this might be)  of being her father's sole companion at the parsonage.

But all was to change for Charlotte! For this novel is based on the true life facts of the situation that saw Charlotte Bronte wooed, courted and married by her suitor Arthur Nicholls.

The novel is a compelling, evocative and sensitive examination of what happened to Charlotte Bronte when the fictional knowledge of love that she had written about became, for her, an exciting, vibrant reality.

The author takes the known facts of the situation and brings to life an imaginary, but utterly realistic, real life story of what happened when Charlotte Bronte threw off the mantel of Victorian spinster and placed upon her head, instead, that of a Victorian wedding bonnet.

This delightful book is published by Matador at £8.99 and is, of course, available via the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop which you will find to the right of this book review.

It will make an ideal gift for the Bronte fan, Why not buy a copy and put it away until Christmas?

My Aunt Manya

My Aunt Manya is a book for children written by children's author Jose Patterson.

It relates the story of Sarah, a ten-year-old immigrant who is making they journey to America.

The journey for Sarah is a long and hard one.

Sarah lives in Russia toward the end of the 19th century.

Sarah's home life is pitiful. She hates her stepmother with a passion. But unfortunately her father has had to leave Russia in order to seek work in the new promised land, America.

He has left home to live with his sister, Sarah's aunt Manya.

Then, comes a terrible blow to young Sarah. She receives a letter from her aunt Manya. Her father has met with an accident and has died.

In the letter, however, is also the hope of a possible salvation. For aunt Manya has enclosed some money and a boat ticket and the offer of a home in New York.

The life of Sarah and her family is one of constant worry, as they are Russian Jews and their community is under constant threat of random, murderous attacks by Cossack soldiers.

When friends of Sarah receive reports of a force of Cossacks camped near to their village they decide to help Sarah set out, alone, to make her bid for freedom from oppression and to make a new life for herself ion the new world that is America, with her aunt Manya.

Sarah sets out on her long and arduous journey, facing the unknown perils of the great undertaking that she must make, as she reaches out for her aunt Manya and her new life.

This book is published by Matador at £6.99 in paperback and £10.99 in hardback.

It is available for sale at the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, just to the right of this review.

Amelie and the Great Outdoors

Amelie and the Great Outdoors is a heart-warming book for children (and their parents and grandparents, too!) which is written by Fiona Barker and illustrated by Rosie Brooks.

It tells the story of Amelie. Who is a delightful little girl. Who really would just prefer to be left indoors, thank you very much!

Well, what's so great about the great outdoors?

Amelie is content, or actually, happy, to stay indoors. She loves it indoors. She loves to play indoors, she loves to be indoors by herself.

She never goes outside. Why would she want to? In fact, to be truthful, she finds the idea of being outdoors more than a little bit threatening.

Well, outdoors has no toys. No computer games and no TV to watch!

She loves her toys, she loves her computer, she loves her TV.

Her parents have struggled for a long time to get Amelie interested in going outside, until, eventually, they have very nearly given up on the idea.

They have tried everything. The park?  No. The beach? No. Enjoying ice cream in the sunshine? Again, the answer is no!

But suddenly it all changes because Amelie meets with a very special friend who eventually tempts Amelie to do the unexpected and the utterly unthinkable. Her very special friend tempts Amelie to venture into the Great Outdoors!

This book is a real winner. It costs £7.99 and can be obtained via the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, which you will find to the right of this book review.

Incidentally, is it possible that this book might just have a basis in reality? If you buy the book you can find out for certain, when you real the book's dedication!