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A Short Border Handbook: A Journey Through the Immigrant's Labyrinth
by Anne-Marie Stanton-Ife Gazmend KapllaniAn exhilarating and darkly comical exploration of migration and borders from an Albanian who grew up in Hoxha's madhouse, longing to cross to Greece, only to find another seam of absurdities and disappointments on his eventual arrival.After spending his childhood in Albania, and fantasizing about life across the border, Gazmend Kapllani escapes to Greece--only to get banged up in a detention center. As he and his fellow immigrants try to find jobs, they begin to plan their future lives in Greece, imagining success that is always beyond their grasp. The sheer absurdity of both their plans and their new lives is overwhelming. Both ironic and emotional, Kapllani interweaves the story of his experience with meditations upon "border syndrome"--a mental state, as much as a geographical experience--to create a brilliantly observed, amusing, and perceptive debut. And a timely one at that, given that immigration is again at the forefront of politics both in the US and Europe.
A Short History of Mexico
by John Patrick McHenryIn this concise, readable account, the history of one of the Western Hemisphere’s most important countries is recounted, from the first recorded appearance of early man around 10,000 B.C. down to the present day. Through the pages of this book move the men, famous and infamous, who have Mexican history; Montezuma and Cortes; the Spanish viceroys whose downfall began when the priest Hidalgo issues his famous “Cry of Dolores”; the Emperor Agustin de Iturbide, first ruler of an independent Mexico; General Santa Anna, who fought and lost the Texas Revolution and the Mexican War; the ill-fated Emperor Maximilian and Benito Juarez, who overthrew him; Porfirio Diaz and Francisco Madero; Huerta, Pancho Villa, Carranza, and Zapata, who were involved in the troubles of the early decades of this century; and the president since 1920; among them, Obregon, Calles, Cardenas, Aleman, and the present incumbent, Lopez Mateos.
A Short History of Richmond (Brief History)
by Jack Trammell Guy TerrellThe seven hills at the James River fall line that Captain John Smith first witnessed in 1607 became the site of a pivotal American city. Richmond was a birthplace of the American Revolution. It became the permanent capital of Virginia and served as the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War. In the early twentieth century, industry expanded in the city as companies like DuPont and Philip Morris built factories. Cultural institutions expanded, with Richmond's first radio station and movie theater opening in the 1920s, before the Great Depression hit the city hard. The city rose from financial struggle to a highly industrialized center for manufacturing and vital transportation hub. Join authors Jack Trammell and Guy Terrell as they narrate the rich history of the River City.
A Short History of Russia: How The World's Largest Country Invented Itself, From The Pagans To Putin
by Mark GaleottiA Library Journal 2020 Title to WatchRussia’s epic and dramatic history told in an accessible, lively and short form, from Ivan the Terrible to Vladimir Putin via Catherine the Great, the Russian Revolution and the fall of the USSR.Russia is a country with no natural borders, no single ethnic group, no true central identity. At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, it has been subject to invasion by outsiders, from Vikings to Mongols, from Napoleon’s French to Hitler’s Germans. In order to forge an identity, it has mythologized its past to unite its people and to signal strength to outsiders.In A Short History of Russia, Mark Galeotti explores the history of this fascinating, glorious, desperate and exasperating country through two intertwined issues: the way successive influences from beyond its borders have shaped Russia, and the way Russians came to terms with this influence, writing and rewriting their past to understand their present and try to influence their future. In turn, this self-invented history has come to affect not just their constant nation-building project but also their relations with the world.
A Short History of San Francisco
by Tom ColeA concise, &“colorful, well-told&” history of the City by the Bay, from the Gold Rush to the Summer of Love to the twenty-first century (Los Angeles Times). This is the story of San Francisco, a unique and rowdy tale with a legendary cast of characters. It tells of the Indians and the Spanish missions, the arrival of thousands of gold seekers and gamblers, crackbrains and dreamers, the building of the transcontinental railroad and the cable car, labor strife and political shenanigans, the 1906 earthquake and fire, two World Wars, two World's Fairs, two great bridges, the beatniks and hippies and New Left—a story that is so marvelous and wild that it must be true. A new afterword from the author in this updated third edition brings The City into the twenty-first century—a time just as hectic, experimental, and opportunistic as its rambunctious past.
A Short History of the Sailing Ship
by R. C. Anderson Romola AndersonThis outstanding, amply illustrated book traces the evolution of the sailing ship from ancient times to the end of the 19th century. Extremely well-written in clear, non-technical language, the work provides detailed coverage of the ships of ancient Egypt and Crete (4000-1000 B.C.); Phoenician, Greek, and Roman ships; ships of the Middle Ages; as well as double-ended and one-masted ships. Following the main streams of development of both northern and southern European vessels, the authors elucidate the technical and cultural factors behind their change in form and function and their culmination in the full-rigged clipper ships of the 19th century. No concise history of sail has ever presented the subject more authoritatively or enjoyably as this critically praised book. Anyone with an interest in sailing ships, scholar or layman, will find the book invaluable and appealing.
A Short Residence in Sweden & Memoirs of the Author of 'The Rights of Woman'
by Mary Wollstonecraft William GodwinIn these two closely linked works - a travel book and a biography of its author - we witness a moving encounter between two of the most daring and original minds of the late eighteenth century: A Short Residence in Sweden is the record of Wollstonecraft's last journey in search of happiness, into the remote and beautiful backwoods of Scandinavia. The quest for a lost treasure ship, the pain of a wrecked love affair, memories of the French Revolution, and the longing for some Golden Age, all shape this vivid narrative, which Richard Holmes argues is one of the neglected masterpieces of early English Romanticism.Memoirs is Godwin's own account of Wollstonecraft's life, written with passionate intensity a few weeks after her tragic death. Casting aside literary convention, Godwin creates an intimate portrait of his wife, startling in its candour and psychological truth. Received with outrage by friends and critics alike, and virtually suppressed for a century, it can now be recognized as one of the landmarks in the development of modern biography.
A Short Ride in the Jungle: The Ho Chi Minh Trail by Motorcycle
by Antonia Bolingbroke-KentAntonia sets out on a solo hair-raising motorbike mission down the remnants of the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Battling inhospitable terrain and multiple breakdowns, the story of her brave journey is thrilling and poignant: a unique insight into a little known face of Southeast Asia
A Shortcut to Paradise
by Peter Bush Teresa SolanaA writer is murdered at the Ritz on the night she wins an important literary prize, battered to death with the trophy she has just won. A satire of the Catalan literary scene dressed up as a hilarious murder mystery.
A Silent Death: The scorching new mystery thriller you won't put down
by Peter May**THE BRAND-NEW THRILLER FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER****'A TERRIFIC WRITER' MARK BILLINGHAM****PETER MAY: OVER 4.5 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE**Set in Southern Spain, A Silent Death is the scorching new thriller from worldwide bestselling author of The Lewis Trilogy, Cast Iron and I'll Keep You Safe.A SILENT VOWSpain, 2020. When expat fugitive Jack Cleland watches his girlfriend die, gunned down in a pursuit involving officer Cristina Sanchez Pradell, he promises to exact his revenge by destroying the policewoman.A SILENT LIFECristina's aunt Ana has been deaf-blind for the entirety of her adult life: the victim of a rare condition named Usher Syndrome. Ana is the centre of Cristina's world - and of Cleland's cruel plan.A SILENT DEATHJohn Mackenzie - an ingenious yet irascible Glaswegian investigator - is seconded to aid the Spanish authorities in their manhunt. He alone can silence Cleland before the fugitive has the last, bloody, word.Peter May's latest bestseller unites a strong, independent Spaniard with a socially inept Scotsman; a senseless vendetta with a sense-deprived victim, and a red-hot Costa Del Sol with an ice-cold killer.(P) 2019 Quercus Editions Limited
A Silent Death: The scorching new mystery thriller you won't put down
by Peter MayTHE 12 MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LEWIS TRILOGY, THE ENZO FILES AND THE CHINA THRILLERSAWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF THE CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY 2021'Peter May is one of the most accomplished novelists writing today.' Undiscovered Scotland'No one can create a more eloquently written suspense novel than Peter May.' New York Journal of BooksA SILENT VOWSpain, 2020. When expat fugitive Jack Cleland watches his girlfriend die, gunned down in a pursuit involving officer Cristina Sanchez Pradell, he promises to exact his revenge by destroying the policewoman.A SILENT LIFECristina's aunt Ana has been deaf-blind for the entirety of her adult life: the victim of a rare condition named Usher Syndrome. Ana is the centre of Cristina's world - and of Cleland's cruel plan.A SILENT DEATHJohn Mackenzie - an ingenious yet irascible Glaswegian investigator - is seconded to aid the Spanish authorities in their manhunt. He alone can silence Cleland before the fugitive has the last, bloody, word.Peter May's latest bestseller unites a strong, independent Spaniard with a socially inept Scotsman; a senseless vendetta with a sense-deprived victim, and a red-hot Costa Del Sol with an ice-cold killer.LOVED A SILENT DEATH? Read the first book in the acclaimed China Thriller series, THE FIREMAKERLOVE PETER MAY? Buy his new thriller, THE NIGHT GATE
A Silent Death: The scorching new mystery thriller you won't put down
by Peter MayTHE 12 MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LEWIS TRILOGY, THE ENZO FILES AND THE CHINA THRILLERSAWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF THE CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY 2021'Peter May is one of the most accomplished novelists writing today.' Undiscovered Scotland'No one can create a more eloquently written suspense novel than Peter May.' New York Journal of BooksA SILENT VOWSpain, 2020. When expat fugitive Jack Cleland watches his girlfriend die, gunned down in a pursuit involving officer Cristina Sanchez Pradell, he promises to exact his revenge by destroying the policewoman.A SILENT LIFECristina's aunt Ana has been deaf-blind for the entirety of her adult life: the victim of a rare condition named Usher Syndrome. Ana is the centre of Cristina's world - and of Cleland's cruel plan.A SILENT DEATHJohn Mackenzie - an ingenious yet irascible Glaswegian investigator - is seconded to aid the Spanish authorities in their manhunt. He alone can silence Cleland before the fugitive has the last, bloody, word.Peter May's latest bestseller unites a strong, independent Spaniard with a socially inept Scotsman; a senseless vendetta with a sense-deprived victim, and a red-hot Costa Del Sol with an ice-cold killer.LOVED A SILENT DEATH? Read the first book in the acclaimed China Thriller series, THE FIREMAKERLOVE PETER MAY? Buy his new thriller, THE NIGHT GATE
A Simple Brazilian Song: Journeys Through The Rio Sound
by James WoodallIn 1992, James Woodall was asked to write an article about a Brazilian musician he'd never heard of, called Chico Buarque. He discovered that Buarque was a national hero in his native country and that interviewing him was a bit like a Latin American interviewing Paul McCartney. Woodall fell under Buarque's spell and began an affair with Brazilian pop music which has lasted to this day. His new passion took him to Brazil and in particular to Rio de Janeiro, world capital of Carnival and samba. Over several visits, he met with Chico Buarque, discovered the city's immodest beach culture and took part in Carnival. He met Chico Buarque's great contemporary, Caetano Veloso and other stars. Picking up Portuguese on the hop, he learnt a great deal about Chico Buarque's life and about the strange and dangerous city where he lives. This book is as much a hymn to Rio de Janeiro as it is to the music that beats at its heart.
A Skeptic's Guide to Writers' Houses
by Anne TrubekThere are many ways to show our devotion to an author besides reading his or her works. Graves make for popular pilgrimage sites, but far more popular are writers' house museums. What is it we hope to accomplish by trekking to the home of a dead author? We may go in search of the point of inspiration, eager to stand on the very spot where our favorite literary characters first came to life--and find ourselves instead in the house where the author himself was conceived, or where she drew her last breath. Perhaps it is a place through which our writer passed only briefly, or maybe it really was a longtime home--now thoroughly remade as a decorator's show-house.In A Skeptic's Guide to Writers' Houses Anne Trubek takes a vexed, often funny, and always thoughtful tour of a goodly number of house museums across the nation. In Key West she visits the shamelessly ersatz shrine to a hard-living Ernest Hemingway, while meditating on his lost Cuban farm and the sterile Idaho house in which he committed suicide. In Hannibal, Missouri, she walks the fuzzy line between fact and fiction, as she visits the home of the young Samuel Clemens--and the purported haunts of Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher, and Injun' Joe. She hits literary pay-dirt in Concord, Massachusetts, the nineteenth-century mecca that gave home to Hawthorne, Emerson, and Thoreau--and yet could not accommodate a surprisingly complex Louisa May Alcott. She takes us along the trail of residences that Edgar Allan Poe left behind in the wake of his many failures and to the burned-out shell of a California house with which Jack London staked his claim on posterity. In Dayton, Ohio, a charismatic guide brings Paul Laurence Dunbar to compelling life for those few visitors willing to listen; in Cleveland, Trubek finds a moving remembrance of Charles Chesnutt in a house that no longer stands.Why is it that we visit writers' houses? Although admittedly skeptical about the stories these buildings tell us about their former inhabitants, Anne Trubek carries us along as she falls at least a little bit in love with each stop on her itinerary and finds in each some truth about literature, history, and contemporary America.
A Sky Full of Birds
by Matt Merritt'Prose from a poet and a personal take on the spectacles' Chris Packham, author of Fingers in the Sparkle JarShortlisted for Richard Jefferies Society & White Horse Bookshop Literary Prize 2017Longlisted for the Wainwright Prize 2017Britain is a nation of bird-lovers. However, few of us fully appreciate the sheer scale, variety and drama of our avian life. From city-centre hunters to vast flocks straight out of the Arctic wilderness, much-loved dawn songsters to the exotic invaders of supermarket car parks, a host of remarkable wildlife spectacles are waiting to be discovered right outside our front doors.In A Sky Full of Birds, poet and nature writer Matt Merritt shares his passion for birdwatching by taking us to some of the great avian gatherings that occur around the British isles – from ravens in Anglesey and raptors on the Wirral, to Kent nightingales and Scottish capercaillies. By turns lyrical, informative and entertaining, he shows how natural miracles can be found all around us, if only we know where to look for them.A Sky Full of Birds is the perfect read for avid birdwatchers and a beautiful gift for lovers of nature and poetic prose.
A Small Key Opens Big Doors: 50 Years of Amazing Peace Corps Stories
by Jay ChenThe Cold War officially ended in 1991 and opened a world of fresh opportunities for the Peace Corps. The fact that PCVs could move seamlessly into a constellation of states that once comprised the USSR is a testament to the flexibility and durability of the organization. All Peace Corps needs is an invitation. Volunteers are always ready to step up, learn a new language, learn some new skills, and then go to work in unfamiliar lands.Of the 40 stories in this volume, some reach back to early Peace Corps years in Iran and Turkey. Others engage with the newness of democratic freedoms, drawing back the curtain on old suspicions. Here you'll see why walking a Thanksgiving carrot cake through a revolution is easy. But following a whole new script for free market, democratic customs? Not so much. And meanwhile, in Mongolia, you'll learn how to celebrate the Lunar New Year with a shot of fermented horse milk, Cheers!
A Small Nation of People: W. E. B. Du Bois and African American Portraits of Progress
by David Levering Lewis Deborah WillisAn incredible treasure trove of more than 150 illustrations detailing a small nation of African Americans prepared to make their mark on America
A Small Place
by Jamaica KincaidKincaid's book appraises the small island of Antigua in the British West Indies where she grew up and makes vivid the impact of European colonization and tourism.
A Small Town Love Story: Colonial Beach, Virginia
by Sherryl WoodsPart memoir, part oral history, #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods gives us a rare and intimate look at Colonial Beach, Virginia.Rich in narrative history and local color, A Small Town Love Story: Colonial Beach, Virginia is an homage to the town of Sherryl Woods’s summers, a place that stole her heart long ago and provided the basis for the many fictional small towns in her bestselling novels.True to Woods’s signature style of focusing on characters who are at the center of their communities, here she has woven together the stories of the very real people who helped shape this seaside Virginia town. She takes us back to the days of her own family gatherings, artfully capturing the unique essence of Colonial Beach and making us yearn for small-town life.Woods’s own memories frame the true stories she features—from the unique history of Colonial Beach itself to some firsthand accounts of the Oyster Wars that once consumed the community, to the stories of neighborhood merchants who made it a point to know just about every customer by name. From farmers to restauranteurs and hoteliers, from pastors to librarians and military folk, Woods’s research and interviews give life to the personalities of a very special place.
A Snake Lies Waiting: Legends of the Condor Heroes Vol. 3 (Legends of the Condor Heroes #3)
by Jin YongTHE CHINESE "LORD OF THE RINGS" - NOW IN ENGLISH FOR THE FIRST TIME.THE SERIES EVERY CHINESE READER HAS BEEN ENJOYING FOR DECADES - 300 MILLION COPIES SOLD."Jin Yong's work, in the Chinese-speaking world, has a cultural currency roughly equal to that of "Harry Potter" and "Star Wars" combined" Nick Frisch, New Yorker"Like every fairy tale you're ever loved, imbued with jokes and epic grandeur. Prepare to be swept along." Jamie Buxton, Daily MailChina: 1200 A.D.Guo Jing has confronted Apothecary Huang, his sweetheart Lotus' father, on Peach Blossom Island, and bested the villainous Gallant Ouyang in three trials to win her hand in marriage.But now, along with his sworn brother, Zhou Botong of the Quanzhen Sect, and his shifu, Count Seven Hong, Chief of the Beggar Clan, he has walked into a trap. Tricked by Huang into boarding a unseaworthy barge, they will surely drown unless Lotus - who has overheard her father's plans - can find a way to save them.Yet even if they are to survive the voyage, great dangers lie in wait on the mainland. The Jin Prince Wanyan Honglie has gathered a band of unscrupulous warriors to aid him in his search for the lost writings of the Great Song patriot General Yue Fei. If he is successful, the Jin armies will gain the key to total victory over the Song Empire, condemning Guo Jing's countrymen to centuries of servitude.Translated from the Chinese by Anna Holmwood and Gigi Chang
A Snake Lies Waiting: Legends of the Condor Heroes Vol. 3 (Legends of the Condor Heroes)
by Jin YongTHE CHINESE "LORD OF THE RINGS" - NOW IN ENGLISH FOR THE FIRST TIME.THE SERIES EVERY CHINESE READER HAS BEEN ENJOYING FOR DECADES - 300 MILLION COPIES SOLD."Jin Yong's work, in the Chinese-speaking world, has a cultural currency roughly equal to that of "Harry Potter" and "Star Wars" combined" Nick Frisch, New Yorker"Like every fairy tale you're ever loved, imbued with jokes and epic grandeur. Prepare to be swept along." Jamie Buxton, Daily MailChina: 1200 A.D.Guo Jing has confronted Apothecary Huang, his sweetheart Lotus' father, on Peach Blossom Island, and bested the villainous Gallant Ouyang in three trials to win her hand in marriage.But now, along with his sworn brother, Zhou Botong of the Quanzhen Sect, and his shifu, Count Seven Hong, Chief of the Beggar Clan, he has walked into a trap. Tricked by Huang into boarding a unseaworthy barge, they will surely drown unless Lotus - who has overheard her father's plans - can find a way to save them.Yet even if they are to survive the voyage, great dangers lie in wait on the mainland. The Jin Prince Wanyan Honglie has gathered a band of unscrupulous warriors to aid him in his search for the lost writings of the Great Song patriot General Yue Fei. If he is successful, the Jin armies will gain the key to total victory over the Song Empire, condemning Guo Jing's countrymen to centuries of servitude.Translated from the Chinese by Anna Holmwood and Gigi Chang(P)2020 Quercus Editions Limited
A Social View of Socotra Island: People, Culture, Heritage
by Nataša Slak Valek Ahmad Abdelmoniem ZedanThis book focuses on Socotra Island, geographically based in Yemen, and aims to explore the island from the social sciences point of view. This book focuses on people indigenous to Socotra, Socotri cultures, heritage and also offers contributions from business, tourism, linguistic, communication, and anthropology. While a lot has been published in natural science about Socotra’s endemic species, biodiversity, and nature in general, social scientific research of the island is very limited. This book addresses therefore addresses this gap and explores various topics of tourism, behaviours, cultures, and language.This book focuses on a clear social science approach of Socotra. The purpose of this book is to publish research about the people, behaviors, heritage, and potential tourism of Socotra. The Socotra Archipelago has long been a land of mystery. It is unknown as a tourism destination for many, however, is a popular destination for adventurers, photographers and travelers who like to travel to remote and undeveloped places. This book explains how Socotra has limited resources of electricity, which is provided by diesel generators, Internet is very slow and limited to certain points on the island. There are no shopping malls or five-star hotels. Roads, schools, and hospitals have been built only recently. This book shoes how these island people do not know the development as we do, which makes it principally interesting to research. Previous interviewers of Socotri people about tourism development in the island have faced many challenges such as language barriers, lack of understanding the meanings and interviewing content, lack of support for the anticipated research results. This book successfully undertakes this challenge as not only in understanding the language, but understanding phenomena like e.g. tourism. Whilst acknowledging the ways in which indigenous island people have never travelled or seen a developed city. Thus, words like ‘developed’, ‘tourism destination’ or ‘washing machine’ may be unfamiliar terms for them. Therefore, new and innovative research methods that are sensitive to Socotra people were implemented in the creation of this book.
A Spring Betrayal: An Inspector Akyl Borubaev Thriller (2)
by Tom Callaghan'Even better than Child 44. Akyl Borubaev is a terrific creation' Anthony HorowitzWE UNCOVERED THE LAST OF THE BODIES IN THE RED HOUR BEFORE DUSK, AS THE SUN STAINED THE SNOWCAPS OF THE TIAN SHAN MOUNTAINS THE COLOUR OF DRIED BLOOD. . .Inspector Akyl Borubaev of Bishkek Murder Squad has been exiled to the far corner of Kyrgyzstan, but death still haunts him at every turn. Borubaev soon finds himself caught up in a mysterious and gruesome new case: several children's bodies have been found buried together - all tagged with name bands. In his search for the truth behind the brutal killings, Borubaev hits a wall of silence, with no one to turn to outside his sometime lover, the beautiful undercover agent Saltanat Umarova.When Borubaev himself is framed, accused of involvement in the production of blood-soaked child pornography, it looks as though things couldn't get any worse. With the investigation at a dangerous standstill, Borubaev sets out to save his own integrity, and to deliver his own savage justice on behalf of the many dead who can't speak for themselves . . .'Just keeps getting better . . . buy the whole series right away' Peter Robinson, No.1 bestselling author of Sleeping in the Ground'Storytelling of the highest quality . . . Introduces a detective it is impossible not to believe in. Callaghan is a new voice to be welcomed' Daily Mail
A Spring Betrayal: An Inspector Akyl Borubaev Thriller (2) (An Inspector Akyl Borubaev Thriller)
by Tom Callaghan'Even better than Child 44. Akyl Borubaev is a terrific creation' Anthony HorowitzWE UNCOVERED THE LAST OF THE BODIES IN THE RED HOUR BEFORE DUSK, AS THE SUN STAINED THE SNOWCAPS OF THE TIAN SHAN MOUNTAINS THE COLOUR OF DRIED BLOOD. . .Inspector Akyl Borubaev of Bishkek Murder Squad has been exiled to the far corner of Kyrgyzstan, but death still haunts him at every turn. Borubaev soon finds himself caught up in a mysterious and gruesome new case: several children's bodies have been found buried together - all tagged with name bands. In his search for the truth behind the brutal killings, Borubaev hits a wall of silence, with no one to turn to outside his sometime lover, the beautiful undercover agent Saltanat Umarova.When Borubaev himself is framed, accused of involvement in the production of blood-soaked child pornography, it looks as though things couldn't get any worse. With the investigation at a dangerous standstill, Borubaev sets out to save his own integrity, and to deliver his own savage justice on behalf of the many dead who can't speak for themselves . . .'Just keeps getting better . . . buy the whole series right away' Peter Robinson, No.1 bestselling author of Sleeping in the Ground'Storytelling of the highest quality . . . Introduces a detective it is impossible not to believe in. Callaghan is a new voice to be welcomed' Daily Mail
A Steady Trade: A Boyhood at Sea
by Tristan JonesA memoir of growing up in pre-World War II Wales and developing a love of sailing and adventure, by the author of The Incredible Voyage. Tristan Jones vividly and colorfully describes his childhood as a Welsh boy growing up by the sea. The story of his boyhood in pre-World War II England is strikingly charming and nostalgic. The challenges and adventures he encounters will have you seeing, smelling, feeling, hearing, and tasting the sea as you travel with him through this coming-of-age story.