|
The Great British Bookshop and Amazon |
|
Letters in a Suitcase by Douglas, Dorothy & Murial Heelas Edited by Arthur Harris Letters in a Suitcase offers a captivating window into the daily lives of three siblings – Muriel, Dorothy, and Douglas Heelas – during the tumultuous 1930s to 1950s, with a focus on the years from 1939 to 1948. Follow Douglas as he embarks on a remarkable journey, leaving school to join the army amidst the backdrop of World War II. From the British Expeditionary Forces in France to a chance encounter with Noel Coward and Leslie Howard in Paris, and the fateful Dunkirk evacuation, his experiences are nothing short of gripping. A harrowing shipwreck, capture by Japanese forces, and years as a prisoner of war in Thailand and Burma make for a truly extraordinary narrative. Meanwhile, Dorothy’s wartime service in the Auxiliary Territorial Service takes her from England to the far reaches of Southeast Asia. Her vivid letters recount her adventures, from dining at Government House in Singapore with Lord Louis Mountbatten to her subsequent assignment in the Central Mediterranean Forces in Italy. And not to be overlooked, Muriel, the music teacher, plays her own role in this compelling family saga, teaching in various locations including Broadstairs, St. Albans, and Switzerland. In Letters in a Suitcase, their correspondence unveils a poignant tapestry of 20th-century British social history, offering a unique perspective on the trials and triumphs of a remarkable era. |
|
Reviews of Letters in a Suitcase Waterstones review by Pat Pearson: “Fascinating chronicles of the lives of three siblings during World War 2” Brilliant compilation of correspondence between three close siblings that offers great insights into the different dynamics of family life, travels and anguish during the war years. I was educated about aspects of being a prisoner of war in Burma and the excruciating wait post war to be repatriated. It felt a privilege to be allowed into the life of this close family through their correspondence. Bookish Review: “Hidden treasures revealed” An unexpected page-turner! This humble treasure trove of letters from the 2nd World War reveals the wide variety of British experiences of wartime for members of one family, at home and on active service abroad. Generally understated, with a laconic often humorous commentary on topical issues, the letters turn out to be fascinating and a real piece of social history. 'Letters in a Suitcase' is a rattling good read, delicately revealing and concealing struggles, and now affording us a fascinating window on the phenomenon of war as lived by ordinary people. In this age of social media and ephemeral communications it is a reminder that if we scorn pen and paper, seduced by the speed of texts and emails, future generations may have no lasting tangible records of the pleasures and pains of life - no love-letters, no exchanges of views, no excruciating 'Dear John' missives, not to mention no stamp collections. What a lost world! It made me dig out my fountain pen and determine to write real letters again - now where's that bottle of ink? Diponegoro - Top reviews from Amazon United Kingdom: “UnPutDownable!” Once one's read through the interesting introduction and are a dozen or so pages into the correspondence between Douglas and his mother, this book becomes difficult to put down, one being so drawn into the individual characters and their relationship as well as to the long-gone society in which they live. Well, it would be 'unputdownable' were it not so heavy! At almost 500 pages in length, this is a heavyweight tome, though that adjective certainly does not apply to the letters themselves. The editor of them, who is to be commended for his diligence in not only copy-typing the original material, but also providing helpful footnotes and a glossary of the oft-used, mostly military abbreviations, says that he personally prefers the chatty style of Dug's sister Muriel, whose writings fill much of the second part of the book, than her brother's somewhat more businesslike manner as his parents' health causes him more and more concern (the attempts to ban cycling, despite their mother's protestations, provide an amusing veneer to these disquiets!). As a window into the real social history of an English middle-class suburban family before, during and after the second world war, this book is truly fascinating. Tony Haywood (Grand Nephew of Douglas, Dorothy and Muriel) “ Well, I never knew all that!” Really enjoyed reading about three fascinating characters who I just happen to be related to. I met Douglas briefly in 1967 at my brothers wedding but never met Dorothy or Muriel (unfortunately), but would have loved to, these letter have been put together in way that flow and are easy to follow which must have taken the author a great deal of headscratching but I'm so glad he persevered and I thank him ..... I now am reading it again.... |