Posted in
|
Ian McMillan
|
|
||
|
Genre
|
|||
|
Media
|
Book
|
||
Publisher | John Murray | ||
ISBN | 9781848540453 | ||
|
Reviewer
|
Jayne
|
Synopsis
Talking Myself Home" is a portrait of an unregarded place. And a love story between Lt Cdr J. McMillan, a Scottish sailor and Olive Wood, a young lass in Yorkshire. The unregarded place is Darfield, near Barnsley, a place mentioned (briefly) in the Domesday book and now trying to reinvent itself after the wholesale closure of the mining industry. The life story is that of John and Olives son, the Bard of Barnsley, from Low Valley Junior School and Wath Grammar School to Oscar the Frog (Barnsleys first folk-rock band) and Jaws (Barnsleys First folk-poetry duo) and beyond. A life lived with words at its core. In some ways its a tiny life; a few ripples in a pond far from the centre of things, a few lines written in celebration and commemoration of places and times that deserve better. In another way its a shout of hope, that we can find the centre anywhere and celebrate it.
Review
'Talking Myself Home' is a real refreshing little but big book by Ian McMillan.
This book is made up of poems, and non rhyming verse. The tales are great even though I cannot say I'm completely conversant with the Yorkshire dialect. Many are very topical and I did laugh at one or two of them. I think my favourite was the one 'The Thames-Clyde Express' where Ian talks about the trains going north and what he experienced watching the trains go by.
Great book and some very amusing musings! Go and write some more they are really fun!
If you enjoy what we provide, please consider making a donation.
