2020 will be a year to remember, there is no doubt about it, it is a year that my grandchildren will ask me about. It has been  turbulent, full of extreme highs and lows and I believe that it is vital that we try to find the good in the bad – after all every cloud has a silver lining, in the words of Winston Churchill “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference”

Reading is my form of escaping the real world if only for a short while, I would like to share with you my top books that have helped me through this year. First up is the Twins of Auschwitz by Eva Mozes Kor. 

When Eva Mozes Kor and her family arrived at Auschwitz in 1944, they were immediately separated. Her parents and sisters were taken to the gas chambers, while Eva and her twin, Miriam, were herded into the care of Dr. Josef Mengele, who quickly became known as ‘the angel of death’.  They were 10 years old.  In a narrative told simply, with emotion and astonishing restraint, The Twins of Auschwitz shares the inspirational story of a child’s endurance and survival in the face of truly extraordinary evil.   I flew through this book and it gave me a huge wakeup call, yes life is hard now but is no where near as trying as I can imagine it was during world war two. It is so beautifully written I found myself simply unable to put it down, I was forever telling myself “one more chapter” I simply had to know what happened to Eva and Miriam.

I found strength from this book which is why it has made my list. I would recommend this  to fans of historical memoirs, biographies and auto biographies. If you were captivated by “The tattooist of Auschwitz” then this book is for you.

Next up is Wedding bells on the home front by Annie Clarke

March 1942: As the war continues, wedding bells are ringing for the factory girls . . .  Sarah is happily settling into married life with new husband Stan, whilst Fran is busy planning her upcoming wedding to sweetheart Davey, who’s still conscripted to Bletchley Park. With limited resources, the girls must make do to create the perfect day. Meanwhile, Beth has other things on her mind. She hasn’t heard from her husband Bob since he returned to the navy, and she’s starting to fear the worst. And new friend Viola is still recovering from a nasty accident.  Life on the home front can be challenging, but with the support of one another, the factory girls can get through anything.

This sensational book is the third book in The Factory girl’s series. I am a huge fan of the first two books, and I could not wait to read the third instalment and I was as far from disappointed as I could get. Again, this book is set during world war two, with the story taking place in a small mining village in northern England. What I enjoy about this series is how the fictional characters all pull together to help one another despite every hurdle  thrown their way – a hurdle they overcome, together. Yes, the book is fictional, but I like to think that that was how most people would have behaved.

After reading this I stopped and reflected and we can try to struggle on by ourselves or we can ask for help, there is no shame in it, quite the opposite in fact, it shows great courage and determination to ask for help, We can only get through this together.

If like me you are a fan of historical fiction, and Margaret Graham,, Milly Adams and Annie Clarke (one and the same person)  then you must-read Wedding bells on the Home Front.

One of my most memorable reads of this year is In The End by Donna H Duhig.

In 1919, a sudden tragedy tears Betsy’s family apart. Her childhood and life, and that of her siblings, will change irrevocably.    Betsy grows up in the years between the two wars. During this time of hardship, she faces many struggles and losses. Will she develop the strength and determination to find her own way in life? Will things work out In the End? I approached Donna on Instagram and asked if I could review her debut novel for the magazine. She very generously agreed to send me a copy. I was pre warned to have the tissues ready as it is a tear jerker, I am not one to cry easily, but I was bawling by the end of the first chapter. I am in absolute awe of Duhig’s incredible ability to draw you in as a reader and keep you hooked from the first sentence to the very last. I hope that 2021 brings us more books by this outstanding author.

If you are a fan of Downton Abbey and Historical fiction in general then you will love In The End.

I have read 4 Linda Finlay novels so far and each one has been incredible , The one that I read this year was The Seashell Girl.   Seventeen-year-old Merryn Dyer has been helping her mother to knit fisherman’s jumpers in a small Cornish village since she was a young girl. Growing up without a father, Merryn is used to barely scraping a living and her mother has always instilled pride and honesty in her. But she dreams of one day having more in life. So when she gets the chance at a job in a nearby city she jumps at it, despite her mother’s reservations. However, once out of her village she begins to uncover long-buried secrets about her past that threaten to unravel everything that she thought she knew.

I couldn’t put it down I simply had to know what was going to happen. Full of refreshing characters and plot twists that you do not see coming The Sea Shell Girl makes for a gripping and beautiful read. Set in the 1880’s in the beautiful west country Finlay captures the stunning scenery of a small Cornish village.  If you are after a book that will capture your heart and will keep you hooked until the very end then this is the book for you

until 5th January 2021

“Absolutely brilliant!”

Several years ago I travelled to the scariness that is south London (apologies if you live there!), to the tiny Theatre 503, to watch this company’s production of Scrooge and the Seven Dwarves. I was attacked by a T-Rex during the show. I laughed a lot. I joined in a lot and, finally, left the theatre on a high… still talking about it.

Times have changed. Live, intimate theatre seems so long ago. Companies and creatives have pummelled their audiences with virtual shows – productions that we watch through the screen. But how to keep the essence of ‘live’ even though we are, basically, watching a tv programme?

Simple – sit back and join John, James and Joshua of Sleeping Trees as they tell you a story… although you won’t be resting for long. You’ll throw paper at the screen, hide under a sheet, peer through toilet rolls, even row a boat with kitchen implements – all manner of madcap antics that turn a simple muck around with these three chaps into an ‘interactive’ 50-minute long show that will make children AND adults laugh out loud.

They play all the characters bar one (but no spoilers!) and pull us into their crazy world. It is hilarious fun. All shot in someone’s house – which means there could be neighbours with their ears to the walls saying, ‘They’re at it again! What IS going on in there?!?’ Unlike other offerings on the web this year, this production is imaginatively shot and edited by Shaun Reynolds and neatly directed by Kerry Frampton.

Sleeping Trees specialise in melding different stories together – creating a fusion that turns the whole experience into a ‘live cartoon’. Absolutely brilliant! As for the baddie of the piece…

This is King Rat… BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Photography Shaun Reynolds

Producers Alice Carter & Sleeping Trees – with support from Battersea Arts Centre

Writers John Woodburn, James Dunnell-Smith, Joshua George Smith and Ben Hales

Director Kerry Frampton

Music Ben Hales

Running Time 50 minutes approx

Tickets https://sleepingtrees.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/the_legend_of_moby_dick_whittington

Shows until 5th January 2021 – go to www.thesleepingtrees.co.uk for details

Price From £5

Twitter @WeSleepingTrees

SAS Band of Brothers by Damien Lewis was, for me, unputdownable, and not just because I have my own small charity which helps veterans.

This is a story which should be told, and boy, is it told well, and rivals any thriller  on the shelves today. But what makes it riveting is that it is true, painfully so.

In June 1944 twelve SAS parachuted into occupied France, led by Captain Patrick Garstin MC, who bore wounds from previous  battles. It was a  small elite band, which included Thomas ‘Ginger’ Jones and Serge ‘Frenchy’ Vaculik, who destroyed enemy targets. However, they were captured, imprisoned and tortured. Hitler ordered their execution and only Jones and Vaculik escaped. You can imagine the hue and cry, the hunting…

Later in 1945 the Nazis hunters became the hunted,  and those in pursuit of these who committed such war crimes were the SAS including  ‘Ginger’ Jones and Serge Vaculik until… Ah, but no more, because this is a tale that needs to be read properly from beginning to end.

Damien Lewis’s exploration of this whole incident tears at the heart strings exposing what I consider injustices, quite apart from the executions. These were brave men, who acted on their country’s behalf  and, for me, Damien Lewis has not only told a story of bravery in the face of barbarity, but he has also exposed what amount to post war deceits.

Read it, give it to others. In this time of the pursuit of our esteemed military for historic so called  ‘crimes’ let us read through a different lens, the valour, the sacrifice, the commitment to the protection of our country and their comrades, and be proud of, and grateful to, them ALL, including those serving today.

SAS Band of Brothers by Damien Lewis pub by Quercus Books Hardback @ £20.

Margaret Graham is a bestselling author, who writes under the names Annie Clarke and Milly Adams Her latest by Annie Clarke is the Girls on the Home Front series.