Double Exposure
Will be published approx. on 1. February 2017
Book
Paperback/Softback
272 pages
978-1-910192-67-2 (ISBN)
Description
Two revelations, each coming to light 20 years apart following the deaths of his father and mother, prompt Brian Johnstone to turn a poet's eye on his 1950s childhood and explore his parents' lives before and during World War II. His double set of discoveries lead him to encounter relatives both forgotten and unknown, to free an elderly cousin from the burden of a secret kept for a lifetime, and to forge an enduring relationship with the half-sister he never knew he had. In a memoir sure to resonate with baby-boomers and anyone who has lost and found unknown relatives, Brian ponders why he was never trusted with the truth and vividly evokes a post-war upbringing, under whose conventional surface so much was hidden.
Reviews / Votes
"An affecting tale that reminds us of the consequences of caring too much about appearances and not enough about the natural affections of the heart. The sense of loss is palpable." Louis de Bernieres; "a memoir not of misery but of love deflected and deferred." James Robertson; "Summoning of the fragrance of lost days." Candia McWilliam, Scottish Review of Books; "A profoundly moving elegy written in a minor key ... A mature, courageous, honest and extremely likeable book." - Jim Crumley, The Scots MagazineMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Glasgow
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 135 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-910192-67-2 (9781910192672)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Brian Johnstone is a poet, writer and performer who has published six poetry collections to date. His work appears on the UK Poetry Archive website and has been translated into 10 different languages. A founder in 1998 of StAnza: Scotland's International Poetry Festival, he was Festival Director from 2000 to 2010, and has been active on the Scottish literary scene for over 25 years, organising poetry events in Edinburgh, Pittenweem and St Andrews.