Fiction
The Colombian Sojourn – Chapter 10
There comes a stage at which a man would rather die cleanly by a bullet than by the unknown terror of the phantom in the forest. ― Tahir Shah, House of the Tiger King: The [more…]
Literature
Animals
Larry’s Diary, Week One Hundred and Eighteen
Monday Morning merry readers, another week of reporting stretches ahead of me. I have been eating my breakfast and listening to the radio. I do wish Bozzie would stick to one station. I just get [more…]
20th Century
Mystery Album, Part Eight
There are pleasures even the most adventurous of lives can deny a gentleman. Despite the tales of derring-do from his previous life more interesting (occasionally mildly exaggerated), there are places your author has rarely visited [more…]
Fiction
Jinnie’s Story – Book Two, Chapter Twenty
Jinnie was in the unit’s minibus on the way to the shooting competition in Southampton when her mobile rang and a voice said, “Please hold for the Prime Minister.” Seconds later the now familiar voice [more…]
Arts
Always Worth Saying’s Question Time Review
Question Time 4th November 2021 The Panel: Paul Scully (Conservative) Emily Thornberry (Labour) Tim Stanley (Journalist) Caroline Lucas (Greens) Paul Polman (Former CEO) Venue: Eastleigh Amir wants to know if Tory sleaze has returned in [more…]
20th Century
Report From Kenya, March 1955
Two years into the Mau Mau emergency, my uncle John Alldridge reported from Kenya for the Manchester Evening News in March, 1955 – Jerry F. Tactical Force Headquarters East Africa Command Nyeri, Kenya, Monday [more…]
20th Century
Postcard From Summer 1954, Part Two – Brighton
In 1954, the Manchester Evening News launched a “Special Investigation” and tasked my uncle, John Alldridge, with answering the question – Holidaymakers, do you get value for your MONEY? What follows is his report on [more…]
Fiction
The Colombian Sojourn – Chapter 9
Edge had been on enough operations to know that the work was ninety per-cent routine and ten per-cent sheer terror and exhilaration. Two days later he had gone up in Huey that was doing an [more…]
Fiction
Wildfowling: The Spirit of the Marsh
Evening flight had been a total loss and the bad weather looked to be closing in fast. Jay the Spaniel cut a piteous figure, highlighted as he was in the feeble light from a head [more…]