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BOOKS
Books
Welcome to the home of Michael John Kelly and his dog, Madge. Michael is the author of the highly acclaimed memoir, Just a boy from Bristol.
What the readers thought
If you really want to understand war through the eyes of a child this book is one that you must read. Michael Kelly writes sensitively but realistically about the lives of ordinary women and their children in Bristol during the Second World War. He brings to life what it was like to be reliant on the Pawn Shop in order to make both ends meet and how mothers such as his own had to use their ingenuity to keep their families alive and fed. The book closes when the War ends and Michael's father Joe returns home. Hopefully this won't be all we hear of the Kelly clan. I sincerely hope that Michael will publish a second volume in the not too distant future.
Just finished reading this fantastic book - it's the best book that I've read in ages. The author is a brilliant story teller and has an amazing story to tell, which had me laughing and crying in parts. I couldn't put it down, and am hoping for a sequel.
What an insightful and charming read. This book sang passionately from the heart about a home town, a family and a war. The accounts in this book truly capture how a child sees and understands an adult world, which is with clarity and honesty. I wonder what this boy from Bristol will show us next, I have no doubt that this voice has much more to say...
Beautifully written book. I felt like I had been taken by the hand and walked through the streets of war torn Bristol. The author describes his memories through the eyes of a child. The innocence against the harsh realities of war marry seamlessly. You don't need to be from Bristol to enjoy and love this book. More please. It was over too fast.
A very well written book telling the story of a young boy growing up during the war years in Bristol. The writer really makes the reader feel the horrors and the joys of those times. For people brought up during those dark times it brings back poignant memories and for those younger, it vividly describes what it was like growing up in those dark years. Well recommended for readers of all ages.
In The Press
Michael John Kelly was born in Bristol in 1937. Those were interesting times as the storm clouds of war were gathering over Europe, and he was only two when his father re-enlisted in the Royal Navy to fight for his King and country.
Part 1 of the author's memoirs tells the story of the family's struggles to survive during the blitz of Bristol, and the difficult years leading up to his father returning home to civilian life.
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