Voices from a Journal

Voices from a JournalÊby Bill Naughton \n \nWith a foreword by Brendan Kennelly. \n \nThis is a writer's journal of his friendships, encounters and observations during the 1950s and 60s, describing relationships with Cork author Frank O'Connor, Patrick Kavanagh, Charles Cape (onetime governor of Strangeways Prison) and the remarkable Margaret Radford, baglady and acquaintance of Shaw, Lawrence and Ford Madox Ford, with her vivid experiences of the Great War. Peopled by the colourful characters met in his profession, Naughton also gives an intimate portrait of a marriage and the onset of death as he survives a coronary thrombosis. Limpid, candid and tellingly written, it delineates the struggles and triumphs of a migrant Irish writer living in the English provinces, with sharp insights into human behaviour. \n \n'A book of true life recollections by the author sometimes amusing others astounding. He recounts conversations with the people he has met giving a unique glimpse into their personalities and lives. The result is candid, non-judgemental and often surprising his ability to recount minute detail commendable.'Ê- Customer review \n \nABOUT THE AUTHOR \n \nBILL NAUGHTON (1910-1992) was born in Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo and moved to Bolton, Lancashire aged four, where he remained the rest of his life. He is best known for his novel Alfie which became a classic film of the 1960s and for plays such as Spring and Port Wine. He has written short stories, novels (On the Pig's Back) and children's books and three volumes of autobiography, the last entitled Neither Use nor Ornament is in Allison & Busby's Twentieth Century Classics series. Read more here.