Author:Michael Rosen

Michael Rosen's Selected Poems is a wonderfully moving sequence of prose poems extracted from his acclaimed autobiographical triptych, Carrying the Elephant, This is Not My Nose and In the Colonie. In a series of artful, deceptively simple poems, Rosen covers a vast terrain, collating vivid and fragmentary memories from his left-wing Jewish upbringing, his teenage holiday at a socialist summer camp in France, his London childhood and the death of his eighteen-year-old son from meningitis. He takes in, along the way, marriage, divorce, births and the undiagnosed illness (an underactive thyroid) from which Rosen suffered for ten years.
'Wonderfully vivid... the real delight of Mallinson's books is their authenticity... His portrayal of his characters, as well as his vignettes of historical personages...show a rare and thoughtful understanding of the huan condition and the mind of the soldier. It all makes for a thoroughly satisfying and entertaining read'
—— The TimesThrilling... In addition to his exceptional knowledge of history, Allan Mallinson shows his deep awareness of human feelings and failings. This is an exceptional book.
—— Country LifeA riveting tale of heroism, derring do and enormous resource in the face of overwhelming adversity ... Another prime example of the unputdownable historical novel
—— The Times'Oozing action, A Call to Arms is a military tale of epic proportions that will leave fans counting the days to the next adventure'
—— Ireland on Sunday'With each book, Hervey himself is becoming a more complex and interesting characters...Mallinson writes of his inner questionings with subtlety and sympathy. This series grows in stature with each book'
—— Evening StandardPerceptive, hilarious and moving
—— Daily RecordFunny, heartbreaking and achingly real
—— Jane FallonNo author marries heartbreak and hilarity so seamlessly
—— Mail on SundayFunny, tender and completely absorbing
—— Graham NortonCharming, funny and poignant. But also profound, heartbreaking
—— Nina StibbeKeyes at her best: capturing everyday voices with humour and empathy with writing that you'll devour in a weekend. Just pure and simple joy
—— StylistHigh quality entertainment
—— Marie ClaireIt takes real talent to make a reader laugh and cry … the story will stay with you long after you've read the last page
—— HeatKeyes writes brilliantly, as always, about love, grief, jealousy and friendship
—— Daily MailThe jokes are as good as ever, Keyes' large cast of Irish and American characters fizz and crackle off the page. High quality entertainment
—— Marie ClaireThe novel is a rare blend of genres, a richly enjoyable satire and an inspirational tale of one woman's triumph over despair
—— Daily Telegraph