'In my dreams, I was always in some vast landscape on a long, straight road. Driving. Always driving.' Gwenda had always loved the open road, but her home town of Newcastle didn't really offer the sort of adventure she longed for. So, in 1957, with friend and fellow nurse Pat in tow, she left the dismal British winter behind, and embarked on an amazing American adventure. After a year nursing in Cleveland, Gwenda, Pat and three new friends set off on a road trip around North America, driving in a rickety 1949 Ford. What follows is the charming true story of five remarkable young women. Over the course of eighteen months, the girls go to a 4th July rodeo, visit San Francisco and Las Vegas, learn to surf in Hawaii, spot movie stars in Hollywood and celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Wherever they go, the travelling nurses cause a sensation. This is a delightfully nostalgic memoir of friendship and the romance of the open road.

THE TOUCHING TRUE STORY Two young Second World War evacuees Far from home, far from family, safe from the war Gwenda and Douglas Brady were among the millions of British children sent to live with new families for their own safety during the Second World War, leaving behind their parents, their friends and all that felt familiar and safe. Evacuation could be a scary experience, but five-year-old Gwenda and her brother were lucky enough to be housed with a kindly schoolmaster and his wife, and soon the realities of the war felt very far away. WHEN THE WAR IS OVER touchingly tells the story of how Gwenda and Doug found a second family and a loving home in the remote Lake District village of Bampton . . . and how the war touched the lives of everyone, even those far, far away from the big cities. Readers love WHEN THE WAR IS OVER: 'One of the very best books I have ever read without a doubt. A wonderful HEARTWARMING story' 'A RIVETING read' 'All the people really came to life' 'A WONDERFUL record' 'True stories of life and VERY ENTERTAINING' 'NOSTALGIC and ENJOYABLE' 'An intimate record of what it was like as a young child being evacuated in WWII'

In the heart of Ashington - a bustling Geordie mining town - a handsome red-brick vicarage, surrounded by rambling gardens, stands proudly among the rows of terraced houses. It is the perfect place for playing games, keeping secrets and chasing the ghosts of previous occupants, and it will be nine-year-old Barbara's new home now that her father is to be vicar in this strange new place. In this charming memoir, Barbara Fox recalls a childhood where parishioners knocked on the door at all hours of the day and night, and where no one batted an eye at the collection of waifs and strays who regularly joined the family at the kitchen table. This is a warm-hearted, classic tale of family, community and the unforgettable thrill of childhood adventure.

‘Call the Midwife compellingly transposed from the East End of London to the Borneo rainforest’ Lynne Tembey, Worldwide President of the Mothers’ Union1959. Newcastle nurse Wendy Grey leaves her comfortable life and answers a call from people in Borneo to run a clinic in a place so remote, many there have never before seen a white woman. Until her arrival, medical witchcraft has been the norm. Nevertheless, Wendy quickly gains the trust of the locals, and they begin to flock to her for treatment. And – terrifyingly – when some require emergency surgery, she must also become anaesthetist and surgeon . . . or watch her patients die. From treacherous journeys on land and water to tea parties with the governor; from tussles with snakes and scorpions to Scrabble with nuns; from struggling with illness to suddenly falling in love – this unique glimpse into contrasting sides of a lost colonial world is possible thanks to Wendy’s detailed diaries, written by the light of an oil lamp in her bamboo and palm-leaf house. Meanwhile, back home, churches throughout the UK are praying for the young woman in Borneo. ‘A heart-warming adventure . . . a spellbinding narrative . . . a step into another world.’ Mark Beaumont, adventurer, author and broadcaster

THE DIARIES OF A MILITARY WIFE DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR In 1935, Evelyn Shillington started a diary, little knowing the years of turmoil it would cover, and how insightful her experiences as an army wife would be to the following generations. Eve joined her beloved husband, Captain Rex Shillington, on his postings, giving her a unique view into army life. Through the abdication crisis, to the turbulent years of the WWII and ending in war-ravaged Italy, Eve documented it all with an inimitable spirit and brave humour. The diaries lay forgotten in an attic for years until an enterprising antiques dealer discovered them by chance. Published seventy years after Eve wrote in her diary for the last time, they offer a fascinating first-hand account into life on the home front. Readers love EVE'S WAR: 'Enlightening and well written' 'What a brilliant read' 'Such an interesting account and in great detail too' 'It's a book you just want to carry on reading'

AS SEEN ON BBC TWO'S HIT TV-SHOW 'THIS FARMING LIFE' 'A heartwarming tale of life on the land' Alan Titchmarsh 'There's love and loss, challenge and adversity, but above all it's warm, insightful and inspiring' Helen Skelton 'Will inspire any reader to look at the countryside - and all those who work there - with newfound appreciation' Jimmy Doherty 'Uplifting, charming and beautifully written' Adam Henson Emma Gray was just twenty-three when she moved to an isolated farm in Northumberland, becoming Britain's youngest solo shepherdess. In the seasons that followed, Emma fell in love with its rolling fields, surrounding forest and sturdy farmhouse, tending her sheep and training her dogs - and even found romance. But when Emma finds herself suddenly alone again, heartbroken and recovering from a serious accident, she wonders if her isolated existence is still such a sensible idea. Even if she recovers, how could she make a proper living on Fallowlees Farm? In her heartwarming book, Emma tells the story of how she picked herself up and expanded her cattle herd, added more horses to her menagerie, and became one of the country's most successful breeders and trainers of Border Collies - unexpectedly discovering true love and lasting happiness along the way. Written with warmth and humour, My Farming Life is a joyous celebration of nature and community, and a delight for anyone who's ever dreamed of living closer to the countryside.

'Bedpans & Bobby Socks' is the charming story of five British nurses on a road trip around America in the 1950s.

Bob, a professional animator from Hollywood, and his wife Cima, a would-be writer, decided to take a sabbatical to Europe in 1959. With limited funds and a copy of Arthur Frommers Europe on $5 A Day, they hoped to stretch their adventure to six months. Forty years later, they were still on sabbatical. In this memoir, they draw upon postcards and diary entries to share how they lived out their lives as expatriates in Europe during the second half of the twentieth century, living the dream of a free-spirited life that so many can only long for. Numerous pictures help illustrate the story. They enjoy French onion soup at the Eiffel tower, experience the culture shock of using bidets in water closets, gorge on croissants, try getting used to two-hour lunches, and enjoy meeting fascinating and eccentric people along the way. Take a step back in time with Bob and Cima as they do the unexpected, and dare to ask, What If?

LOTS OF LAUGHS AND A FEW WELL-EARNED TEARS A TIME-BOUND TALE WITH TIMELESS APPEAL Angela?s home life forces her to grow up too fast. A popular school leader and closet nerd, Angela responds by enshrining carefree fun as a virtue when it comes to the opposite sex. Bart Aikens, filmmaker, The Vampires Dance How does a good girl coming of age in 1950s Albany, New York, play the field when boys control the dating game? The boys who like Angela arent always the ones she pines for in her diary. Angela is dismayed that boys look down on the girls they have pushed to go all the way. She wants to avoid a fast reputation but yearns for no-strings-attached flirtations and slow dances with as many cute guys as she can juggle. Angela confides in and treasures her emancipated, artistic mentor. Sparks fly when her parents bar Angela from acting on her dating preferences. The events of one summer night forever color Angelas family relationships but cannot diminish her boy-crazy ways. The secret thrills in Angelas Boy Crazy diary harken back to the days when Elvis was young and cell phones, computers, and the sexual revolution had yet to change American life. Reading Boy Crazy is like being a GoPro action camerain the life of a girl, getting toseethrough her eyesas shegrows from child to young woman in a life filled with boys, men, happy times and tragedies, dances and historical eventsthis is life in the rawBoy Crazy provides a refreshingly unique journeyAngela is aware and involvedI loved this book and the vicarious living it provided. Sherre Lovick, novelist, aerospace engineer, pilot, musician, dancer Cmon, lets admit it. Wed look, if we could, at that diary of a lover, friend, or family member. We would. We want to know the secrets. We dont look, of course, out of courtesy and politeness. But what if someone courageously offered us a look into her diary, into her life, her mind, her heart? I found the look Angela offered fascinating, entertaining, and moving. Now its your turn. Go ahead, take a look. You know you want to. Will Jarvis, author, artist, public speaker, activist www.willjarvis.com www.erinstarfox.com