Monday 22 December 2014

THE EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA by Harry Leslie Smith

5 GOLD STARS

Non Fiction, Memoir, Post WWII

Originally posted on Amazon HERE on 17 December 2012



I was lucky enough to get this when it was on Amazon for free, but I would have bought it anyway, having read the two other books in the series, 1923: A Memoir and Hamburg 1947.

Harry Smith is back from the second world war, and brings his German bride over to live in darkest working class Halifax - a bit of a shock for her! The book documents not only the ups and downs of Harry and Friede's relationship, but also tells much about how people felt after the war, in both Germany and England, about the increased desire for sociological change, everwhere, and about the dissatisfaction felt by so many people.

Just like the other two books in the series this is completely unputdownable - I started reading this the minute I'd finished the last one. It's not only fascinating because of the personal way it relates the history of the time, but it's just so well written, really engaging. I read it when I shouldn't be reading it; I kept sneaking my Kindle out - yes, it's one of those books!

I highly recommend all three of these books - well done, Harry Smith!

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