This Tumult
By: Caroline Preston
Publication Date: May 2017
€15.00
Written by Caroline Preston.
The Tottenham family is falling apart. There is no money to maintain the crumbling house in Westmeath, and decisions have to be made. Brothers Nick and Tony, fed up with the constraints of rural Ireland and with escalating family tensions, make the long journey to jackaroo on their uncle’s Australian farm.
But it is 1939, and World War Two looms. Nick and Tony’s futures are thrown into chaos as the entire family signs up to help the war effort. Little do they anticipate the unimaginable terror, starvation and heartache that lies ahead of them, or what it will take to survive.
This Tumult is based on the author’s own family history, taking in the battle fields of Syria and Java, a farm in Australia, night sorties over Germany and France, Lincolnshire air fields and the horrors of a Japanese prison camp. It is a remarkable story of hardship, heroism and extraordinary coincidence.
Caroline Preston was born into an Irish family with a long military tradition. She studied History and Political Science at Trinity College Dublin and had a long and successful career in law. She now practises as an independent mediator and lives in County Meath. This Tumult is her first novel.
‘Her scope is commendable, with the various narrative strains offering diverse perspectives that bring the conflict to life.’ – IRISH TIMES
Also available as an ebook
| ISBN | 9781843516590 |
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| Weight | 0.4 kg |
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| Dimensions | 136 × 216 mm |
| Publication Date | May 2017 |
| Binding | Paperback |
| Page Count | 280pp |
Lilliput Press –
Her scope is commendable, with the various narrative strains offering diverse perspectives that bring the conflict to life.
– IRISH TIMES
Lilliput Press –
“Gorgeous sweeping novel. Both heartbreaking and inspiring. Loved getting to know the Tottenhams.” C DOWLING
Lilliput Press –
“I loved this book. It was different to any other WWll story I’ve read. The sacrifice of the family was immense with two generations decamping all over the world to the war effort and virtually abandoning the younger members of the family in Ireland. It’s hard to fathom in these more peaceful times. It’s written with clarity and sincerity and comes across as a labour of love. I found the friendship between Nick and Zach moving. The coincidence in Singapore was incredible and would have been hard to believe in a work of fiction yet happened in reality. The epilogue and postscript round the story off beautifully and involve further coincidences. Many aspects of the novel were thought-provoking, not least the issue of Irish citizens risking their lives for a noble cause yet not being appreciated for it back home. I’m glad the passing of time is changing this attitude. Now I want to know more about this fascinating family…!” NICOLA
Lilliput Press –
“Interesting history of the war efforts of an Anglo-Irish family, give us the opportunity to contract ways of living and values at the time of the second world war and now.
Although this is the first novel of the autor, the characters are well drawn, maybe is because they are real people and she provably new some of them. Recommended for people interested in the ways of life in the 1940s.” AURORA ALESON
Lilliput Press –
“What a wonderful and fascinating book…
I loved it .. it tells the story of an Irish family / well written, beautifully presented.
The author transports you into various parts of the world and you can’t stop reading until you realise THE END…
I do hope that the author will write more… and keeps her style!” HAB