3 minute read
Local Author
Under One Sky
Under One Sky by Hazel Arnold In 1938, two young women, both born in 1915, met by chance in London: Meta was a student from Estonia, Phyllis came from Croydon, and worked as a secretary. Despite the vast difference in their backgrounds, they quickly became close friends. Handwritten letters fed and nurtured this significant friendship once Meta returned home, letters that remarkably survived the following decades, kept safe in a treasured family archive. ‘I had a terrible feeling – a feeling that the world may be wrecked’, Meta wrote; and for her the war did absolutely wreck her world. It was a time of fear and flight, as both Russians and Germans fought to take over Estonia. She movingly described her traumatic experiences in her letters. Phyllis, as the wife of a conscientious objector, also experienced painful challenges, but considered them insignificant in comparison to Meta’s suffering. She continued to support her friend, through the pages she wrote with love. families... a line of friendship which continues to the present day. Hazel Arnold wrote Under One Sky after discovering a bundle of letters to her mother Phyllis from Meta, when clearing her parents’ house after their death. This very personal account of life in flight from terror and subsequently as a refugee, is a story which sadly is still very pertinent in today’s world. Hazel also explores the effect of this experience on the next generation through her continuing connection with the daughter of her mother’s friend, Meta.
Advertisement
In 1938, two young women, both born in 1915, met by chance in London. Meta was a student and from Estonia, whilst Phyllis came from Croydon and worked as a secretary. Despite the vast difference in their backgrounds, they quickly became close friends. Handwritten letters fed and nurtured this significant friendship once Meta returned home, letters that remarkably survived the following decades, kept safe in a treasured family archive. “I had a terrible feeling – a feeling that the world may be wrecked”, Meta wrote to Phyllis; and, for Meta, the war did absolutely wreck her world. It was a time of fear and flight, as both Russians and Germans fought to take over Estonia. She movingly described her traumatic experiences in her letters. Phyllis, as the wife of a conscientious objector, also experienced painful challenges during the war years, though she felt that they were insignificant by contrast with Meta’s suffering. She tried to continue to support her friend, through the pages they wrote to each other with love. Despite their geographical distance and different experiences, Meta and Phyllis’s closeness endured across subsequent decades. And the connection was passed on to several generations of both their families, a line of friendship which continues to the present day. A Memoir Cover design by SilverWood Books (silverwoodbooks.co.uk) Cover images © Author’s personal collection Hazel Arnold
Despite their geographical distance and different experiences, Meta and Phyllis’s closeness endured across subsequent decades. And the connection was passed on through their Under One Sky (ISBN: 978-1-80042-218-6) retails at £9.99 and is available to order at all book shops and online, including Book Stop in Tavistock where there will also be a book signing on Wednesday 7 December, 10:00 to 11:30am.
We don’t just publish magazines…
LINKS CONTENT & DESIGN
Our talented and experienced team of designers, writers and social media experts offer the most comprehensive package of promotional services to support your growing business.
• Promotional & editorial content • Professional design service • Branding & promotional material • Royal Mail fulfi lment • Print and online
