A Good Read

Just a Village Kid and Other Ramblings

by June McCleave

This book is neatly divided into two sections. The first part, Just a Village Kid, is autobiographical and the author’s personal story of growing up in Great Broughton in the 1950s, a time when things were very different at home and at school than they are today.

June wrote the piece ‘Portrait of my Grandfather’ which can be found in the book when she was 21. It was for her English lecturer at teacher training college, who advised her to return to it in the future. This was the first step on June’s writing journey. In June's heart, she had always known that she had a story to tell, a story of fun, adventure and pain. Just a Village Kid is that story.

Other Ramblings is an anthology of poetry and creative writing that June has written over the years and wanted to include in the book.

A Long Way from Home

by Peter Carey

This compelling novel set in 1950s Australia, follows the lives of three central characters who embark on an eventful journey together.

Irene Bobs, a strong-willed and determined woman, dreams of winning the legendary Redex Trial, a gruelling endurance race that circumnavigates Australia. Her husband, Titch Bobs, is a car salesman with a passion for racing and an unresolved past. Willie Bachhuber is their troubled and brilliant navigator with an intimate knowledge of maps and an unconventional perspective on life.

As the trio sets off on their ambitious endeavour, they encounter all manner of challenges which brings page them into direct contact with the racial tensions of the time. Australia's indigenous population faces discrimination and marginalization, and each character is forced to confront their own biases and prejudices during their voyage.

June is a retired teacher and in her 40 years as a teacher, she taught in 10 schools, both in inner city and rural areas. She loved teaching and would have never chosen to do anything different.

June has written this book for her son, Peter, who has myeloma blood cancer with a prognosis of just seven years, of which five years have already gone. June has already raised £1000 from the sale of this book to contribute to Newcastle University’s research into finding a cure for blood cancer, and all future monies raised will be invested in this cause.

June comments that she has been amazed by the reaction from those who have read the book already – all positive, saying they have been able to identify with much of it, particularly the laughter and the tears.

‘Just a Village Kid and Other Ramblings’ is now available from Amazon as a paperback and a Kindle edition.

Relationships gradually become strained and alliances shift, as long-hidden secrets and insecurities bubble to the surface.

As the race progresses, the characters' personal journeys intertwine with the larger narrative of a nation struggling to find its identity. Carey uses The Redex Trial as a metaphorical representation of Australia's cultural and social landscape, mirroring the country's quest for a unified identity in the face of its diverse heritage. He weaves together themes of identity, belonging and the legacy of colonialism in a thought-provoking novel from which all three characters emerge changed forever.