- Paperback: 224 pages
- Publisher: Birlinn Ltd (1 Sep 2010)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1841588628
- ISBN-13: 978-1841588629
- Product Dimensions: 25.8 x 20.8 x 1.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 288,206 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
'Hilarious and moving recollections of growing up in Scotland immediately after the war, gloriously illustrated.' --Top Five Christmas Books for Adults in The Times
Product Description
'Soor Plooms and Sair Knees' is an hilarious and moving recollection of the writer's childhood in a small Scottish east coast town during the immediate post-war years. In this warm-hearted, funny, and magnificent portrait, Bob Dewar recalls the community spirit of 1940s Scotland with perfectly balanced nostalgic recollections and glorious illustrations. Touching and illuminating, he brilliantly recalls details large and small, from stand-your-spoon-up Scotch broth, to olive oil bought from the chemist to clean out your ears or to be used as suntan oil. He evocatively recalls a time when poor children wore gym shoes or wellies all year round, when one walked everywhere - peering round corners on the carefully chosen long route to school, watching workers in boilersuits and bike clips sprinting to the factory, hanging about the sweetie shop penny tray planning what to buy on Saturday, hurrying past the fruit shop in case the deadly banana spider rumour was true, or running into school through the boy's gate. Male teachers who smelled of damp Harris tweed and Brylcreem, lady teachers of Californian Poppy with just a hint of Trex. It was a time of the Sunday family walk wearing the hated tourniquet garters to keep your hand-knitted socks up, tattie holidays, wash day - all day on a Monday - in the outdoor wash house, woollen bathing trunks, small holders, schools' radio, cowboys and coal. Wonderfully unique and richly evocative, this book is an inimitable tribute to a vanished - but much loved - way of life.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
It's rare nowadays to come across an illustrator who, with little or no reference, can conjure up an entire world which in this case, has now sadly passed.
Bob Dewar's drawings and paintings remind us of gentler times when children and adults got on with life and less money (the time period being not that long after the Second World War)
I'm sure I'm looking at these images through slightly rose-tinted glasses, but they do remind one that children and adults are often just as daft as each other!
A marvellous concoction of which Mr Dewar is to be congratulated.
Bob Dewar's drawings and paintings remind us of gentler times when children and adults got on with life and less money (the time period being not that long after the Second World War)
I'm sure I'm looking at these images through slightly rose-tinted glasses, but they do remind one that children and adults are often just as daft as each other!
A marvellous concoction of which Mr Dewar is to be congratulated.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Anyone who grew up in the Scotland of the 40's , 50's and early 60's knows of which I speak. Tattie howkin, fruit picking, walking to school whatever the distance whatever the weather, bathing in the North Sea in hand knitted woolen trunks that weighed a ton when wet etc. etc.
Those were the days and they were happy days.
Bob Dewar with his amusing prose and even funnier illustrations brings it all back . If you didn't grow up in Scotland at this time you should read it anyway and reflect on how lucky you are----or are you.
Those were the days and they were happy days.
Bob Dewar with his amusing prose and even funnier illustrations brings it all back . If you didn't grow up in Scotland at this time you should read it anyway and reflect on how lucky you are----or are you.
Format:Paperback
This book is, particularly, for Scottish childen of all ages. Evocative decsriptions and beautiful illustrations. Two books were purchased, one each for a friend who has had a recent illness. As good a tonic as a walk in the park!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A successful gift
Although I purchased this book as a gift, I scanned the book first. It is beautifully written and the illustrations are so well done. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Judith B. Furlong
Stupendous stuff
This was a read of pure nostalgia. I coul;d so indentify with thw writer's experiences. Who could believe so many changes in so short a time. Read more
Published 16 months ago by mogs
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