Whose Turn for the Stairs?
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Product Description
Review
'An outstanding novel with a cast of characters so beautifully drawn that turning the last page feels like flitting out of 18 Dalbeattie Street'
(Daily Record )'Pure dead brilliant, so it is... a rare old read for folk that were round and about in the Forties and Fifties'
(Edinburgh Evening News )'Douglas's prose is simple and charming... this novel will appeal to fans of Douglas's previous trips down memory lane'
(Scottish Review of Books )'Echoes the bygone charm and ingrained hardship of growing up at a time when rationing and families living in single end tenements were commonplace, yet laughter never seemed in short supply'
(Evening Times )'It's a braw read!'
(Hexham Courant )'The literary equivalent of a hot water bottle'
(Historical Novels Review )Product Description
This is an utterly charming story about twelve families and their tightly knit street in 1950s Maryhill. Following the end of the war, the close rebuilds its ties and the strong sense of community and friendly neighbourhood bonds are soon back in place. There is young love for Rhea and Robert; a surprising new start for James; a change of direction for George; and all overseen by the matriarch of the street - Granny Thomson. And of course, all buoyed up by a big helping of Scottish humour and strength of spirit. Yet it is all not perfect in their world: the families have to deal with poverty, religious bigotry, racism, heartbreak, lies, violence and death.
But the powerful friendships cannot ultimately be broken. In Robert Douglas's first novel, he recreates a time and place particular to Glasgow but to which everyone will relate.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am someone who tends to go off on tangents when it comes to books, and the tangent I am on at the moment is Glasgow. Music wise Glasgow has given me the incomparable Paul Buchanan (the Blue Nile) and Craig Armstrong and I am now finding that the many talents of the 'Weedjie's' also includes some excellent writers. I started out by reading 'No Mean City' which despite the time lapse since it was written is still a very enjoyable book today - although it took me a while to work out the Glasgow slang for Style - Paraffin Oil! I enjoyed it so much that I started to look for other books about Glasgow to read and came across 'The Night Song of the Last Tram'. Loved it and immediately ordered the other two books in Mr. Douglas's autobiographical trilogy. I quickly devoured these and moved on the to the novel 'Whose Turn Is It For The Stairs?'. I have laughed, cried and been thoroughly transported by all four books. I suppose to get the full effect you need to have been around when people in terraced houses 'donkey' stoned the steps (Salfordian by birth), black leaded the grates, hung washing on the rack in the kitchen and on a cold winter's night was a grateful recipient of dad's army greatcoat on top of the bed ... I'm not really that old - honest!
Robert Douglas is an outstanding story teller, every character and single end comes to life in your imagination. I now feel I should visit Glasgow, although the tenements have gone there seems to be a wealth of interesting things to see and do. Now that my imagination has been captured, I hope Mr. Douglas will hurry up with the next novel - I can nae wait!
Robert Douglas is an outstanding story teller, every character and single end comes to life in your imagination. I now feel I should visit Glasgow, although the tenements have gone there seems to be a wealth of interesting things to see and do. Now that my imagination has been captured, I hope Mr. Douglas will hurry up with the next novel - I can nae wait!
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Robert Douglas's three volumes of autobiography I knew this would be a wonderful read and I was not disappointed. It is a lovely story full of very strong interesting characters-most of whom you warm to immediately. There is also a very nasty character but you just hope justice will be done. There is romance, friendship, poverty and hardship too, and the wonderful community spirit of people living together in a close knit community which sadly has been lost in this modern world. A truly entertaining and fabulous read from a first class author who is also one of the nicest people in the writing world.I cannot wait for the second volume next year and I highly recommend this to everyone.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Purchased this book for an elderly aunts birthday.
A great read if you have "any" association with living in a tenement flat especially in Glasgow.
That saying was said so many times even in my childhood and yes I did have to take "my" turn at doing my mothers' stairs.
A great read if you have "any" association with living in a tenement flat especially in Glasgow.
That saying was said so many times even in my childhood and yes I did have to take "my" turn at doing my mothers' stairs.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Memorise
Great easy read , brings back a lot of memorises about staying in Glasgow up a close with close neighbours.
Published 1 month ago by Sapphire
whose turn for the stairs
i have fallen in love with this book.robert.douglas,takes you into the tenement,he draws you in,i found myself smiling,laughing,and tearful. Read more
Published 1 month ago by lovebooks
whose turn for the stairs
this book was very entertaining .an insight into how glasgow folk lived during the forties,fifties and sixties. it made me laugh a lot.
Published 2 months ago by mojismum
Great Success
This was purchased as a Xmas present for a friend who used to live near the street in the book. It brought back great memories and was very much appreciated.
Published 5 months ago by Margaret Telfer
Whose turn for the stairs
If you have read Robert Douglas's trilogy you will enjoy this.
Life in Glasgow in the fifties shoual appeal to all Scots.
Life in Glasgow in the fifties shoual appeal to all Scots.
Published 5 months ago by Ros
Whose turn for the stairs
An excellent read its a perfect reflection of a year in the life of the families in a Glasgow tenemnet, while you read you can see and feel the places and if you have lived in a... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Smudge
A rose-tinted view of the past
Having thoroughly enjoyed Robert Douglas's three volumes of autobiography I really wanted to like this book. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Dr. David Griffiths
Whose turn for the stairs
This is an excellent book, evoking all sorts of memories. The short chapters are ideal for bedtime reading as there is not the temptation to carry on reading too long, but looking... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Ms. M. S. Livingston
Whose Turn for the Stairs
An excellant read, which brought back memories of living on the edge of Maryhill in the late '40's. The book bring Glasgow to life. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Harold R
memories
anyone who lived in Glasgow in the 50's with really really enjoy the antics and patter of this book it was a great long train ride book...
Published 20 months ago by trisha
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