nineties

The Book Bag Bonus Edition: Peeling Apples by Alan Parry

Welcome to special bonus edition of The Book Bag.

Last week I took some time out to read Peeling Apples, a novella from Alan Parry, published by Dark Winter Press. Alan is the driving force behind Broken Spine Arts, mentioned multiple times previously in The Book Bag news sections.

Peeling Apples is Alan’s debut novella about a young lad called Martyn who befriends his Nana’s next-door neighbour, Mrs Joyce.

The personalities of the two main characters is realistic and rooted in the time. Martyn’s football-mad curious mind and how his perception of Mrs Joyce evolves is deftly done.

The references to Saturday morning wrestling, which does use one character to describe the journey Martin and Mrs Joyce take is a smart device. I also liked the time-accurate wrestlers and wrestling managers and commentators including Bobby Heenan and the merchandise available at the time in the form of cards.

There is a scene in which Martyn is at the ‘pop van’ was like time travelling. We used to get a crate of 6. 2 x Lemonade, Dandelion and Burdock, Sarsaparilla, 2x Cola and a Cream Soda. Sometimes a lemonade was switched for limeade and a cola for orangeade. Every Friday. I love Dandelion and Burdock, but Sarsaparilla will always be my favourite. It’s a bit like a root beer but not. I miss it!

The narrative and prose could easily be adapted to TV. Maybe a series by Ken Loach or Mike Leigh airing on Sunday evenings. It has an almost ‘This Is England’ crossed with ‘Danny, Champion of The World’ feel which is testament to Alan’s approach. This is definitely a working-class setting expertly written by a working-class writer.

I read Peeling Apples in under 2 hours. Only stopping for a drink part way through. The pace of the narrative is focussed yet unforced making it an easy read.

This novella truly resonated with me.

I would like to see another Martin and Mrs Joyce book. Maybe a collection of short stories containing more of their adventures.

Peeling Apples is a highly nostalgic book that takes the reader on a journey of a boy reaching emotional maturity. It’s also a tale of friendship and how important bonds can be made with those we think are our polar opposites.

I’d recommend this to anyone who knows the value of friendship, even more so if you were a child of the 80’s and 90’s.

Peeling Apples is available on Kindle and in Paperback. To find out more about the book and order your copy, click here.

Sunday’s Read

  • Title: Smatterings of Cerulean
  • Poet: Susan Richardson

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you on Sunday.

Paul

The Shows

We called the travelling funfair
“The Shows”
the same way our parents did
when they arrived in The Wick
late summer excitement
that smelled of hot sugared doughnuts, flowing diesel and damp trampled grass
the air was always a kaleidoscope
of flickering lightbulbs and brightly painted plywood
shrill screams of exhiliration could be heard over a mile away
layered over a techno soundtrack
thumping with the pulses of waltzer-spun teens
and kids riding the ghost train anticipating the supersoaker squirt on exit
sometimes I liked to play the bandits
tuppence to ten-pence a go
so nothing to lose really
the games were good to –
one night I hooked six banana-yellow ducks
and walked home with six goldfish
struggling to hold the punch balloon and pink-pillow candy floss in my other hand
it was a great time to be alive
amongst crowded smiles and double denim
spending my paper round and pocket money like fun was going out of fashion
and just the other day
I saw an internet flyer
“The Shows” are back this year
travelling up and down the coast
and although I’ll not see them
I can taste the air –

the flavour of excitement.

Thanks for taking the time to read my poem and feel free to check out some of my other writing.

Take It Easy,

Paul