Secrets And Lives, Middle England Revealed Book

Anyone curious about other people will enjoy Secrets and Lives, created by award-winning writer Mary Loudon. Concerned to "distil without deceiving" over 2 million words from interviews with residents of the Oxfordshire market town of Wantage, she presents what she calls "a series of photographs", in words, of lives and opinions. Mary Loudon grew up in Wantage and clearly has the trust of her subjects, who speak openly of their views on important issues and who share the ups and downs of their lives. From the estate agent to the vicar, from the gay nurse to the saxophone-playing film extra, this apparently ordinary community has some extraordinary stories to tell. There is much to empathise with, much to debate with and a surprising amount to learn. Aiming to correct the "myth of harvest-festival cosiness", the book also directly expresses views on life in a rural market town. What is a "great feeling of community" to some is "claustrophobic" to others. Although Loudon states that it is "not social history and it's not analysis", Secrets and Lives certainly contributes to the topical debate on British rural life and will surely become an excellent resource for future social historians. Bringing the allure of television docu-soap to literature, Secrets and Lives is informative and entertaining. --Karen TileyRead More