Reviews and Comments

Readers' Reviews and Comments

"A brilliant slice of social history"

If you remember outside toilets, tin baths & lino.
If you remember Dick Barton, The Goons & Take it From Here.
If you remember when everything you wore, including your vest, had been knitted by your Mother.
If you remember when only women wore earrings & only men had tattoos.
If you remember when 'Camp' was coffee & 'Puff' was a magic dragon.
Then you are one of God's chosen - a child of the 1950s.

Read "A Time of Our Lives", a brilliant slice of social history written by Gerald Rice.
Don Mclean (star of BBC's Crackerjack,
Good Morning Sunday and Pantomime)
There are many autobiographical accounts of growing up in the late-twentieth century, but not all are as memorable as Gerald Rice’s well-written, engaging and informative narrative. His wide-ranging story of his experiences as a child, adolescent and young man, is especially welcome for the many insights into the changing social and cultural environment of post-war Birmingham and, indeed of post-war Britain in general. This is not only a good read, but a great source for historians of the recent past.

Dr Malcolm Dick OBE, Director, Centre for West Midlands History, University of Birmingham
"I have to congratulate you on producing a really interesting read. I found it engrossing and informative as well as entertaining. Well done, quite a superb piece of work"
Paddy Smyth, well-known Irish journalist - now retired
I thoroughly enjoyed ['A Time of Our Lives'. The author's] adventures were so interesting the way he wrote, it was like being there with him. It is the best book I have read for a long time - it brought back a lot of memories from my youth.
T.M. - West Midlands
"Enchanting"
J.G. Irish Parliamentarian
"I was fascinated"
B McN - Co. Down
I've just finished reading your book ['A Time of Our Lives']. If asked to comment in one word I would say 'Delightful'.
I.McG. - Co. Fermanagh
I enjoyed 'A Time of Our Lives' very much, especially the "ride" across the Sahara - this, I just couldn't put down - just wondering what was to happen next
J.F. - Bristol
A very enjoyable read!  Although written from a personal perspective***, this book evokes many memories in the reader if one grew up between the 1940-1960's, a reminder of what life was like then - simpler, harder, less complicated perhaps but as a child, just enjoyable and full of fun!  Anyone who enjoys reminiscing should read this book!  
'A Time of Our Lives' also contains a thread of romance, both in the author's travels to far away places and in a more traditional sense, the start of his pursuit of romance with 'the girl with nut brown hair' - the love of his life!  A book, therefore, perhaps for the 'romantic in all of us'!
M.C. - Birmingham
***The Author wants to make it clear this book is not an autobiography (except in the last part). Incidents which happened to him and  his friends were typical of those experienced by millions of children who grew up from the 1940s to the 1960s.

I found [A Time of Our Lives] a really enjoyable read and, as someone who grew up in the 1970s and ‘80s, I was surprised at how many similarities there were between my childhood and the childhood of people in the ‘40s to ‘60s. I especially enjoyed the Saharan adventure –  a riveting read describing a fascinating journey.  I would have loved to read more.
(R McC, Trim, Ireland)
"This is MY childhood"
L.K. - Belfast
Intentionally Blank
"A Time of Our Lives opens a window onto the 1950s"
A.N. - Birmingham
I have just completed reading "A Time of Our Lives" by Gerald Rice of Trim. I thoroughly enjoyed it - it brought me back to many of my own childhood memories but I was captivated by Gerald's ability to recall the smallest of details that only a child would pick up on as seen 'through the eyes of a child'.  The book made me smile - within its pages were memories I could associate with, vividly retold with great detail of recall.  I enjoyed the simplicity of this earlier age and a simpler childhood.  In addition, there is an adventure in the Sahara Desert which I found very intriguing and quite a brave undertaking in the 1960s.
 
Thank you, Gerald,  for an enjoyable read all round.
                                                                                                                             
S. O'B. - Co. Louth, Ireland
As a reader of this book who grew up in a small mining village in County Durham in the north east of England during the mid fifties and early sixties, I found myself reminiscing and making comparisons with the writer's childhood in working class inner city Birmingham.  I am sure that for many readers of a certain age, this book would stir memories perhaps long forgotten.  These were happy days in the main, when games were played in the street with friends with no fear of what might happen other than a scraped knee, etc!  No high tech. but sheer enjoyment with the little one had!  
 
As someone who has also travelled in my youth the second part of this book also brought back fond memories of similar journeys planned and undertaken with a certain spirit of adventure!  'A Time of Our Lives' is a  book which I very much enjoyed reading and would strongly recommend to anyone but especially anyone who remembers the Eagle, School Friend, Malory Towers or Just William.
D.C. - Co. Durham
"At times, I couldn't put it down"
M.D. - Surrey
Intentionally Blank
"The memories flooded back"
M.I. - Kent
This comment is from an activities co-ordinator at a nursing home in Navan, Near Dublin.
 
Dear Gerald
My name is Dolores and I am an activity co-ordinator in a residential nursing home. From the moment Gerald started talking about his book I was so interested not only for myself but for the residents I care for. A big part of my daily routine along with other things is story telling and reminiscing and we get it all from this book. Most of the residents I care for can't pick up a book or a newspaper to read themselves so I do it for them.
Most days we have book club and at the moment I'm reading A Time of Our Lives. The residents just love it as everyone of them can relate to one thing or another in the book.
It's great for me because it gets them talking and as a very important part of my job is to get to know my residents this helps a great deal. We are not finished the book yet but we are so excited to read on more in the book.  One of the residents commented today on how they felt they knew the author.
So thank you Gerald for walking into our home with your wonderful book.
 
Regards Dolores
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