My books
My books are more than just words on a page. They are the story of my life. And they have lives of their own. They make things happen. I will tell you more about that on other pages, about the impact of writing on the world around us.
Know you her Secret
Inspired by a true story, this sweeping narrative follows Lucy’s transformation from a demur Edwardian lady into a woman fighting for survival in a world that is disintegrating around her. Caught up in conspiracies and murder, she is determined to save the little princess she will not abandon. This is a story of courage and devotion amid the devastation of war.
The Cold War: A Beginner's Guide
We continue to talk about the Cold War, more than 25 years after it was supposed to have ended with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. But what exactly was the Cold War? How did it happen, why did it end and what has been its impact? This short book aimed at the general reader throws light on some Cold War myths created during a conflict in which propaganda and deception were powerful weapons. Understanding the Cold War will help us to understand the world we live in today.
Communing With The Enemy
In this book I examine the little known secret role of British and German Christians in the Cold War. I have delved through the Stasi archives in the former East Germany and talked to some of those involved. Religion was used as a tool of psychological warfare with Christians tunnelling their way beneath the ideological barriers of the Cold War in the name of reconciliation.
Stepping Off The Map
This is one of the hidden stories of the Cold War, one in which I was directly involved. Four years after the building of the Berlin Wall, a group of young British men and women crossed through the Iron Curtain. Their mission was to help rebuild a war bombed hospital in Dresden, East Germany. The project was organised by a man with a vision, the then Provost of Coventry Cathedral. I was one of those who took part. The book recalls the experiences of the young British volunteers and describes the way in which taking part in the project has influenced the rest of their lives.
Life On Death Row
Foreword by Clive Stafford Smith
This is the story of a young British lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, and his fight to save the life of a young black man, Edward Johnson, in Mississippi. Edward was sentenced to death for killing a white law officer and was executed in 1987 after eight years on Death Row. Clive and many others believed Edward was innocent. Clive went on to defend others on Death Row in the USA. He is currently head of the human rights organisation Reprieve which he founded.
Wordsmith: The Gift of a Soul
My daughter Megan Young died from cancer aged 32. She was an equine veterinary surgeon and also a poet. In this book, I have used her poems to create an account of her life. Megan's poetry is powerful and profound. It speaks of those things that are common to us all - life and death, joy and pain, eternity and the soul. Her talent is to express these deep and complex thoughts in a language that is both beautiful and simple. Her writing is suffused with an awareness of the spirit yet it is grounded in the reality of her life as a scientist and equine vet.