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QueenSpark Books Archive - Free Full Text Books
A unique searchable archive of the books published by QueenSpark Books up until 2010. Free to view and full text this collection features voices that tell the story of Brighton and Hove, across the 20th Century, in their own words. The majority of these titles are now out-of-print.
You can buy those still in-print, and newer titles, with this link.
A small account of my travels through the wilderness
Author(s): James Nye
Published: 1981
This book contains original material that was written during the period between the early 1860s and 1888. It is part autobiography and part diary, and tells the story of James Nye, an extraordinary man, who lived much of his life in a nineteenth century rural village, near Lewes. His life story was discovered in latter days by a fellow-musician, Vic Gammon, who brought his words to print in 1981 and wrote the introduction to this book. The narrative describes James's diverse career, ranging from his work as a village musician, composer, instrument maker, agricultural labourer and quarry worker to his later work as a gardener in Ashcombe House, near Lewes. He was a deeply religious man, being a self-educated Calvinist and his writings reflect his spiritual journey and belief in social justice for the poor and dispossessed. Nye's poetry, which is included in the book, provides a vivid testament to a world very different to that of today, and is especially vivid in his descriptions of life in the Sussex locality.The Tale of a Boy Soldier
Author(s): George Parker
Published: 2001(reprinted Nov-08)
As a fifteen-year-old boy during World War One, George Parker single-mindedly decided to 'fight for king and country'. This is a truthful and sincere account of life in the trenches, told with a dry sense of humour that kept George and his comrades cheerful, against the odds. George remained remarkably optimistic, despite the hard living conditions that existed at that time and the fact that he was seriously wounded in battle. His courage and determination epitomise the resilience of the human spirit in overcoming adversity and surviving traumatic times.To be a Farmer’s Boy
Author(s): George Noakes
Published: 1977
This tells of George Noakes's childhood and early adult working life before he married Daisy, author of The Town Beehive and The Faded Rainbow, in 1934. George reminisces about his childhood farm memories and forays to the local shops and surrounding areas; for example, when he visited the local bakers, he always knew that a sugar bun would be given to him. When he was old enough to be trusted outside, he ventured everywhere. In short, he had an idyllic childhood, in an era where children had much more freedom to roam "without today's safety worries" and he progressed from a boy into a happy adolescent and adult.The Smiling Bakers
Author(s): George Grout
Published: 1992
George Grout was a member of one of Brighton's best-known family bakers. He learnt the skills and craft of baking from his father and brothers at a young age, and can attest to hard times as well as recalling many happy memories of laughter and fun. George recalls the years when he lived and worked at the bottom of Coombe Road, and his bedroom was full of paper bags, there were horses in the stable and he had to get up very early in order to get to work on time. He reminisces about his ten brothers and sisters, his strong and gentle mother and the man who was his teacher, his boss and above all his father. In a nutshell he loved his work, stating that "being one of "The Smiling Bakers" kept me going. That was the name that we called ourselves.From Circle to Spiral - A writers' handbook and anthology
Author(s): AB, Sarah Griffiths, Lorna Jones, Kate Mackrell, Jane Malone, Maria Ragusa, Pippa Scott
Published: 1995
From Circle to Spiral is about the enjoyment of the writing process and the personal satisfaction that can be gained from it. It reveals the insights that creative writing can bring and also provides a useful, practical guide to a method of working that may be helpful to budding writers. The reader is taken on an exciting journey of self-discovery, examining themes that are grouped in terms of paired dichotomies, such as "hedonism and abstinence", "excitement and serenity", "independence and intimacy" and "shame and pride". The product of a QueenSpark writing group consisting of seven women who spent two hours per week exchanging ideas and writing together in a mutually supportive environment, it can be viewed as a testament to the positive benefits that can be gained through the medium of creative writing.Live today, learn tomorrow … Learn today, live tomorrow - Stories by Nicola Allen, Gillian Coe, Phil Dickens, Nick Osmond
Author(s): Nicola Allen, Gillian Coe, Phil Dickens, Nick Osmond
Published: 1994
There is a huge distance between those who find the written word easy and familiar and those who feel unable to write, finding the whole process threatening and difficult. These stories are the product of a project called 'Go Write Ahead' and are intended to demonstrate how this gap can be closed. The story 'The eyes can see clearly now' is about how it is possible to become a writer, by getting a pair of glasses and gaining a new vision. 'The call of the sea' is an account of one person's determination to survive a major life crisis and the central part played in that struggle by the process of learning to read and write with confidence. 'The interview' tells of a boy who leaves school and comes to the realisation that he is now responsible for making his own decisions. A different theme is covered in the story 'Figure of eight', which describes the damage that can be caused by being over-educated, to the point that the writer felt cut off from life by words.Alt-History - New Writing from Brighton
Author(s): Michael Acton, Emily Atkinson-Dalton, Ed Bell, John Bourne, Bryony Cleary, Joanne Dearden, Rachel Grant, Jane Hansford, Grace Judge, Andrew Kearsley, Barnaby O'Rorke, Neil Palmer, Rob Paraman, J T Sellers, Stephen Silverwood, Mark Wilkinson, Joe Young, Kjell Yri
Published: 2005
This diverse collection consists of fifteen stories by new writers, including five pieces of work by young authors under the age of twelve. The aim of the publication is to allow people the opportunity to write their own versions of ‘histories' of Brighton and Hove and the material includes fictional accounts of real places and events from Brighton and Hove's past, both distant and more recent. The tales include the humorous, the poignant and the surreal and provide a glimpse into an alternative world, highlighting the eccentric and heroic people from the Brighton area. It is hoped that they will be enjoyed by both a local and a wider audience.Bad Dog Wally
Author(s): Lynn Armstrong
Published: 1993
This is the story of a dog that was rescued from Battersea Dogs Home in London by a family. It is notable for its unusual style and use of language, in that it consists almost entirely of cartoons with only minimal use of the written word. Each page is based on an event in Wally"s life, and contains one sentence that is graphically illustrated in a child-like scrawl. The bright red cover adds another layer to the visual images contained within, and taken together, the book as a whole invokes a somewhat troubled response in the reader. At first glance, the cartoons appear naive and childlike, but a closer examination reveals the author's sense of black humour and satirical purpose. Apparently childlike, the book is interesting, because it can be read on several levels, and incorporates universal themes such as loss, betrayal and isolation.Serious Intent - QueenSpark Poetry Anthology 2
Author(s): Shirley Beckett, Danny Birchall, Birdman, Ross Clifford, Ivor Colledge, Valerie Croft, Sonia Ctvrtecka, Phyllis Damonte, Debo, Philip Eley, Sophie Embury, Beryl Fenton, Gerald Fiebig, Steve Gilligan, John Greenwood, Clive Hackney, John Head, Nyk Irvin, Simon Jenner, Roger Lindsey, Julie Martin, Glyn Morrow, Helmuth Osbourne, Nick Osmond, Sam Royce, Pauline Suett, Nick Sweet, John Tatum, Tricia Turner-Savage, Arthur Thickett, Jan Walsh
Published: 1996
Serious Intent is the second book in the QueenSpark poetry anthology. It was intended to be a sequel to Poetry, our first collection of verse, but as it developed, it became evident that there was sufficient material of great depth and scope for it to be published in its own right. It is a collection in the QueenSpark tradition of publishing new, original and varied poetry by local writers from a wide variety of backgrounds and the topics will appeal to the young and the old, the humorous and the serious. It offers an informative and accessible read for an audience that encompasses all ages and interests.We’re Not All Rothschilds! - The extraordinary lives of some ordinary Jews
Author(s): Leila Abrahams
Published: 1994
This explores the interesting and unusual lives of some of Brighton's Jews in the twentieth century. Through a series of interviews with a cross-section of the Jewish community and two local Rabbis, Leila Abrahams shows that Jews are just as "ordinary" as any other section of society. A strong sense of their capacity to survive adversity in often extreme circumstances, is a theme that can be found throughout the book. On the part of some of the older Jews, there is nostalgia for the past, for a closely-knit family life and the comfort of familiar religious rituals and customs. As for the younger members of the community, they reflect the changing values of society over time in their search for a Jewish identity that involves integration without assimilation.