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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.
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.Missing the Nile - Experiences of Sudanese people in Brighton
Author(s): Sudanese people in Brighton
Published: 2005
Published in January 2005, this fascinating book examines the customs and culture of the Sudanese community in the Brighton and Hove area. The British and Sudanese cultures are very different to one another and the narrative includes comparisons of the two cultures, as well as giving first-hand descriptions of festivals, celebrations including weddings and funerals, and food. The text is written in both English and Arabic, making it accessible to the widest possible audience and will be especially enjoyed by the second generation of the Sudanese community, living in the Brighton and Hove area. It also fulfils the function of recording a culture's history for future generations.Moulsecoomb Memories - Growing up in North Moulsecoomb in the thirties and forties
Author(s): Sheila Winter
Published: 1998
This personal history features the growth of the community of North Moulsecoomb. These are the reminiscences of Sheila Winter, who was born, raised and married in the community, and who narrates the story of her life during the years between 1929 and 1950. Through her eyes, the reader learns of the pleasures of childhood, despite the hardships and restrictions brought about by the Second World War. Sheila shares with the reader her personal hopes, fears, struggles and achievements as she describes her life's progression. Above all, the resilience of the human spirit shines through this honest and reflective account of one woman's life history.Paper on the Wind
Author(s): QueenSpark women writers
Published: 1984
This anthology contains poetry and prose from a QueenSpark Women's group. This was a group of women aged between 20 and 64 years, who met regularly to write and partake in group discussions and workshops. There is a strong feminist influence to the issues that are covered, encompassing the empowerment of women, particularly in today's world, when women have to balance multiple tasks in their daily lives. Paper on the Wind is relevant to all people regardless of age, disability, gender, religion and sexual orientation. It offers a forum for people to explore and experiment with their own creative writing processes and to take the necessary steps that will enable people to start writing for themselves, as well as providing encouragement to all those budding writers out there!Pullman Attendant
Author(s): Bert Hollick
Published: 1991
In 1935, fifteen year old Bert Hollick signed on at Brighton Station for his first shift on a Pullman Train. Working on the midnight shift from Victoria to Brighton, he learnt to ladle soup from a tureen at seventy-five miles per hour and serve a three-course lunch in a speedy fifty-eight minutes. A man of few words, Bert's life story is told in a succinct and concise style that nonetheless manages to convey wonderfully the atmosphere of the Pullman Cars, as well as providing interesting factual details of railway life. He worked at a time when a twelve to fourteen hour day was commonplace, and wages were a meagre two pounds a week, despite providing a luxury service to everyday travellers. This book is a must for all train and railway enthusiasts.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.On the Writing Trail - Short stories by QueenSpark writers
Author(s): Leila Abrahams, Ethel Akhurst, Margory Batchelor, Shirley Beckett, Sylvia Calvert, Valerie Croft, Stevie English, Valerie Goble, Margaret Howell, Keith Kennedy, Susie Mehmed, Robert J Miles, Nick Osmond, Violet Pumphrey, Sam Royce, Claire Shelton-Jones, John Tatum, Arthur Thickett, P B Thomas
Published: 1999
This diverse anthology of short stories is a rare excursion for QueenSpark into publishing fiction. The stories explore childhood themes from an adult perspective, often in a quirky and original style. The content is entertaining, with a clear sense of humour evident throughout. The book recognises that writing fiction is part of a personal, subjective process and the stories in this collection reflect the individual experiences, ideas and inspirations of each of the writers. Through the writing process, it has allowed people who might not otherwise have classified themselves as authors to see their creativity find an outlet through the publication of this work.Rare book
Brighton on the Rocks - Monetarism and the Local State
Author(s): QueenSpark Rates Book Group
Published: 1983
Published in 1983, this book was intended to be the first of a new series, but is the only one that was eventually commissioned. It incorporates a collection of interviews, photographs and statistics, which are used to analyse how monetarism affected the economic policies that were pursued by the city's local authorities in the 1980s. When local councils imposed financial cuts from 1980 onwards, they argued that the cuts were necessary because of overspending. This text takes the view that monetarist policies are implicated in the decline in public services and critically evaluates the effects of monetarism on working people's lives, organisations and throughout the welfare state. It poses the question as to whether a different kind of economics was needed that was geared to need rather than to monetarist philosophy?International Service
Author(s): Kathleen Wilson
Published: 2002
With wartime Brighton as a backdrop, International Service tells the tale of Kathleen Wilson's naive teenage years, when her domineering father chose the jobs that she took and discouraged her passion for writing. It covers the time she spent working in family-run shops, through to her years at the International Stores in Preston Road and brings to life the atmosphere of the grocery trade in the period up to the 1950s. With her light-hearted and often humorous style, International Service enabled Kathleen to share her life story with the reader, who can follow her progression towards independence.Flying Sparks
Author(s): Tim Wren
Published: 1998
This autobiography depicts the trials and tribulations experienced by a hard-working apprentice electrician, as well as documenting times of laughter and fun. Tim Wren was fourteen when he left school and started work in wartime Brighton. In time, the opportunity arose to become a full apprentice and 'go out on the tools'. Tim's work took him to many different places, including the Royal Pavilion, when it was converted into an army hospital for Indian soldiers and an Italian prisoner of war camp in Billingshurst, West Sussex. However, if the truth be told, Tim seemed to spend most of his working hours with his colleagues, frequenting the teashops of Brighton!