The picturesque fishing village of Mousehole and its surroundings, during the 1960s and 1970s, are brought to life in this personal memoir of a Cornish childhood. Born in Newlyn, Michael spent his early years living at Trereife Lodge and later became a chef at the renowned Lobster Pot Hotel.

The book is full of details of everyday life as seen through the eyes of a child. These include learning to cook with his mother in the family kitchen, family Christmas celebrations and the annual turning on of Mousehole lights. For those of us old enough to remember, the change from the old money to decimal currency was a big event, and this is covered in the book, one of many reminders of the 70s.

The Torrey Canyon disaster and its devastating effect on Cornwall’s coastline and wildlife are given considerable coverage. As anyone who remembers that era can testify, the beaches and harbours on both the North and South coasts were covered in thick lumps of oil for many years.

The author, as a boy of 10, watched the tanker on the Seven Stones reef being bombed to set fire to the remaining oil. There are many interesting insights and observations relating to West Penwith, and there is nostalgia for those of us who remember how things were and how things have changed.

Latest updates about the author

Will appear below

My next book

A life on prescription

will be out

Around the end of

October 2011

Please come back for updates.

Book signing at Redruth Book Shop

4th December 2009

Thanks to all of you for turning up at Redruth

Book shop, it was a wonderful day. And special

thanks to Les Murton for his kind remarks.

My book signing tour of Cornish

Libraries

2009

I would like to give a very big thanks to all the staff at the libraries,

for all the tea and biscuits, and for making me so welcome.

And a big thanks also, to all the people

that supported me, and those that continue to support me.

27th February Penryn Library 10 am - 11 am

27th February Falmouth library 1 pm - 5 pm

3rd March Fowey library 9.30 am - 12.30 pm

3rd March Par library 2 pm - 5 pm

16th March St Austell library 10 am - 1 pm

27th March Launceston library 9 am - 1 pm

30th March Bude library 9.30 am - 6 pm

13th April Maritime museum Falmouth 11 am - 3 pm

17th April Bodmin library 9.30 am - 5 pm

23rd April Newquay library 9 am - 12.30 pm

23rd April Wadebridge library 2 pm - 5.30 pm