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Pompey is the last narrator who starts out as a street urchin who crosses paths with George over the years and ends up a photographer’s assistant in Crimea.
Her life was the sort, rich in conflict and difficulty and what her biographer and longtime assistant Brendan King called ‘emotional upheaval’, that is no picnic to live through, but provides plenty of material for dark, skittish fiction. As a child her parents were usually at loggerheads: ‘My brother and I made a pact that we would never be out of the house at the same time,’ she told the New York Times, ‘so there would always be one of us around to stop them killing each other.’ Later in life she developed an anti-talent for choosing men: playwright Alan Sharp, with whom she had a child, turned up for the birth, then went downstairs to get a book out of the car and never returned. ‘I adored him - I went through hell,’ she told The Observer in 2001. The experience informed her 1975 novel Sweet William, about an untrustworthy lothario. Freda falls in love with the nephew of her employer while Brenda spends much of her time brushing off the advances of the factory manager. George Hardy is the man from whom the novel takes its title from. He is a photographer and surgeon and a very complex character that is attracted to both men and women.Bear in mind that this only covers those aspects that could be measured reliably: Burton didn't benefit from the advances in other areas that help today's riders, such as training and nutrition. In addition, 'course conditions, notably road surfaces and traffic, throw up further possible advantages that can never be precisely measured'. In her later life, she had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and soon after had cancer that resulted in her death aged 77. Master Georgie, shortlisted in 1998, was perhaps the most striking of Bainbridge’s near-misses. In what the chair of the judges, Douglas Hurd, called ‘a quiet year’, Master Georgie finished behind Ian McEwan’s Amsterdam, a novel that few, 25 years on, would consider to be among his best work. And the last novel published in Bainbridge’s lifetime, According to Queeney (2001), was longlisted but not shortlisted. One of the judges, Philip Hensher, quite reasonably argued that ‘the media excitement over Beryl Bainbridge actually damaged her chances […] We realised that if we shortlisted her, she had to win. There was no point in blotting out the winner’s publicity with a storm of “Beryl Bridesmaid Again” headlines.’ The two women could not be any more different in their personalities and have nothing in common with their Italian colleagues that they have to work with at the factory.
I had never realised the longevity and scale of achievement. I'm in awe.' - Dame Katherine GraingerFrom the 50s to the 80s, Beryl dominated women’s cycling racing in the UK, winning over 90 domestic championships and seven world titles, setting numerous national records. For the first time, he also provides the jaw-dropping answer to how fast she would still be on modern cycling technology. Long ignored by sporting history, Burton's life story - recently told by Maxine Peake in a stage and radio play - is finally getting the recognition she deserves. Jeremy Wilson’s Book About Cycling Great Beryl Burton Scoops World’s Most Valuable Literary Sports-Writing Prize Last time I wrote a review about a biography of Beryl Burton (which is not something you get to say very often), I questioned why it had taken so long for one to appear; now I am wondering why we have another one already!
The work takes a headfirst dive into the mentalities of women and men combined with the tensions particular to the times. Yorkshire-born Burton was invincible in time trials, finishing as Best All-Rounder for 25 consecutive yearsFor the first time, he also provides the jaw-dropping answer to how fast she would still be on modern cycling technology. A beacon is a guiding light, or a warning signal... a fire in a high place. Beryl Burton was, and is, all of those things. Her flame burns all the brighter thanks to Jeremy's fine book.' - Carlton Kirby Beryl Matthews is a renowned British author of historical mystery, historical romance, and historical fiction novels. She has written several successful standalone novels in her career and a book series called the Webster Family series. Some of the popular standalone books written by her include Two Strangers, The Forgotten Family, Battles Lost and Won, Diamonds in the Dust, Fighting the Shadows, The Day Will Come, The Uncertain Years, Hold On To Your Dreams, etc. Beryl was born and raised in London and currently resides in Hampshire. While growing up, she was surrounded by avid and enthusiastic readers in her family. She claims that books have been an important part of her entire life. Beryl has learned a lot from books and considers them responsible for the way her personality has shaped up. During her young age, Beryl dreamed of becoming a singer. But, there were not enough funds with her parents to help her pursue her dream. So, she shifted her focus towards earning money and joined an office.
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