24th September 2014
In a day or so - perhaps even tomorrow - I will be placing my book, entitled Worth All Your Tomorrows in Amazon KDP. It will be FREE for 5 days.
Here is a taste of what it is all about.
Worth All Your Tomorrows
Editorial Remarks
Why
should you read this book? Well, it's about finding peace of mind and rest for
the soul. Solace is widely sought after—and this tale proves it is possible to stumble
on it, even in the most unsafe and volatile of regions, such as The Gulf of
Aden and the Horn of Africa.
In
the easiest of ways—that is, through an absorbing story—the book also provides
knowledge of and understanding for the violence in this part of the world
during the latter years of the 20th Century. It is still a perilous area where
events during the last days of the British Empire continue to affect large
swathes of people. These pages go a long way to explain why this is so.
The
narrative itself has great value in that it demonstrates how even in the midst
of trouble, life goes on: all the everyday personal problems, the fears, hopes,
ambitions and longings continue, unabated.
The
story-line illustrates what it takes—and how easy it is—to shake off feelings
of isolation, to recognise these in others and help drive them off. Making friends
and finding lovers is shown to be a perfectly natural state of affairs; that
self-pity can be scorned and self-respect regained. It is only then (as the
story shows us) that we are able to see ourselves as others see us, and able to
laugh at what we once were.
♦
Review of Setting and Theme
McGilvary
is particularly skillful and meticulous in describing the wells of loneliness
and sense of being alone that affect the three main characters whose lives,
inevitably, entwine. Meanwhile, all around them, the safety and assurance of
the world they know is crumbling.
♦
The Action
Through Laura
Smith's shady dealings he is brought into the orbit of Ibrahim Sang. This man,
both a crook and terrorist, is the long-time arch-enemy of the Protectorate's Intelligence
Chief, Norman Abdu Ghalib.
Sang has
a secret and deadly itinerary to realize; and fearful of Sang's intentions,
Ghalib makes Munro aware of the perilous scenario Mrs Smith has introduced him to.
Ghalib
prods him into a spy mission that encompasses
Aden, Nairobi, Mombasa and Malindi—the last two both on the fabulous 'Sinbad'
coastline.
Everyone
is ignorant of Sang's true objectives, Laura Smith included; but Harry Munro and
Norman Abdu Ghalib must confront the threat he offers. It is imperative that they
uncover and thwart what he has planned; and suspect a horrifying outcome if
they fail.
In doing
so, Munro is forced to make a decision regarding the dilemma at the heart of
his affair with Laura Smith, and chooses a course of action that threatens his
very survival.
Will Munro
and Ghalib prevail; or will they die? Read the story and find out.
♦
Author Credentials
The
author is a professional historian (PhD) with a substantial body of work
already published, such as: Guardian of the East India Company: The Life
of Laurence Sulivan (London, I. B. Tauris, 2006).
"I
am full of admiration for this pathbreaking book. The research is scrupulous, detailed
and rigorous...". [Prof Sir T M Devine]
East India Patronage and
the British State: The Scottish Elite and Politics in the Eighteenth Century (London, I. B.
Tauris, 2008).
"A
formidable piece of work...[that] provides a fascinating picture, thoroughly
researched and cogently argued...". [Prof C Emsley]
"This important book...a
substantive original contribution...argued convincingly...a considerable
achievement... unstinting praise for this book. [Prof T J Byres]
For
all my works see georgemcgilvary.com
Additional Information
As a
young man (see first photo below) he stood at the top of the ancient volcano (ShamSham)
that dominates Aden and pondered upon the 'End of Empire' scenario he was part
of.
The factual parts of this book stems from his experiences there. The second
snap is of a man whose actual name was Norman Ghalib, who operated as an interpreter in the field.
Why
should you read this book? Well, it's about finding peace of mind and rest for
the soul. Solace is widely sought after—and this tale proves it is possible to stumble
on it, even in the most unsafe and volatile of regions, such as The Gulf of
Aden and the Horn of Africa.
In
the easiest of ways—that is, through an absorbing story—the book also provides
knowledge of and understanding for the violence in this part of the world
during the latter years of the 20th Century. It is still a perilous area where
events during the last days of the British Empire continue to affect large
swathes of people. These pages go a long way to explain why this is so.
The
narrative itself has great value in that it demonstrates how even in the midst
of trouble, life goes on: all the everyday personal problems, the fears, hopes,
ambitions and longings continue, unabated.
The
story-line illustrates what it takes—and how easy it is—to shake off feelings
of isolation, to recognise these in others and help drive them off. Making friends
and finding lovers is shown to be a perfectly natural state of affairs; that
self-pity can be scorned and self-respect regained. It is only then (as the
story shows us) that we are able to see ourselves as others see us, and able to
laugh at what we once were.
♦
Review of Setting and Theme
The late
1950s and the closing days of the British Empire form the setting for the intricate
high suspense novel lavished upon us here. McGilvary depicts locality and involves
the reader in a little known theatre of events. It is really hard, for
instance, to find any author today who shows us this part of the world as it
was then. The nearest is probably The
Panther, by Nelson de Mille, which came out in 2012 — and covers a much more
recent period and set of circumstances.
McGilvary
is particularly skillful and meticulous in describing the wells of loneliness
and sense of being alone that affect the three main characters whose lives,
inevitably, entwine. Meanwhile, all around them, the safety and assurance of
the world they know is crumbling.
♦
The Action
Harry
Munro is a drifter whose life becomes, quite unexpectedly, very dangerous. The irresistible
physical challenge he is set by the beautiful Laura Smith begins everything.
Through Laura
Smith's shady dealings he is brought into the orbit of Ibrahim Sang. This man,
both a crook and terrorist, is the long-time arch-enemy of the Protectorate's Intelligence
Chief, Norman Abdu Ghalib.
Sang has
a secret and deadly itinerary to realize; and fearful of Sang's intentions,
Ghalib makes Munro aware of the perilous scenario Mrs Smith has introduced him to.
Ghalib
prods him into a spy mission that encompasses
Aden, Nairobi, Mombasa and Malindi—the last two both on the fabulous 'Sinbad'
coastline.
Everyone
is ignorant of Sang's true objectives, Laura Smith included; but Harry Munro and
Norman Abdu Ghalib must confront the threat he offers. It is imperative that they
uncover and thwart what he has planned; and suspect a horrifying outcome if
they fail.
In doing
so, Munro is forced to make a decision regarding the dilemma at the heart of
his affair with Laura Smith, and chooses a course of action that threatens his
very survival.
Will Munro
and Ghalib prevail; or will they die? Read the story and find out.
Additional Information
The
novelist has personal knowledge and first-hand experience of the period, of the
places, the type of people, climate and circumstances related in the story.
As a
young man (see first photo below) he stood at the top of the ancient volcano (ShamSham)
that dominates Aden and pondered upon the 'End of Empire' scenario he was part
of.
The factual parts of this book stems from his experiences there. The second
snap is of a man whose actual name was Norman Ghalib, who operated as an interpreter in the field.
 |
| GKM |
 |
| Ghalib |
Worth
All Your Tomorrows,
therefore, although fiction, is based on reality, on knowledge and experience.
It is also excellently written.
♦
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