Böcker av Ian Riddle

Our Rose, My Reg and Me is a set of ten, connected stories which, when taken together, form something of a novel. They're narrated by June, the 'Me' of the title. Rose is June's more educated sister and Reg, June's long-suffering husband. All three, now well into their retirement years, comprise the main protagonists of the work.Through the stories, June provides a series of vignettes across the course of a twelve-month period which offer insights into her life, relationships, and thinking as well as reflections on times past when all three of them were that much younger, though times were not necessarily that much better.Amongst the various acquaintances of note is Mrs Prothero, an octogenarian of particularly grumpy temperament whose only purpose in life, it seems, is to annoy everyone around her, especially June! There's also the 'Posh Lady' who lives in a detached house at the far end of the road. June has no idea what her name is although she would dearly love to. June has aspirations. So far, she's gotten no further than saying, "Good morning," or "Good Afternoon" even after ten or so years.The stories cover a range of topics such as family dynamics, daily routines, seasonal changes, and personal experiences. June's distinct voice and perspective shine through, creating a relatable and engaging narrative that captures the nuances of everyday life amongst the members of this particular group.

Midsummer Dreams is a lyrical history of the lives, loves and, in particular, the dreams of several of the inhabitants of the small village of Treddoch Harbour. Treddoch, as it's referred to locally, is a fictional, atypical, once fishing, now touristy, community situated on Cornwall's southern coast.Everybody has their dreams, though none more so than the inhabitants of Treddoch. In their case, and this is where they differ from the mainstream, as well as having their own, personal dreams, the residents of Treddoch Harbour also have the one dream, the overarching dream, that singular dream that binds them as a community. This is the dream of having a 'good Season'. For many of them, who rely on the tourists for their income, their money's only to be made in the summer, when the tourists are abroad. Winter months can be dire.The action is set on the one day, Midsummer's Day, starting at dawn and ending with dusk. The story's told through the voice of a tour guide as he takes the reader around the village, introducing the characters one by one, starting with the late Butcher and his Wife, now interred in the local cemetery!