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A review by june_englit_phd
The Day That Went Missing by Richard Beard
4.0
** SHORTLISTED FOR JAMES TAIT BLACK MEMORIAL PRIZE, BIOGRAPHY CATEGORY**.
Oh my word, what a poignant biographical account this is! In it, the author recalls, and tries to fill in the blanks through conversations with family members and other relevant people, the events surrounding the tragic death of his 9 year old brother, Nicky, in 1978. In addition, he traces his own - and his family's - reactions to the tragedy, as well as showing how his family adheres to its personal philosophy of taking 'One More Step' and carrying on. As he collects pieces of evidence, this book becomes a cross between an exercise of catharsis and a detective case worthy of Sherlock Holmes (who makes an 'appearance' in one passage in the book). It is extremely well-written and cannot have been an easy piece of work to write, but the author has successfully compiled a more permenant memorial to Nicky than the school cricket scoreboard! Very well done, Richard Beard. I have the utmost respect for you.
What makes the book even more emotive is the fact that the front cover features the beautiful and personal family photograph of Nicky just before his death. It is a fantastic and memorable book which I highly recommend.
Oh my word, what a poignant biographical account this is! In it, the author recalls, and tries to fill in the blanks through conversations with family members and other relevant people, the events surrounding the tragic death of his 9 year old brother, Nicky, in 1978. In addition, he traces his own - and his family's - reactions to the tragedy, as well as showing how his family adheres to its personal philosophy of taking 'One More Step' and carrying on. As he collects pieces of evidence, this book becomes a cross between an exercise of catharsis and a detective case worthy of Sherlock Holmes (who makes an 'appearance' in one passage in the book). It is extremely well-written and cannot have been an easy piece of work to write, but the author has successfully compiled a more permenant memorial to Nicky than the school cricket scoreboard! Very well done, Richard Beard. I have the utmost respect for you.
What makes the book even more emotive is the fact that the front cover features the beautiful and personal family photograph of Nicky just before his death. It is a fantastic and memorable book which I highly recommend.