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| Parliament and the Thames River |
Kathleen
Heady is a native of rural Illinois, but has lived and traveled in many places,
including numerous trips to Great Britain. Additionally she lived in Costa Rica
for seven years. Her second novel, Lydia's Story, was released
in 2012. Her first novel, The Gate
House, was a finalist for an EPIC
award in 2011. Learn more about Kathleen at her website/blog.--AP
Since I was a little girl, I have been fascinated by Great Britain and
its history, probably at first because it was a country with a real queen and
princesses. Later my interest developed into a desire to learn more about the
history, and I read as much as I could.
I first visited Britain with my parents in 1985, and was awestruck by
everything I saw. I was overwhelmed when visiting the Shambles in York, formerly
a street of butcher shops, which was renovated in the 1400s! I pressed my hand
against the stones in Conwy Castle in Wales, thinking of all the men and women
who had passed through those passageways over the centuries. What were their
dreams, desires, fears?
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| Monument to Women of World War II |
But the most poignant experience occurred during our visit to St. Paul's
Cathedral in London. Behind the main altar in this magnificent edifice is a
small alcove dedicated to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Services who fought
for the defense of Britain during World War II. My dad had tears in his eyes.
He had been there and he had returned. Not everyone did.
I visited the Churchill War Rooms, the vast underground complex in
London from which Prime Minister Winston Churchill directed operations during
the years that Britain fought against Germany. I crossed the Thames to the
Imperial War Museum, housed in the former Bethlem
Royal Hospital, London's first hospital for the mentally ill, and the
origin of the word "bedlam" meaning "chaos" or
"madness." This museum brings alive the suffering and heroism of
victims of wars since World War I. One exhibit in particular always brings a
tear to my eye. In an unassuming spot on the main floor is a small wooden
fishing boat, the smallest boat to cross the Channel in the evacuation of
Dunkirk in 1940.
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| Ruins of Coventry Cathedral |
In Coventry, I visited the ruins of Coventry Cathedral, bombed by the
Germans in 1940. Since that terrible night, the cathedral has become a symbol
of peace and reconciliation.
Eventually, I decided to write Lydia's
Story, in which I recreated the connection between a young woman and her
ancestor, in this case her great-grandmother, who worked in her own way to
defend her country during World War II.
Whether visiting historical sites or relaxing in one of London's many
parks, I always travel with my eyes open. I always remember that I am a guest
in someone else's culture, and that we have more in common than differences. I
have returned to Great Britain several times after my initial visit with my
parents, and my love for the country and culture has not faded.
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Lydia’s Story
A simple box of mementos, hidden
in a farmhouse in Wales for nearly seventy years, is enough to set Nara Blake
on a search for the truth about her great-grandparents, and to put her own life
in danger. Even as she begins to read her great-grandmother's diaries, a French
brother and sister, whose family lost everything in World War II, blame Nara's
family for their lost wealth, which includes a priceless Cézanne painting. As
both families learn the truth of their ancestors' activities during the war,
they are put on a collision course that can only end in the destruction of
long-held beliefs, and ultimately one must pay the price for the losses of the
past.
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8 comments:
Awesome pictures! Thanks for sharing!!
This sounds wonderful! Definitely on my TBR.
Maybe I should add photography to my "passions" list, along with writing and travel. My dad was in photo reconnaissance during WWII, and I have inherited his interest in taking pictures, as well as an appreciation of photography as both art and a record of history.
I had the pleasure of reading Lydia's Story and recommend it. It tells a story that brings humanity to this huge event and makes it more understandable.
I really want to read this. I believe we don't teach American children enough about the British went through during WWII. My father landed on Omaha Beach and I know some stories from him. Another series is Nella Last's War - memoirs by a housewife during this time.
Mitzi
Mitzi,
I agree with you. I have read Nella Last's War and the follow-up, Nella Last's Peace I think it is called, about Nella's experiences after the war. Britain had such a different experience during WWII compared to the US, where the women were just . . . waiting. And difficult as that was, they did not have children evacuated to the country and homes bombed.
I've visited London twice and loved it, but I never saw some of those places you've mentioned. I wrote down the title and plan on ordering your book. I know it would be something I'd enjoy reading.
As Samuel Johnson said,"When you are tired of London, you are tired of life. For London has all the life can afford." I may not have the quote exactly, but you get the idea. I love London. Always something new to see.
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