ABOUT THE BOOK
A compelling memoir of post-war Britain. Jackie Skingley
grew up with limited career choices but joining the Women's Royal Army Corps
offered her a different life, living and working in a military world, against
the backdrop of the Cold War. Packed full of stories reflecting the changing
sexual attitudes prior to the arrival of the pill and the sexual revolution of
the mid 60s, Skingley's memoir denotes a shift in the political and social
fabric of the era. Follow her relationships with the men in her life from
finding her first true love, which through a cruel act of fate was denied her,
to embarking on a path of recovery.
MY THOUGHTS
High Heels & Beetle Crushers: The Life, Losses and Loves
of an Officer and Lady by Jackie Skingley is certainly an interesting
read. It takes place in a time before I was born, and shines a light on a way
of life that no longer exists, and I enjoyed learning about many things I’d not
previously been aware of.
For all this, I did find the book didn’t fulfil the promise
of the book blurb. The Cold War and a society undergoing significant and rapid change
were backdrops that were only infrequently referenced. Apart from a significant
grey cloud in the author’s life when a loved one dies, the story is very ‘jolly
hockey sticks’ and offers little of the author’s reflections about that time in
hsitory – it’s mostly a linear accounting of that time in her life. There is just not enough substance to elevate
this memoir from a pleasant read to something truly compelling.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.
For Jackie Skingley, adventure has been her quest since
childhood. Life in the British army allowed Jackie to live all over the world
and gain huge appreciation for different cultures and customs. Since 1999,
Jackie and her husband have lived in the Charente region of South West France
where Reiki, jewellery making, painting and mosaics, as well as writing keep
her fully occupied.
***
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.
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