Set during World War II, the story follows an English bomber pilot who is shot down over occupied France. Rescued by a French family, he must stay behind to recover from his injuries while his crew escapes. As he heals, he develops a romantic bond with the homeowner's daughter, and together they embark on a journey through France, navigating danger and uncertainty in their quest to return to England. The novel explores themes of love, sacrifice, and resilience amidst the backdrop of war.
A journey down the banks and in the waters of two contrasting Midland rivers, the Nene and Ouse
Pauline, young and beautiful, despairs of escaping from her bullying, drunken father, Quintus Harper, and the miserable poverty of the street where she lives. Then she falls in love with Masher Jonathan, a sensitive man whose quiet talk of justice and freedom transforms her beliefs. But their decision to leave Charlotte's Row bring with it violence and pain of a kind they did not anticipate.
The pages are full of sharp observations which reveal the loveliness of every- day sights and fleeting moments, from the charm of butterflies and their names to the behaviour of animals and birds, the joys of gardening and the character of the people and their landscape.
The Flying Officer X stories were written by H.E. Bates in his unprecedented role as an official war writer with the R.A.F. during WWII, where he animates the realities faced by pilots tasked with protecting the skies from enemy aircraft. The resulting stories that appeared under the pseudonym Flying Officer X are portraits of individual pilots narrated by an observer who is on the inside of the air force without being a pilot. These portraits recount the personal history of the pilots, and convey the individual qualities and forces that motivate them. They blend the action and suspense of aerial battles, friendships cut off too soon, and life enduring against all odds
Tells the story of three very different men who, after their aircraft crashes, are forced to trek across the Burmese wilderness to safety.
Short stories about people who seem perfectly ordinary, but as we get to know them better we see that their feelings are not at all ordinary. High interest low vocab for Adult Literacy and learners. Vocabulary: 1000 words.
Set in the picturesque Kent countryside, this collection features poignant stories that showcase the depth and charm of rural life. Celebrated author HE Bates, often likened to Chekhov by Graham Greene, offers a masterful exploration of human emotions and relationships. Selected by his grandson, Tim Bates, these tales reveal why Bates is regarded as one of the finest short story writers of his generation, blending nostalgia with keen observations of everyday life.
Inspired by the gentle beauty of the English landscape, the celebrated writer HE Bates and the much loved wildlife artist CF Tunnicliffe produced an enchanting tribute to country life.
Thirty-five of his best short stories, written between 1925 and 1961, and chosen by H.E. Bates.Contents:The Flame; A Flower Piece; The Mower; Time; The Mill; The Station; The Kimono; Breeze Anstey; The Ox; Colonel Julian; The Lighthouse; The Flag; The Frontier; A Christmas Song; The Major of Hussars; Elaine; The Daffodil Sky; The Good Corn; Country Society; Acrosss the Bay; Chaff in the Wind; The Evolution of Saxby; Go Lovely Rose; The Maker of Coffins; Love in a Wych-elm; Let's Play Soldiers; The Watercress Girl; The Cowslip Field; Great Uncle Crow; The Enchantress; Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal; Where the Cloud Breaks; Lost Ball; Thelma; Mrs Eglantine
