Helena Harper, Family and More - Enemies or Friends?

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Available now as a paperback and in Kindle, including apps for iPad, iPhone, iTouch and Blackberry. If you wish to purchase a copy from my publishers, send an email to ordersin@penpress.co.uk, ISBN 9781907172649, price £6.99. Or download an order form here. The photos on the cover at the top are, from left to right, of my mother, my aunt racing round Brooklands at the age of 15, and my maternal grandmother with my sister.
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Family and More is a beautifully lyrical collection of verse, in which Helena Harper recalls the people who have touched her life and taught her precious life lessons. As the daughter of a German mother and English father, who met in Hamburg at the end of World War II, she explores notions of national and emotional boundaries, the horrors of war, self-discovery and love, returning time and again to that oldest and most emotive of themes: the infinite power of the human spirit.
Besides heartwarming tributes to both parents, she describes the exploits and personalities of various German and English relatives, from her gifted, energetic maternal grandmother and heroic maternal grandfather whom she never met, to her two uncles, 'human and fallible both' – the hard-working, sun-loving German one, who nearly died at Stalingrad, and the charismatic, conservative English one. A much loved colleague, a devoted physiotherapist and difficult boss are also amongst the people described.
Many of the people she writes about are now dead, but as you read this collection you will notice that what stands out above all is a sense of life-affirming love and optimism. You are left at the end knowing that every encounter we have in life can be a force for good and, if we see with the heart, our man-made divisions will seem both absurd and insignificant. A moving celebration of our common humanity.

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You can read selected extracts from the book by clicking on the Bookbuzzr widget below. Feel free to leave a comment, if you wish.

To order an autographed copy, please click here.

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CONTENTS

The Baby — a small champion for a new way, a new life, a new world of humanity? A sign of hope that in the future we can finally be free from our present, crazy, violent insanity?
The Mother — refusing to wallow in past tragedies, disappointments and strife, living out the autumn of her life in a blaze of vibrant colour...
The Father — insatiable curiosity driving him to devour books galore on history and science, philosophy and war...
The Grandmother — a gifted, smiling soul, spreading love and happiness to all, making the best of everything meeting her in life’s rich, unpredictable ball...
The Grandfather — and so he leaves this life on an obscure Russian field for a cause lost in the realms of time, his coffin the mud, his grave the blown-up earth...
The Foreign Uncle — washing each morning the body in snows of freezing, glacial white; “Crazy Harry!” the others say, but it saves him from ghastly frostbite...
The English Uncle — a man not tolerant of fools, but with the ladies a favourite, make no doubt — see, they all come running when he shouts!
The Adopted Aunt - inseparable from her sisterly twin...clad in helmet and leathers, racing round Brooklands at incredible speed, models of skill and consummate ease - the world record broken, an awesome feat and wasn't it a breeze?

The Elder Sister — a humble, compassionate soul instinctively in touch with her nature purely divine, a privilege indeed to call her a sister of mine
The Brother-in-Law — proud school governor, then local councillor, occupations well-suited to a man with numberless acquaintances and a propensity to talk nigh on incessantly
The Niece — she’ll gladly give all a go, exploring possibilities infinitely diverse, so she can give latent, hidden talents a chance to unfold and grow
The Nephew — a big baby with a big appetite, so different from the sister...enthusiasm glowing in the face, enjoyment pouring from the eyes, everyday commonplace sights simply marvellous delights...
The Colleague — faithful, quiet and diligent, modest, unassuming, reliable and efficient
The Boss — acting perhaps would have suited her more, for sincerity is not a trait that brands this soul...organised and efficient? Don’t make me laugh!...
The Physiotherapist — a teddy bear of a man with face soft and round, healing hands flowing up and down the spine...if we all gave of ourselves as this man does, imagine the world we would create! Each of us treating strangers as our other half, where selfishness was forgotten, a thing of the past...
The Massage Therapist — every thought word and action designed to meet her children’s needs, yet now despite it all the heart tears apart and bleeds…
The Tennis Director — the once lithe, young body of twenty or so years marked now by middle-age spread and dubious knees...

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Please see reviews below.
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To order an autographed copy, please click here.

Amazon UK / Amazon UK Kindle Amazon / Amazon Kindle B & N

Waterstones WH Smiths

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For my Amazon author page, click here.

Reviews

"Family and More – Enemies or Friends? is more than a collection of poems, it is a story I enjoyed and learned from. As you read this book it becomes clear that the author put a great deal of time and effort into the choice of every word used. Each poem has a melodic flow that moves smoothly into the next.
Family and More enlightens the reader to the conflicts and confusion that exist in a family divided by war. Being the child of a German mother and English father in the aftermath of WWII, the author delves into her family’s history by examining the lives of several family members as well as other personal relationships. Each poem is an intertwined life. With descriptive imagery these people come alive; you see their struggles and triumphs.
This wonderful poetic story goes beyond a family history; it depicts the futility, frustration and hardship of war, along with the frailties and strengths of the people that make up each of our families. Family and More – Enemies or Friends? is a beautifully written book. I highly recommend it."
Karen Cioffi, author and freelance writer, co-author of Day's End Lullaby, DKV Writing 4 U http://dkvwriting4u.com, http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com

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Family and More by Helena Harper is a tribute, a family portrait, a synopsis of life

"Family and More - Enemies or Friends?, a book of poetry by Helena Harper, is like a poetic synopsis of a wartime saga, the life of a family with a backdrop of history, a memoir told in poetic blurbs. The author encapsulates characters and events breathtakingly. There is so much here to think about once one turns the last page. I was left wanting more! More!..."
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, multi-award winning writer and poet http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com

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"Thank you so much for allowing me to read your wonderful book. I loved it! I became totally engrossed in the story. A wonderfully told story of a family’s love and courage in the face of war and hardship. All of the pain and joy over the years, comes to life on every page. I would and I will highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. This is a book that I will enjoy reading over and over and I believe many, many people will enjoy!"
Charles R. James, Author of The Reason for My Journey
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Incisive observation of the impact families have on our conditioning (5 stars)

"Helena captures the impact family members (and friends) have on our lives and our conditioning. The flow of her words draws you in and before long, you begin to feel a part of the family, experiencing what it was like for her being a daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece and an aunt. There are family 'leadership' lessons to be had on many levels in the wonderful verses. Helena has brought back forgotten leadership wisdom - so apt and so much needed in the 21st Century."
Kwai Yu, CEO, Leaders Cafe 2020 Ltd

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"Helena Harper’s Family and More offers an interesting insight into a wide spectrum of human relationships. It is a collection of life stories told with tenderness, fondness and humour, yet interspersed with a powerful critique of the futility and unnatural nature of warfare. A child of ‘fused’ parentage, Harper questions the way in which labels such as ‘enemy’ are attached to others. Ultimately, she questions how one’s identity is constructed and stresses the importance of individual strength of character in the face of adversity. A charming read, each verse emphasises the good at the heart of the human relationship and stresses the importance of optimism and hope."
Lady Teviot, President of the Federation of Family History Societies in the UK and owner of genealogical research company, Census Searches Ltd.

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"A really interesting read if you are interested in family history. Written in verse it flows through Helena Harper's family and friends' lives sensitively and emotionally. A lovely portrait in particular of her mother whose war time experiences forged the strong and loving woman she became." (4 stars)
Geoff Lockett, Amazon reader

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Absorbing, moving and beautifully written memoir (5 stars)

"This is a fascinating and original portrayal in verse of the influence of family and others on the life of the author. As she describes her characters,she reflects on the futility of war, animosity and negativity and the value of persistence, fortitude, compromise and negotiation. She makes us think about those who have touched our lives. What lessons have we learnt from them? We can learn from both the positive and negative influences, for they teach us the value of acting in a positive and supportive manner towards others. A reflective and emotive compilation of striking quality that holds the reader enthralled."
D.S., Amazon reader

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Helena Harper - poet, children's author and teacher