Thirty Years in a Turtleneck Sweater

“Deeply personal account...the innocence of youth rises from every page...The words are simple and engaging and Warren's ability to crawl back into the mind of his boyhood has resulted in a powerful and emotional portrayal of his life.” Irish Examiner

 

Thirty Years in a Turtleneck Sweater is the moving account of Nick’s childhood in the 70s, a childhood redefined when his father Des Warren was imprisoned. Des was a passionate union man who, along with Ricky Tomlinson, became the legendary Shrewsbury Two, heroes of the great union clashes with the government which defined the era. Des’s imprisonment turned Nick’s world upside down and the book surveys the changing life of a child against the backdrop of Unionist Britain, leading up to his father’s death in 2004.

 

Andrew Goodfellow, Editorial Director at Ebury Publishing commented, ‘We are all so delighted that Nick’s outstanding book has been recognised in this way by YoungMinds. It is a truly unique book which could not be more deserving of the award.’

 

Chair of the judges, writer and journalist, Terry Philpot said, “The judges were particularly attracted to a book which, fairly unusually, allowed a boy to express his feelings about his relationship with his father, which we see both when the author is a child and an adult. It is a book, too, about a parent who is both there and not there - Warren comes and goes from his son's life as he pursues his trade union activities around the country. How a child copes with this and attempts to understand it is one of the gifts which the author offers his readers.”

 

“Powerful – enthralling from the start and keeps getting better.” The Independent

 

The other judges forming our panel were Julie Myerson, novelist; Yvonne Roberts, novelist and journalist; Sir Michael Rutter, research professor, Institute of Psychiatry, London; and Dame Denise Platt, Chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

 

“Des Warren had the courage to fight for what he believed in, and he suffered greatly as the result of an act of class revenge. One of the book's strengths is that it shows the effects of this revenge, not just on Des himself, but also on his family. In laying bare his relationship with his father, Nick Warren has paid him the greatest tribute of all.” Morning Star "It turns out the most important union is that of the father and the son." Socialist Worker

 

The imprisonment of Des Warren is currently under Judicial Review.

Available here as an ebook only. For the full Kindle or print version go to Amazon at:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thirty-Years-Turtleneck-Sweater-heart-breaking-ebook/dp/B07YKX9R2K/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=thirty+years+in+a+turtleneck+sweater&qid=1596631785&sr=8-1