'BERTIE, MAY AND MRS FISH: COUNTRY MEMORIES OF WARTIME'

Meetings with remarkable activists since the 1960s American social change movements dominated the 1960s and 1970s, an era brought about and influenced not by a handful of celebrity activists but by people who cared. These history makers together transformed the political and spiritual landscape of America and laid the foundation for many of the social movements that exist today. Through a series of 43 vignettes—tight biographical sketches of the characters and intimate memories of her personal encounters with them—the author creates a collective portrait of the rebels, artists, radicals, and thinkers who through word and action raised many of the issues of justice, the environment, feminism, and colonialism that we are now familiar with. From Berkeley to Bolivia, from New York to New Mexico, a complex, multi-layered radical history unfolds through the stories and lives of the characters. From Marty Schiffenhauer, who fought through the first rent-control law in the United States, to Ponderosa Pine, who started the All-Species Parade and never wore shoes, to Dan and Patricia Ellsberg, who released the Pentagon Papers and became life-long anti-war and antinuclear activists, the portraits bring out some of the vibrant, irreverent energy, the unswerving commitment, and the passion for life of these generations of activists. In our present moment, as many people find themselves in the streets protesting for the first time in their lives, In the Company of Rebels makes the connection to this relatively recent rebellious era. As the author comments on her own twenty-year old self, sitting at the counter of Cody's Books in Berkeley in the early 1970s, thrilled about the times but oblivious of the work that came before: "I didn't know anything about this courageous and colorful past. But now I know." A lyrical, evocative and wonderfully original wartime memoir about life on a farm in the Cotswolds, seen through the eyes of a child. 'Bertie, May and Mrs Fish' is Xandra Bingley's account of her childhood on a Cotswold farm, set against the backdrop of World War II and its aftermath. Bingley's mother is left to farm the land, isolated in the landscape, whilst her husband is away at war. With its eccentric cast of characters, this book captures both the essence of a country childhood and the remarkable courage and resilience displayed by ordinary people during the war. The beauty and sensitivity of Bingley's observation is artfully balanced by the harshness and grit of her reality. 'In the cowshed my mother ties her hair in a topknot scarf that lies on the feedbin lid. At five-thirty each morning and four o'clock in the afternoons she chases rats off the mangers. She measures cowcake and rolled oats and opens the bottom cowshed door. Thirty-one brown and white Ayrshires and one brindle Jersey tramp into their stalls...' 'Two thousand acres. A mile of valley. Horses cattle sheep pigs poultry. Snow above the lintels of the downstairs windows. Her fingers swelling. Chilblains. Her long white kid gloves wrapped around a leaky pipe in her bedroom. Knotted at the fingers. She has a lot to learn and no one to teach her. Accidents happen.' Bingley tells her tale in a startling voice which captures the universe of a child, the unforgiving landscape and the complicated adult world surrounding her. Her acute observation, and her gift for place, people, sound and touch make this a brilliantly authentic and evocative portrait. A Lyrical, Evocative And Wonderfully Original Wartime Memoir About Life On A Farm In The Cotswolds, Seen Through The Eyes Of A Child. Bertie, May & Mrs Fish Is Xandra Bingley's Account Of Her Childhood On A Cotswold Farm, Set Against The Backdrop Of The Second World War And Its Aftermath. Bingley's Mother Is Left To Farm The Land While Her Husband Is Away At War. With Its Eccentric Cast Of Characters, This Book Captures Both The Essence Of A Country Childhood And The Remarkable Courage And Resilience Displayed By Ordinary People During The War. The Beauty And Sensitivity Of Bingley's Observation Is Artfully Balanced By The Harshness And Grit Of Her Reality. Bingley Tells Her Tale In A Startling Voice Which Captures The Universe Of A Child, The Unforgiving Landscape And The Complicated Adult World Surrounding Her. Her Acute Observation And Her Emotional, Sensual Descriptive Gift For Place, People, Sound And Touch Make This A Brilliantly Authentic And Evocative Portrait. Xandra Bingley.