Far from the East End

by Iris Jones Simantel

From the rundown streets of the East End to the Welsh countryside, will little evacuee Iris ever find somewhere to belong?
Born in 1938 under the threat of looming war, Iris spent her early years in Dagenham, playing in the rubble of bombed buildings by day and cowering in a dusty shelter at night. But the hardships of poverty and the dreaded Blitz could not match the pain she felt from her parents' indifference. She prayed that just once her mother would hold her when the bombs rained down. But her loneliness only intensified when she was evacuated.
Funny, moving and heart-warming, little Iris 's tale is the story of a lonely girl's long journey in search of a place to call home.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, History, London

305 pages, Paperback

First published July 19, 2012

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. How gutted was I when I finished this book?. I read it cover to cover in less than a day. Iris Jones is a five year old evacuee from Londlm, and stayed in Wales for 2 years with her foster family. This is her story from when she was a little girl up until she was married. and the strange thing is..Iris actually chanhes so much in her writing its fantastic. when she is 5, its written how a 5 year old would speak and as she gets older her vocabulary progesses as it would. Absoloutely fanstastic. No wonder it won SAGA lmagazine life story competetion. A++++++

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disclosure: I know Iris Simantel and find her to be a delightful, charming woman.

This memoir covers her childhood during and after WWII in England and gives a picture of the difficulty endured by the British in general, and her family in particular.

Pick this up if you are curious about that time and place.

[Michelle Hannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a memoir of Iris’ childhood and follows her growing up poor during WWII in London, being evacuated to live with a family in Wales for the last half of the war, and then coming of age and marrying an American serviceman at 16 and immigrating to the United States. It’s heart-warming and gut-wrenching and told with classic British pluck and humor. I loved the vibrant characters, Cockney sayings, and learning about the culture, traditions, and superstitions of London and Wales. I’m a big memoir fan, and “Far from the East End” is one of my favorites.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy to read story about a girl growing up in the east end of London during the war. There were some memorable moments, such as her evacuation to Wales and the lovely family she stayed with. However I felt it was lacking emotion and explanation when dealing with the relationship with her parents, which although wasn't unpleasant, there appeared to be a number of underlying things which had happened and not explained to the reader.
It's not a bad book but I've definitely read better about this era.

[Eileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was nice to read about things that I already have some knowledge of- having been born just after the war. The spoken expressions were familiar but the descriptions of such poor backgrounds were a confirmation of facts expressed by older relatives.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love her writing style. Lots of mention of things and then "but I'll tell you about that later," or "we didn't know "this" would happen, but it will in the future." I'm still considering reading her next book though because I want to find out how her marriage was once she got to America.

[Novelle Novels · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very emotional as it was a true life story of a girl born just as world war 2 was starting. She grew up as a cockney Londoner and this book takes you from her as a young child to young lady. I found it so interesting telling her view on being evacuated and how that made her and her brother feel. We have all heard how it was the best thing to do that if you lived in dangerous areas but do we really think how those poor children felt being taken away from their family’s, most on there own even separated from siblings.. We find out also how she felt being returned to her family and how life was after the war at at time still of low incomes. I’m glad I read this but in someways I wish it was longer.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book and loved the way it started off with the author as a little girl and then followed all the way up to when she was a young woman and got married. I'm a East London girl myself so it was interesting to hear about all the things I'm familar with and also learning new things about what London was like during war and what life was like for a evacuee. I also like how she often referred back to lots of cockney phrases her mum said and she was very descriptive about how she felt during each moment of her life. I can honestly say I really enjoyed reading this book and did not want it to end! I will definitely be getting a copy of her follow up novel 'GI Bride!'

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recreating a world that very few people now remember, Simantel packed a lot into her first 16 years. WWII, being a child evacuee, post-war life, a marriage at 16, and a move across the pond. She captures the hurtfulness of neglectful parents - the truism that you don't have to beat your kids to damage them. Being made to feel unimportant in the lives of the people you love and look to the most creates feelings of worthlessness that takes the author decades to overcome - if she truly did at all.

But she also points out that the gift of love, attention and support from non-parents can go a long way toward replacing the lack of parental involvement.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! I am not from the East End but the Englishness (and Welshness) of this book was just beautiful. Little Iris Jones is the second born to a poor disfunctional family in London before the war. Air raids and bombed out houses formed her early childhood and she is evacuated as a five year old to a family in Wales. It is a real story beautifully told.

[dorothy cannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cracking read

The book tells the story of Iris as a child when she was an Evacuee up to and including her marriage age 16 to an American GI.
It's well written and full of nostalgia.
An easy book to read.

[Dozo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book because it is so ordinary and so down to earth. I was disappointed when it finished but I think the length and ending point were exactly right. At the end you realise where there are so many Americanisms creeping into her writing.

[Sheila Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read very interesting and informative to realise how much has changed in such a short time

[Gail Danks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic heartfelt story of a young girls life growing up in the war years

[Adele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this true story of young Iris, first in war torn London, then as an evacue, then returning back to her family in London as I don't like biographies but Iris' life story was like a history lesson. It was such a raw, honest and quite funny account of her life. I was fascinated and intrigued with the lifestyle back then. There were some dark moments in her life that must have been difficult to write about. Her humour and that of others living at the time during World War Two was inspiring, their lives were turned upside down but their spirits weren't. I'm going to read the follow up to this book, G.I. Bride, so I can continue with Iris' journey.

[Sheena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an interesting inside look at the life of a young girl in England during the 1940s and 50s. It gives the reader a glimpse into the way those living in the poorest parts of England survived during that time. I liked the author's honesty in the way she writes and how she didn't sugar coat some of the more harsh and/or scary parts of growing up during this time. If you like Call the Midwife this would be a good choice for another perspective.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting account of a young girls life through the war years and evacuation to Wales for a couple of years. She met an American soldier and married at 16. I can't wait to read her follow up book to see how her life in America turned out.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant read. My husband grew up in Watford which features heavily in this book and knew of all the places mentioned which added to the enjoyment of this book. Nicely written

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice easy read from start to finish. Liked the photos added as well. Iris had a very interesting childhood and it would have been nice to hear what happened after she left the UK. A good book.

[Iris Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A moving memoir, very readable, honest, funny, sad

[Claire Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

very quick and easy to read but thought provoking mainly because it was a biography so very believable and could relate to it frustrating nest one isnt out yet though

[Eleanor Lux · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book and therefore the best book I have read of a young English child's life growing up in London in World War II

[Voracious · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simantel grew up in the same neighbourhood as my Dad, and I enjoyed hearing the language and attitudes I recognised from him. Interesting and moving.

[Martha Sami · Rating 3 out of 5]

although it's rich with new facts for me! I was bored out of my wits reading it!

[Layla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book about a child being evacuated during ww2. Loved it.