Waiting for the All Clear

by Ben Wicks

Genres: Nonfiction, History

Hardcover

First published April 28, 1992

About the author

Ben Wicks was a London-born Canadian cartoonist, illustrator, journalist and author. He was a saxophone player who toured throughout Europe in a band with Leonard Bigg before emigrating to Canada in 1957. There, he initially worked as a milkman in Calgary and as a musician in the Canadian Army. His first cartoons were published in the Saturday Evening Post.

Wicks settled in Toronto in 1963, where he became a cartoonist with the Toronto Telegram. His topical cartoon 'The Outcasts' (later retitled to simply 'Wicks') was at its height syndicated to over 80 Canadian newspapers and 100 American. He moved over to the Toronto Star in 1971. He also illustrated the children's book series 'Katie and Orbie', written by his daughter Susan.

Wicks was additionally a humanitarian and TV personality, who even hosted his own show on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in the 1970s. He also had his own pub in Toronto's Cabbagetown district. He died of cancer at the age of 73 in 2000.

Reviews

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who's interested in the London Blitz should put this on their reading list immediately. I learned about it from a list of research materials Connie Willis placed on her blog. She got such vivid imagery in Blackout and All Clear that I knew it would be full of great information, and I was right. It's stuffed with firsthand accounts of life during the Blitz, and the personal narrative format makes it not only informative and readable, but also incredibly personal and affecting. It's one thing to read about the Blitz and imagine thousands of Londoners bravely continuing with their lives in the face of bombardment, but another thing completely to read a woman's reminiscence about how her mother sacrificed herself to keep her daughter safe from shrapnel. This is an important book for anyone interested in World War II.

[Susan Grimshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting but harrowing account of the Blitz, makes me realise how fortunate I was to live in a safe area during the war.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real eye opener as to conditions during the blitz. I'm amazed that moral was so high despite the devastation. Very easy reading as the book is full of quotes from people's personal experiences. Each quote is between 1 paragraph and 2 pages. Thoroughly recommended.