My Godforsaken Life: Memoir of a Maverick

by Barbara Smoker

Written in the author’s mid-90s, this anarchic memoir recalls her Catholic childhood between
the wars, and an aunt who was more Catholic than the Pope. The reader will experience Barbara’s imperial
war service, her addiction to gambling, her post-war apostasy, her participation in Bertrand Russell’s Committee of 100, her 25 years’ presidency of the National Secular Society, and her lifelong liberal
campaigns. Civilisation, peace, general health, education, and true democracy all depend, she avers, on freedom of information. Missionary zeal at age 10 regarding the manifest non-existence of Father Christmas anticipated that of a creator god.
Abandoning her adolescent intention of becoming a contemplative nun, Barbara made
religion and war the twin bêtes noires of her maturity. She always revelled in defying establishment
rules, while her love of words generated light verse alongside serious poems and speculative
essays. Altogether an easy read – yet eminently cogent.

198 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 24, 2018