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Bend with the Wind #1
Bend with the Wind
There’s an old Chinese proverb:
‘When the wind blows, the reeds must bend’
And so it is that Merry Hall, the family seat of the Beaumont family, has stood as a symbol of wealth and power for centuries, and dates back to William the Conqueror. Despite war and struggle it has always maintained a male heir; when the direct line disappeared a cousin from India had taken over. The Hall had gone into decline but the new male heir, Sir Thomas Beaumont, was determined to return the Hall to its former grandeur and to leave a good inheritance for his young sons.
The story begins in peacetime England in 1933, in the idyllic setting of a sumptuous family garden party. Pleasantries are exchanged but times are changing and the lure of the outside world is pulling the sons into different directions: the army, the Colonial Service and big business.
We are taken on a journey through Europe and the Far East, as the Second World War draws nearer and the world changes around the family.
Peter Rimmer paints a poignant picture in this epic tale which weaves a rich pattern of family life, interspersed with love, intrigue, hatred and desire.
'Bend with the Wind' is Peter Rimmer's fourth novel. He is the author of 'Cry of the Fish Eagle', 'Vultures in the Wind' and 'Echoes from the Past'.
‘When the wind blows, the reeds must bend’
And so it is that Merry Hall, the family seat of the Beaumont family, has stood as a symbol of wealth and power for centuries, and dates back to William the Conqueror. Despite war and struggle it has always maintained a male heir; when the direct line disappeared a cousin from India had taken over. The Hall had gone into decline but the new male heir, Sir Thomas Beaumont, was determined to return the Hall to its former grandeur and to leave a good inheritance for his young sons.
The story begins in peacetime England in 1933, in the idyllic setting of a sumptuous family garden party. Pleasantries are exchanged but times are changing and the lure of the outside world is pulling the sons into different directions: the army, the Colonial Service and big business.
We are taken on a journey through Europe and the Far East, as the Second World War draws nearer and the world changes around the family.
Peter Rimmer paints a poignant picture in this epic tale which weaves a rich pattern of family life, interspersed with love, intrigue, hatred and desire.
'Bend with the Wind' is Peter Rimmer's fourth novel. He is the author of 'Cry of the Fish Eagle', 'Vultures in the Wind' and 'Echoes from the Past'.
Kindle Edition
First published October 3, 2015
About the author
Peter Rimmer
79 books87 followersPeter Rimmer was born in London, England, and grew up in the south of the city where he went to Cranleigh School. After the Second World War and at aged 18, Peter joined the Royal Air Force, reaching the rank of Pilot Officer before he was 19. Then at the end of his National Service and with the optimism of youth, he sailed for Africa with his older brother to grow tobacco in what was then Rhodesia, and the odyssey of his life began.
The years went by and Peter found himself in Johannesburg founding an insurance brokering company. Over 2% of the companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange were clients of Rimmer Associates. He opened companies in the United States of America, Australia and Hong Kong and travelled extensively between the branches.
His passion had always been writing books, which he started at a very early age, though running a business was a driving force too and a common thread throughout his books. By the 1990’s, he had written several novels about Africa and England, and his breakthrough came with Cry of the Fish Eagle published by HarperCollins, Zimbabwe. It was a bestseller, which was followed up with the release of Vultures in the Wind. However, during this time, Zimbabwe was going through its struggles and the books did not get their just international recognition.
Having lived a reclusive life on his beloved smallholding in Knysna, South Africa, for over 25 years, Peter passed away in July 2018. He has left an enormous legacy of unpublished work for his family to release over the coming years, and not only them but also his readers from around the world will sorely miss him. Peter Rimmer was 81 years old.
To learn more about Peter, and to get a free starter library of novels, visit his website at www.peterrimmer.com, or find him on Facebook.com/PeterRimmerAuthor, follow him on Twitter @htcrimmer.com, and on BookBub: www.bookbub.com/authors/peter-rimmer
The years went by and Peter found himself in Johannesburg founding an insurance brokering company. Over 2% of the companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange were clients of Rimmer Associates. He opened companies in the United States of America, Australia and Hong Kong and travelled extensively between the branches.
His passion had always been writing books, which he started at a very early age, though running a business was a driving force too and a common thread throughout his books. By the 1990’s, he had written several novels about Africa and England, and his breakthrough came with Cry of the Fish Eagle published by HarperCollins, Zimbabwe. It was a bestseller, which was followed up with the release of Vultures in the Wind. However, during this time, Zimbabwe was going through its struggles and the books did not get their just international recognition.
Having lived a reclusive life on his beloved smallholding in Knysna, South Africa, for over 25 years, Peter passed away in July 2018. He has left an enormous legacy of unpublished work for his family to release over the coming years, and not only them but also his readers from around the world will sorely miss him. Peter Rimmer was 81 years old.
To learn more about Peter, and to get a free starter library of novels, visit his website at www.peterrimmer.com, or find him on Facebook.com/PeterRimmerAuthor, follow him on Twitter @htcrimmer.com, and on BookBub: www.bookbub.com/authors/peter-rimmer
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 5, 2017
I love this kind of book but if you don't like having to work to keep track of characters, this may not be the book for you. Personally, I didn't want it to end. So many interesting characters were interwoven around a single family, their four sons and the family business. The setting was primarily England during WWII but glimpses into their lives around the globe added depth. As in life, there were characters I loved that were lost and characters I despised that fared too well. I even became attached to the watchful owl in the forest.
August 4, 2019
A top read.
A five star award,a interesting well written storyline,another family type saga.The novel covered late thirties family characters and their lives moving on to W.W.2, and a finish round up of all characters.It flowed well,if you like this type storyline,I like his writings and have read all his other novels and found this one on a par,a good five star read.
A five star award,a interesting well written storyline,another family type saga.The novel covered late thirties family characters and their lives moving on to W.W.2, and a finish round up of all characters.It flowed well,if you like this type storyline,I like his writings and have read all his other novels and found this one on a par,a good five star read.
February 3, 2018
Bright portrait of pre ww2 society
A very good tale of how society adapted to the coming tragedy of WW2 and endured it's trials. Perhaps a start of another group of stories such as the authors previous Brigenshaw saga
A very good tale of how society adapted to the coming tragedy of WW2 and endured it's trials. Perhaps a start of another group of stories such as the authors previous Brigenshaw saga
March 11, 2026
Excellent
Very good book this is the second time reading this book and it’s as good as the first time. I’ve read most all of Peter Rimmers books and he’s just a great author.
Very good book this is the second time reading this book and it’s as good as the first time. I’ve read most all of Peter Rimmers books and he’s just a great author.
August 14, 2016
Family Saga
This is the type of book that I love to read because you get to start at the beginning and it heightens the enjoyment, what a cracking story and very well constructed.
All that is required now is for the next book to bring it all the way through to fruition in the future.
This is the type of book that I love to read because you get to start at the beginning and it heightens the enjoyment, what a cracking story and very well constructed.
All that is required now is for the next book to bring it all the way through to fruition in the future.
July 17, 2016
Wonderful story , even begins and ends with a setting in my home county. A journey across continents, a story of family , love, business acumen and determination in a war torn world. Highly recommend
November 15, 2021
Peter Rimmer never disappoints with his books. I enjoyed this one as much, if not, more than all the others I have read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews