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The Six Loves of Billy Binns
THE SIX LOVES OF BILLY BINNS is a deeply moving debut set in London against the backdrop of the changing 20th century. it is reading group fiction perfect for those who loved the quirky pathos of Gail Honeyman's ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE and the warmth and humour of Rachel Joyce's THE PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY.
At 117 years old, Billy Binns is the oldest man in Europe and he knows his time is almost up. But Billy has a final wish: he wants to remember what love feels like one last time. As he looks back at the relationships that have shaped his life - and the events that shaped the century - he recalls a life full of hope, heartbreak and, above all, love.
At 117 years old, Billy Binns is the oldest man in Europe and he knows his time is almost up. But Billy has a final wish: he wants to remember what love feels like one last time. As he looks back at the relationships that have shaped his life - and the events that shaped the century - he recalls a life full of hope, heartbreak and, above all, love.
384 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2010
14 people are currently reading
298 people want to read
About the author
Richard Lumsden
8 books7 followersRichard Lumsden has worked as an actor, writer and composer in television, film and theatre for 30 years. As an actor his films include Downhill, Sightseers, Sense & Sensibility and The Darkest Hour, as well as numerous television shows and theatre productions. THE SIX LOVES OF BILLY BINNS is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
January 27, 2019
This book's concept sounded exactly like When All Is Said by Annie Griffin, which mesmerised me a few months ago, but The Six Loves of Billy Binns had the exact opposite effect on me. Rather than finding myself emotionally invested in the protagonist as he recounted his life through some key memories, I very quickly grew tired of the seemingly negative conclusions to each of the stories. It made for a very depressing reading experience, unfortunately.
February 6, 2015
From BBC Radio 4 - Afternoon Drama:
Tom Courtenay stars as a 110-year-old who wants to remember what love feels like one last time before he dies. His past loves are ready to remind him.
Tom Courtenay stars as a 110-year-old who wants to remember what love feels like one last time before he dies. His past loves are ready to remind him.
January 19, 2019
Confession time - this book left me a blubbing mess!! Uncontrollable sobbing on the sofa as I finished reading the story of the wonderful but flawed Billy Binns and his remarkable life, and an amazing debut from the author which has already made me want to put this on my 'best books of 2019' already!! Yep, I loved it that much!!
Billy Binns is well over a hundred years old and he knows time is running out as he spends his days in the care home, and as he starts reminiscing about his life and loves we get to experience with him as he looks back at the six loves that have made his life so extraordinary.
Going back over the years we get to hear about his childhood, and then the special people who came into his life at various times, and when he looks back he often finds he is starting to remember things differently and his memories often surprise him. And the flashbacks aren't all sweetness and light - there are some really dark, tough times that Billy has lived through and I think that darker side really made him feel more human and made it easier to connect with as a reader. He hadn't sailed through life, he wasn't perfect, he had many regrets - and the way his story was told embraced his shortcomings just as much as his triumphs.
There were many twists along the way in his story that left me shocked and were gut wrenching at times. In his life his pursuit of love sometimes led him to honourable decisions, and reckless decisions on other occasions. There's also a touching look at his time in the care home, with the staff he bonds with, the other residents he gets to know and the reality of their situations which is all too clear when a chair is left empty in the communal lounge.
Billy Binns stole my heart in this book and it is one I look forward to picking up again very soon to read all over again - even though I know it will bring back the tears! Wonderful!!
Billy Binns is well over a hundred years old and he knows time is running out as he spends his days in the care home, and as he starts reminiscing about his life and loves we get to experience with him as he looks back at the six loves that have made his life so extraordinary.
Going back over the years we get to hear about his childhood, and then the special people who came into his life at various times, and when he looks back he often finds he is starting to remember things differently and his memories often surprise him. And the flashbacks aren't all sweetness and light - there are some really dark, tough times that Billy has lived through and I think that darker side really made him feel more human and made it easier to connect with as a reader. He hadn't sailed through life, he wasn't perfect, he had many regrets - and the way his story was told embraced his shortcomings just as much as his triumphs.
There were many twists along the way in his story that left me shocked and were gut wrenching at times. In his life his pursuit of love sometimes led him to honourable decisions, and reckless decisions on other occasions. There's also a touching look at his time in the care home, with the staff he bonds with, the other residents he gets to know and the reality of their situations which is all too clear when a chair is left empty in the communal lounge.
Billy Binns stole my heart in this book and it is one I look forward to picking up again very soon to read all over again - even though I know it will bring back the tears! Wonderful!!
February 5, 2019
Billy Binns is a long term resident of a nursing home and at the age of 117 is thought to be the oldest man in Europe. Feeling that time is running short, he decides that he is going to record his memories and in particular, the memories of all those he has loved. Using a borrowed typewriter, from the comfort of his armchair, he begins to type the story of his life.
Richard Lumsden shows his talent with wonderful storytelling which drew me into Billy's world. I felt I lived through all his experiences throughout those long years with him. His experiences in WW1 were particularly harrowing to read about. His story is the story of the 20th century and through Billy's thoughts, we hear of the significant moments throughout that time.
Billy is trying hard to recall all those he has loved and how they came into his life. The memories come and go, as Billy's thoughts move between the past and present. The way the author has captured Billy's sometimes confused thoughts made for poignant reading. He forgets some crucial episodes that you would think someone would never forget and yet at other times, his recall is crystal clear
I sometimes despaired of Billy choices as he made some terrible decisions, some that would have repercussions throughout his life. But who among us hasn't done something that, when we look back, hasn't been the wisest or best thing? Billy is a flawed character which only serves to make him more human and to my mind, more likeable.
Richard Lumsden has created a wonderful protagonist in Billy Binns, a character who will stay in my mind for some time. In this superb debut novel, he proves himself to be an excellent writer, one who writes with such an engaging style that I found it hard to put this book down. A moving and sometimes funny story of loss and regret but above all, a story of love.
Richard Lumsden shows his talent with wonderful storytelling which drew me into Billy's world. I felt I lived through all his experiences throughout those long years with him. His experiences in WW1 were particularly harrowing to read about. His story is the story of the 20th century and through Billy's thoughts, we hear of the significant moments throughout that time.
Billy is trying hard to recall all those he has loved and how they came into his life. The memories come and go, as Billy's thoughts move between the past and present. The way the author has captured Billy's sometimes confused thoughts made for poignant reading. He forgets some crucial episodes that you would think someone would never forget and yet at other times, his recall is crystal clear
I sometimes despaired of Billy choices as he made some terrible decisions, some that would have repercussions throughout his life. But who among us hasn't done something that, when we look back, hasn't been the wisest or best thing? Billy is a flawed character which only serves to make him more human and to my mind, more likeable.
Richard Lumsden has created a wonderful protagonist in Billy Binns, a character who will stay in my mind for some time. In this superb debut novel, he proves himself to be an excellent writer, one who writes with such an engaging style that I found it hard to put this book down. A moving and sometimes funny story of loss and regret but above all, a story of love.
October 31, 2024
This book wanted to have the same grasp on the reader as Eleanor Oliphant but didn’t quite deliver on the writing for me.
A nostalgic look back at the life of Billy Binns, who at over 110 is seeing out his last days in a care home. The story had peaks and troughs where it was more gripping - the war years and just before his wedding being two of them but for some parts, it felt overly long.
A nostalgic look back at the life of Billy Binns, who at over 110 is seeing out his last days in a care home. The story had peaks and troughs where it was more gripping - the war years and just before his wedding being two of them but for some parts, it felt overly long.
November 16, 2018
Billy Binns is an elderly gentleman, the oldest in Europe in fact. As he approaches the end of his life he wants to remember one last time what love feels like, to love and be loved in return. And so he tells us his life story, one love at a time. Naive and often foolish, Billy makes some terrible decisions which have serious consequences. On top of that he has some thoroughly bad luck and more than his fair share of tragedy. So don't be misled by the cover and the blurb, this is not a quirky and sugary love story. Rather, it is a poignant, frequently sad tale of a life of tribulations and missed opportunities. Richard Lumsden has a sensitive touch and Billy is a charming character who will wrench your heartstrings along the way.
February 3, 2019
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the tour organiser
An emotional, heartbreaking, grab a box of tissues kind of story, THE SIX LOVES OF BILLY BINNS by Richard Lumsden is a special book that will transport you back in time and keep you gripped from start to finish.
Billy Binns is getting old, like really old, and before he completely forgets his life he is determined to write down his memoirs centred around the great loves of his life. Starting from the first blush of young love to the kind of love that breaks you, Billy's history bursts to life like a movie and we are swept along for the ride.
The story moves from past to present effortlessly throughout and the author has a wonderful way of painting a picture of the past for the reader which is both realistic and artistic. There are moments of pure joy alongside moments of utter sadness and I won't tell you how often I found tears on my cheeks while I was reading this compelling debut.
THE SIX LOVES OF BILLY BINNS by Richard Lumsden is a beautiful, poignant, and heartfelt story that is sure to be a huge success and I cannot wait to read more from this author.
An emotional, heartbreaking, grab a box of tissues kind of story, THE SIX LOVES OF BILLY BINNS by Richard Lumsden is a special book that will transport you back in time and keep you gripped from start to finish.
Billy Binns is getting old, like really old, and before he completely forgets his life he is determined to write down his memoirs centred around the great loves of his life. Starting from the first blush of young love to the kind of love that breaks you, Billy's history bursts to life like a movie and we are swept along for the ride.
The story moves from past to present effortlessly throughout and the author has a wonderful way of painting a picture of the past for the reader which is both realistic and artistic. There are moments of pure joy alongside moments of utter sadness and I won't tell you how often I found tears on my cheeks while I was reading this compelling debut.
THE SIX LOVES OF BILLY BINNS by Richard Lumsden is a beautiful, poignant, and heartfelt story that is sure to be a huge success and I cannot wait to read more from this author.
June 8, 2019
Oh I loved this sweet and touching story of Billy. An ordinary life given meaning through love. Heartbreaking and yet satisfying. Billy Binns has touched me
March 16, 2021
Really didn’t want this to end! 😭. Everyone needs to read this book. Amazing.
December 27, 2019
The Six Loves of Billy Binns is the story of 117 year old Billy as he begins to look back over his life, and the people he’s loved over the years. His life is nearing its end and he wonders whether he can truly remember the feeling of being in love one more time.
This novel is beautiful! I was immediately taken from the opening of the novel when Billy lists who his loves have been and a little about them. I really wanted to know more about these people and from that moment on I barely put the book down!
I loved the way that major events are touched upon in this novel as we move throughout Billy’s Life, it really brings it home just how old he is and how much life he has lived.
The loves in Billy’s life are often fleeting, and some – one in particular was heartbreaking – I had to put the book down for a moment while I composed myself as it did make me cry. There’s a real delicateness to the writing at times that really makes you pause, it’s stunning. It’s apparent that some of the difficult times in Billy’s life are things he has brought on himself but at the same time there’s an awareness that we were all young once and did silly things. He never meant the pain he sometimes caused to others.
Billy’s memories are interspersed with his life now in the old people’s home, and you can see how muddled he gets. He’s not always sure what is now and what was then, and he remembers things differently at different times. I found it really emotional seeing how Billy had clearly imagined other outcomes to get himself through the really difficult periods in his life, and now as an old man he muddles his real memories with the imagined stories. It was heartbreaking when I found myself smiling at a happy memory and then later realising what had actually happened, but in the end there was real solace in the fact that Billy remembered the imagined happy outcome over the most tragic loss. It was as if his forgetfulness was protecting him in the end, I found that so comforting.
I read this novel around the anniversary of my mum’s death and was worried it might be too much for me but actually it was a really good book to read. My mum never got to be even half Billy’s age but she had her share of heartbreak, and it makes me so sad to think of the loneliness she suffered from being divorced in the last years of her life. There was solace in reading Billy’s story though and the sense that in the end there is peace with who we are and how we ended up where we are.
I was expecting this novel to be a love story and it was, just not the way I was expecting. It was a very real story of love – it shows true love in all its complicated and messy ways. The person Billy loved the most was part of the relationship he messed up the most but the love he had for that person never wavered over the years. That is so true of how life can be. Even when you find the one it’s not always smooth sailing. I loved Billy’s ability to keep going though – even when things go wrong and he’s on his own dealing with loss and heartbreak he isn’t afraid to try again, to look for someone new.
The Six Loves of Billy Binns is a story of resilience; of finding a way to go on after the worst has happened. It’s a wonderful look at a very human man – one who has made mistakes but has learnt lessons from the people he’s loved and lost along the way. There is real beauty in this book and I adored it!
This novel is beautiful! I was immediately taken from the opening of the novel when Billy lists who his loves have been and a little about them. I really wanted to know more about these people and from that moment on I barely put the book down!
I loved the way that major events are touched upon in this novel as we move throughout Billy’s Life, it really brings it home just how old he is and how much life he has lived.
The loves in Billy’s life are often fleeting, and some – one in particular was heartbreaking – I had to put the book down for a moment while I composed myself as it did make me cry. There’s a real delicateness to the writing at times that really makes you pause, it’s stunning. It’s apparent that some of the difficult times in Billy’s life are things he has brought on himself but at the same time there’s an awareness that we were all young once and did silly things. He never meant the pain he sometimes caused to others.
Billy’s memories are interspersed with his life now in the old people’s home, and you can see how muddled he gets. He’s not always sure what is now and what was then, and he remembers things differently at different times. I found it really emotional seeing how Billy had clearly imagined other outcomes to get himself through the really difficult periods in his life, and now as an old man he muddles his real memories with the imagined stories. It was heartbreaking when I found myself smiling at a happy memory and then later realising what had actually happened, but in the end there was real solace in the fact that Billy remembered the imagined happy outcome over the most tragic loss. It was as if his forgetfulness was protecting him in the end, I found that so comforting.
I read this novel around the anniversary of my mum’s death and was worried it might be too much for me but actually it was a really good book to read. My mum never got to be even half Billy’s age but she had her share of heartbreak, and it makes me so sad to think of the loneliness she suffered from being divorced in the last years of her life. There was solace in reading Billy’s story though and the sense that in the end there is peace with who we are and how we ended up where we are.
I was expecting this novel to be a love story and it was, just not the way I was expecting. It was a very real story of love – it shows true love in all its complicated and messy ways. The person Billy loved the most was part of the relationship he messed up the most but the love he had for that person never wavered over the years. That is so true of how life can be. Even when you find the one it’s not always smooth sailing. I loved Billy’s ability to keep going though – even when things go wrong and he’s on his own dealing with loss and heartbreak he isn’t afraid to try again, to look for someone new.
The Six Loves of Billy Binns is a story of resilience; of finding a way to go on after the worst has happened. It’s a wonderful look at a very human man – one who has made mistakes but has learnt lessons from the people he’s loved and lost along the way. There is real beauty in this book and I adored it!
March 13, 2022
An easy read but wanted some nice things to happen to him!
January 12, 2020
This book is about a very old man who makes some poor life decisions and basically wastes what could have been a very good life. Sure the writing is good and the historical story obviously well researched, but that doesn't make a good story! Did the main character learn nothing over his life? This book is about a waste of a life and now it has wasted a few hours of my life because I thought something was going to be learned or there would be a point to it all or the ending would be amazing. But no. Reading an unsatisfying book makes me SO ANGRY!!!
February 1, 2019
'When you first meet someone you never know how long they’ll be in your life for.
For minutes or forever.
You never know when it starts.
And you don’t know when it stops’
These are some of the many wise words from a very elderly man, Billy Binns.
The Six Loves of Billy Binns is the charming debut novel from actor and writer Richard Lumsden and has just been published with Tinder Press. Inspired by old photographs he spotted on the walls of, what was, the library in Shepherd’s Bush in 1992, Richard Lumsden mapped out his ideas for this book. But it was only in 2015 that he finally sat down to complete a draft he could send to prospective publishers.
The story of Billy Binns takes us right back to the 1st January 1900, the day Billy was born. Over 100 years later and Billy is in a nursing home with only his mixed up memories for company. Billy is old, he thinks the oldest man in Europe, His life consists of the same daily routine from bed to the communal resident’s room and back. With very little energy or appetite left, Billy knows his days are coming to an end. He starts to recall the five people in his life whom he loved, really loved and now longs for that feeling again, just one more time before he passes.
With the aid of a typewriter, he starts to tap out the words recounting his lost loves over the century of his life, taking the reader through a time-warp of memories. The book is divided up into five sections, almost like a collection of novellas, each transporting us to a different decade, with all the historical references of the time.
‘Mary, Evie, Archie, Vera, Mrs Jackson. Five of them is all. Five? Is that it? Five loves doesn’t sound like much after all this time…’
In any book there are parts that will affect you more than others. For me it was Billy’s experience during WW1 that had the greatest impact on me. Billy was determined from a young age to join up but as he was soon to realise, going to war was not the adventure he thought. The descriptions of the trenches – the death, the smells, the horror – are all portrayed so so vividly, I was immediately reminded of a book I often refer to, Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. Billy comes back from the war a changed man. Still in his youth, he looks for affection and finds it with Mary, an older experienced lady, who is carrying her own cross. Richard Lumsden’s description of the devastation left behind is wonderfully written, bringing the ferocity and trauma of war to life for the reader.
As Billy remembers, the story flits between the present day and Billy’s memories. We see Billy take his first tentative steps into manhood and how one error of judgement was to result in his life changing course in, what was for Billy, the very wrong direction.
Billy is a strange character in many ways. He made decisions that were at times quite dubious and to be honest, there were times when I really disliked what he said, what he did, his thoughts on women, his descriptions of women at various stages of his life. But these are the thoughts of a man, written by a man and I cannot claim to know the inner working of the male mind!!
Billy Binns lives a long life but ultimately it was not the happiest of lives. He did know love, however brief, but his days were tinged with an underlying sadness. Billy was born at the beginning of a new century into terrible poverty. He survived two world wars and witnessed a society in constant evolution and change.
The Six Loves of Billy Binns is an emotional read, from tears to frustration and even anger. Billy made wrong decisions, of that there is no doubt. Now, as he sits in his chair in the nursing home, he looks back and tries to decipher his thoughts between reality and imagination. The image of the nursing home and it’s residents is depicted in a very compassionate manner. Billy is unable to communicate that well vocally, so we see what he sees, we hear his thoughts when he can longer get a word out, too tired, too weary, too weak.
The Six Loves of Billy Binns is a book for those who like something a little unconventional, a little different, yet full of warmth and emotion. It contains very heartrending moments and some harrowing scenes that is sure to impact many readers. Love can be challenging, love can make us saddened but it can also fill our hearts to bursting and make us feel like we can do anything. We all wish for love in our lives. We all want to be loved and we all hope to pass on having known it. This is Billy Binn’s story of the loves he had and the loves that could never really be his to own.
I’ll leave you with the words of the author, Richard Lumsden:
‘It’s a story about love, disappointment, and the flaws that make us human. Billy has a tendency to reinterpret his own history, but ultimately he’s an ordinary man who lived an ordinary life, and I hope the readers might take him to heart on his journey to remember what love feels like.’
For minutes or forever.
You never know when it starts.
And you don’t know when it stops’
These are some of the many wise words from a very elderly man, Billy Binns.
The Six Loves of Billy Binns is the charming debut novel from actor and writer Richard Lumsden and has just been published with Tinder Press. Inspired by old photographs he spotted on the walls of, what was, the library in Shepherd’s Bush in 1992, Richard Lumsden mapped out his ideas for this book. But it was only in 2015 that he finally sat down to complete a draft he could send to prospective publishers.
The story of Billy Binns takes us right back to the 1st January 1900, the day Billy was born. Over 100 years later and Billy is in a nursing home with only his mixed up memories for company. Billy is old, he thinks the oldest man in Europe, His life consists of the same daily routine from bed to the communal resident’s room and back. With very little energy or appetite left, Billy knows his days are coming to an end. He starts to recall the five people in his life whom he loved, really loved and now longs for that feeling again, just one more time before he passes.
With the aid of a typewriter, he starts to tap out the words recounting his lost loves over the century of his life, taking the reader through a time-warp of memories. The book is divided up into five sections, almost like a collection of novellas, each transporting us to a different decade, with all the historical references of the time.
‘Mary, Evie, Archie, Vera, Mrs Jackson. Five of them is all. Five? Is that it? Five loves doesn’t sound like much after all this time…’
In any book there are parts that will affect you more than others. For me it was Billy’s experience during WW1 that had the greatest impact on me. Billy was determined from a young age to join up but as he was soon to realise, going to war was not the adventure he thought. The descriptions of the trenches – the death, the smells, the horror – are all portrayed so so vividly, I was immediately reminded of a book I often refer to, Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. Billy comes back from the war a changed man. Still in his youth, he looks for affection and finds it with Mary, an older experienced lady, who is carrying her own cross. Richard Lumsden’s description of the devastation left behind is wonderfully written, bringing the ferocity and trauma of war to life for the reader.
As Billy remembers, the story flits between the present day and Billy’s memories. We see Billy take his first tentative steps into manhood and how one error of judgement was to result in his life changing course in, what was for Billy, the very wrong direction.
Billy is a strange character in many ways. He made decisions that were at times quite dubious and to be honest, there were times when I really disliked what he said, what he did, his thoughts on women, his descriptions of women at various stages of his life. But these are the thoughts of a man, written by a man and I cannot claim to know the inner working of the male mind!!
Billy Binns lives a long life but ultimately it was not the happiest of lives. He did know love, however brief, but his days were tinged with an underlying sadness. Billy was born at the beginning of a new century into terrible poverty. He survived two world wars and witnessed a society in constant evolution and change.
The Six Loves of Billy Binns is an emotional read, from tears to frustration and even anger. Billy made wrong decisions, of that there is no doubt. Now, as he sits in his chair in the nursing home, he looks back and tries to decipher his thoughts between reality and imagination. The image of the nursing home and it’s residents is depicted in a very compassionate manner. Billy is unable to communicate that well vocally, so we see what he sees, we hear his thoughts when he can longer get a word out, too tired, too weary, too weak.
The Six Loves of Billy Binns is a book for those who like something a little unconventional, a little different, yet full of warmth and emotion. It contains very heartrending moments and some harrowing scenes that is sure to impact many readers. Love can be challenging, love can make us saddened but it can also fill our hearts to bursting and make us feel like we can do anything. We all wish for love in our lives. We all want to be loved and we all hope to pass on having known it. This is Billy Binn’s story of the loves he had and the loves that could never really be his to own.
I’ll leave you with the words of the author, Richard Lumsden:
‘It’s a story about love, disappointment, and the flaws that make us human. Billy has a tendency to reinterpret his own history, but ultimately he’s an ordinary man who lived an ordinary life, and I hope the readers might take him to heart on his journey to remember what love feels like.’
February 3, 2020
6 LOVES, ONE QUESTION, DO I LOVE OR LOATHE BILLY BINNS
I recently came across a television programme on Channel 4 in Britain called, ‘My Family Secrets Revealed’. It’s a kind of genealogical antiques roadshow, where people who have questions about their ancestry or have reached a roadblock in their own research meet with a team of experts to find out the information. Obviously, the show highlights the most colourful or surprising of stories but its fascinating how intriguing some of the lives of those we would consider ordinary might be.
With this in mind, I was looking forward to reading this months second book review, it’s The Six Loves of Billy Binns, by Richard Lumsden. Published by Tinder Press (www.tinderpress.co.uk) on the 24th January.
The titular character Billy has lived for well over a century. He is now residing in an old people’s home in London. He decides to write down his memories and give them to his son. He feels he has been in love several times and would like to experience the feeling of love one last time before he dies. He starts to reminisce about the women he has loved in the past and through these memories we are taken on a journey through the history of the 20th century.
Born into a poor working-class family in London in 1900. The story of his birth provides a mystery which carries through most of the book. We pass through his childhood and teenage years, getting to know him. Still underage to enlist, Billy never the less joins the army at the beginning of the Great War. We know this horrendous experience adversely affected a generation of young men, and Billy’s experience, I felt defined him. The war and losses of friends clearly and unsurprisingly affect him. After his return home he adjusts the facts of the events to show himself in a better light and tries to move on with his life. Not a problem I thought, confession and breast beating would help no one. He meets a girl, a very fortuitous match, and falls in love. However, he then makes a series of choices that will affect the rest of his life.
I did struggle with this book, as I find it hard to read a story where I feel no sympathy or empathy with the main character and no more so than with Mr. Billy Binns. However, I pressed on, hoping that he would redeem himself and I could root for him once more. I shall not give away any further details of the plot and leave it to other readers to decide how they feel about Billy at the end of the story.
There is good and bad in all of us. I was left feeling that Billy is a flawed human who has experienced tragedy and bad luck, but that this is sometimes caused by his own stupidity and selfishness. Your interpretation and leanings to hero or villain will depend on your own internal compass. Its easy to be righteous from the comfort of your armchair. I’m sure most of our lives wouldn’t bear such scrutiny.
This English actor, writer and composer Richard Lumsden’s (www.richardlumsden.com) first novel. He has worked in film, TV and theatre for over 30 years and has appeared in films such as Sense and Sensibility (1995), Sightseers (2012), Downhill (2014) and most recently Darkest Hour with Gary Oldman (2017). He was previously married to Emma Thompson’s sister the actress Sophie Thompson.
The Six Loves of Billy Binns was a moving and thought provoking read. What will we do to preserve ourselves and for love? Life is full of what ifs? I found myself imagining different plot turns if Billy had chosen different options. I felt quite exasperated with him at some moments!
A man as old as the century was a good plot device. The historical references were well researched and I felt the love stories were anchored beautifully in each time. I had previously read, ‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ by Rachel Joyce and ‘The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared’ by Jonas Jonasson and this I found was a similar style of read.
This is a book I’ll be recommending to friends and will reread. Persist and enjoy until the end. It stays in your head and it’s worth it. So head down to your local book shop, library or download a copy or an audio book and see whether you will stand with or against Mr Binns.
Reviewed by Georgina Murphy at www.thelibrarydoor.me
I recently came across a television programme on Channel 4 in Britain called, ‘My Family Secrets Revealed’. It’s a kind of genealogical antiques roadshow, where people who have questions about their ancestry or have reached a roadblock in their own research meet with a team of experts to find out the information. Obviously, the show highlights the most colourful or surprising of stories but its fascinating how intriguing some of the lives of those we would consider ordinary might be.
With this in mind, I was looking forward to reading this months second book review, it’s The Six Loves of Billy Binns, by Richard Lumsden. Published by Tinder Press (www.tinderpress.co.uk) on the 24th January.
The titular character Billy has lived for well over a century. He is now residing in an old people’s home in London. He decides to write down his memories and give them to his son. He feels he has been in love several times and would like to experience the feeling of love one last time before he dies. He starts to reminisce about the women he has loved in the past and through these memories we are taken on a journey through the history of the 20th century.
Born into a poor working-class family in London in 1900. The story of his birth provides a mystery which carries through most of the book. We pass through his childhood and teenage years, getting to know him. Still underage to enlist, Billy never the less joins the army at the beginning of the Great War. We know this horrendous experience adversely affected a generation of young men, and Billy’s experience, I felt defined him. The war and losses of friends clearly and unsurprisingly affect him. After his return home he adjusts the facts of the events to show himself in a better light and tries to move on with his life. Not a problem I thought, confession and breast beating would help no one. He meets a girl, a very fortuitous match, and falls in love. However, he then makes a series of choices that will affect the rest of his life.
I did struggle with this book, as I find it hard to read a story where I feel no sympathy or empathy with the main character and no more so than with Mr. Billy Binns. However, I pressed on, hoping that he would redeem himself and I could root for him once more. I shall not give away any further details of the plot and leave it to other readers to decide how they feel about Billy at the end of the story.
There is good and bad in all of us. I was left feeling that Billy is a flawed human who has experienced tragedy and bad luck, but that this is sometimes caused by his own stupidity and selfishness. Your interpretation and leanings to hero or villain will depend on your own internal compass. Its easy to be righteous from the comfort of your armchair. I’m sure most of our lives wouldn’t bear such scrutiny.
This English actor, writer and composer Richard Lumsden’s (www.richardlumsden.com) first novel. He has worked in film, TV and theatre for over 30 years and has appeared in films such as Sense and Sensibility (1995), Sightseers (2012), Downhill (2014) and most recently Darkest Hour with Gary Oldman (2017). He was previously married to Emma Thompson’s sister the actress Sophie Thompson.
The Six Loves of Billy Binns was a moving and thought provoking read. What will we do to preserve ourselves and for love? Life is full of what ifs? I found myself imagining different plot turns if Billy had chosen different options. I felt quite exasperated with him at some moments!
A man as old as the century was a good plot device. The historical references were well researched and I felt the love stories were anchored beautifully in each time. I had previously read, ‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ by Rachel Joyce and ‘The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared’ by Jonas Jonasson and this I found was a similar style of read.
This is a book I’ll be recommending to friends and will reread. Persist and enjoy until the end. It stays in your head and it’s worth it. So head down to your local book shop, library or download a copy or an audio book and see whether you will stand with or against Mr Binns.
Reviewed by Georgina Murphy at www.thelibrarydoor.me
January 7, 2019
An old man, Billy Binns looks back over his life and tries to write his memoir.
I’m going to get one negative out of the way in my review of The Six Loves of Billy Binns. I found some of the language rather crude, especially when associated with Clem or referring to parts of the female anatomy, and as I am very broad minded I feel that might be an issue for some readers. That said, this particular lexicon is era appropriate and so I can see how it is used to convey the past. It just didn’t always suit my reader preferences.
That small negative aside, there is, in contrast, frequently quite a poetic turn of phrase that I did love, especially through the descriptions of setting or appearance so that I could picture things very vividly. References to nature in particular had a beautiful quality. I also thought the variety of sentence structure was very well constructed. Single sentence paragraphs exemplify the speed of some thoughts and memories perfectly, whilst occasional ellipsis conveys the difficulty Billy sometimes has in grasping his past. I especially liked the structure of the book, almost as a traditional five act play with its five parts, and the blurring of lines between Billy’s memories and his present situation gave a chimerical feeling which reflected well the way Billy has to reinvent himself at times in his life.
From a slightly shaky start I ended up really enjoying The Six Loves of Billy Binns. I was expecting more humour, but not as much pathos and at times I found Billy’s story quite heartbreaking, particularly with regard to Evie. I thought the way Richard Lumsden showed how fate intervenes and our paths follow a direction we neither ask for nor want at times, was sensitively presented so that although Billy does make mistakes, very often he had far more of my sympathy than disapprobation. The more I read, the more Billy became a believable, human and empathetic character. The loves he describes felt completely believable to me.
Reading The Six Loves of Billy Binns made me feel quite melancholic as a result of the poignancy behind Billy’s memories. I wanted so much more for him than he appeared to achieve and yet the ending of the book has an encouragingly uplifting quality in spite of all Billy’s experiences and frequent errors of judgement.
Richard Lumsden weaves social history into The Six Loves of Billy Binns very effectively. I really enjoyed the backdrop of the two world wars, the swinging sixties and so on. I thought the themes of race and gender, domestic violence, war and class structure all added to the layers so that historical times leapt from the page.
I think The Six Loves of Billy Binns will polarise readers. I began not liking it at all and ended up thoroughly enjoying it and understanding why the early parts of the novel that made me so uncomfortable had to be there to give authenticity and integrity to the narrative. I think The Six Loves of Billy Binns needs to be read so that every individual reader can come to their own conclusion. Why not try it for yourself?
https://lindasbookbag.com/2019/01/07/...
I’m going to get one negative out of the way in my review of The Six Loves of Billy Binns. I found some of the language rather crude, especially when associated with Clem or referring to parts of the female anatomy, and as I am very broad minded I feel that might be an issue for some readers. That said, this particular lexicon is era appropriate and so I can see how it is used to convey the past. It just didn’t always suit my reader preferences.
That small negative aside, there is, in contrast, frequently quite a poetic turn of phrase that I did love, especially through the descriptions of setting or appearance so that I could picture things very vividly. References to nature in particular had a beautiful quality. I also thought the variety of sentence structure was very well constructed. Single sentence paragraphs exemplify the speed of some thoughts and memories perfectly, whilst occasional ellipsis conveys the difficulty Billy sometimes has in grasping his past. I especially liked the structure of the book, almost as a traditional five act play with its five parts, and the blurring of lines between Billy’s memories and his present situation gave a chimerical feeling which reflected well the way Billy has to reinvent himself at times in his life.
From a slightly shaky start I ended up really enjoying The Six Loves of Billy Binns. I was expecting more humour, but not as much pathos and at times I found Billy’s story quite heartbreaking, particularly with regard to Evie. I thought the way Richard Lumsden showed how fate intervenes and our paths follow a direction we neither ask for nor want at times, was sensitively presented so that although Billy does make mistakes, very often he had far more of my sympathy than disapprobation. The more I read, the more Billy became a believable, human and empathetic character. The loves he describes felt completely believable to me.
Reading The Six Loves of Billy Binns made me feel quite melancholic as a result of the poignancy behind Billy’s memories. I wanted so much more for him than he appeared to achieve and yet the ending of the book has an encouragingly uplifting quality in spite of all Billy’s experiences and frequent errors of judgement.
Richard Lumsden weaves social history into The Six Loves of Billy Binns very effectively. I really enjoyed the backdrop of the two world wars, the swinging sixties and so on. I thought the themes of race and gender, domestic violence, war and class structure all added to the layers so that historical times leapt from the page.
I think The Six Loves of Billy Binns will polarise readers. I began not liking it at all and ended up thoroughly enjoying it and understanding why the early parts of the novel that made me so uncomfortable had to be there to give authenticity and integrity to the narrative. I think The Six Loves of Billy Binns needs to be read so that every individual reader can come to their own conclusion. Why not try it for yourself?
https://lindasbookbag.com/2019/01/07/...
January 29, 2019
A gentle, often funny, always absorbing book which follows the life of a person throughout the twentieth century in all its ups and downs. This is not a sanitised tale of rural idyll or great house generations; rather this is a book featuring an unreliable narrator, whose age and motives mean that his own history slips and slides from his grasp. He is not trying to remember great social upheavals, his working life or even his wartime experiences, just trying “To remember what love was like”. Evoking the careful documenting of loves and lives in such books as Boyd’s “Any Human Heart”, this is a book of an ordinary man doing his best to survive, find love and recall his loves as a very elderly man in an ordinary care home. I was delighted to be invited to read and review this book as part of a blog tour.
Billy Binns is old. The eldest man in the home, possibly the oldest man in the country. The same age as the century, he fully grasps the life of the home around him, as his fellow residents arrive and depart, sitting in the same armchairs, being versions of themselves when younger. Although no one visits him, he suddenly decides that he must leave his memories written for his son, Archie. Tapping away on a borrowed typewriter, he strives to remember the women he loved. In the process he recalls his service in the First World War as an aerial spotter, and it is this part of the book that research is so carefully embedded in the writing that the reader is drawn in, following the progress of the wounded man as he recalls the grim realities of life and death on the Western Front. The actions and reactions of that time will stretch into his later life, as the accidents, coincidences and sheer living of life in a certain part of London dominate his memory. The effort of memory, of trying to feel what love actually means, slips in and out of focus as life and death in the Home carries on, with revelations of how unreliable his recollections can be in reality. The thread of a life carries on through his guilt and disappointment, laced with sadness and some pleasure, made vivid through the smells, sounds and sights of London and beyond. Even though the Second World War is not his war in his view, his blitz experience is momentous, and leads to some strange, even bizarre behaviour on his part.
I found this book moving, at times tender, fascinating and at times gritty in its realism. This book is not sentimental, but some of the actions stick fast as I realised that love is not always obvious, and there are several sorts of love portrayed in this book. This novel breathes life, love and the determination to live in the best way possible, even if that sometimes feels so difficult. Billy is no saint, but often more sinned against than sinning, and he is an essentially human creation. This book does more than draw the reader in; it gently shocks, yet it also explains why and what happens so skilfully that the reader discovers alongside Billy the reality of his actions and reactions. I recommend this book for its empathy, its quiet power, and its moving recall of life in the twentieth century.
Billy Binns is old. The eldest man in the home, possibly the oldest man in the country. The same age as the century, he fully grasps the life of the home around him, as his fellow residents arrive and depart, sitting in the same armchairs, being versions of themselves when younger. Although no one visits him, he suddenly decides that he must leave his memories written for his son, Archie. Tapping away on a borrowed typewriter, he strives to remember the women he loved. In the process he recalls his service in the First World War as an aerial spotter, and it is this part of the book that research is so carefully embedded in the writing that the reader is drawn in, following the progress of the wounded man as he recalls the grim realities of life and death on the Western Front. The actions and reactions of that time will stretch into his later life, as the accidents, coincidences and sheer living of life in a certain part of London dominate his memory. The effort of memory, of trying to feel what love actually means, slips in and out of focus as life and death in the Home carries on, with revelations of how unreliable his recollections can be in reality. The thread of a life carries on through his guilt and disappointment, laced with sadness and some pleasure, made vivid through the smells, sounds and sights of London and beyond. Even though the Second World War is not his war in his view, his blitz experience is momentous, and leads to some strange, even bizarre behaviour on his part.
I found this book moving, at times tender, fascinating and at times gritty in its realism. This book is not sentimental, but some of the actions stick fast as I realised that love is not always obvious, and there are several sorts of love portrayed in this book. This novel breathes life, love and the determination to live in the best way possible, even if that sometimes feels so difficult. Billy is no saint, but often more sinned against than sinning, and he is an essentially human creation. This book does more than draw the reader in; it gently shocks, yet it also explains why and what happens so skilfully that the reader discovers alongside Billy the reality of his actions and reactions. I recommend this book for its empathy, its quiet power, and its moving recall of life in the twentieth century.
February 1, 2019
*I received a free copy of this book, with thanks to the author, Tinder Press and and Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
My heart aches with how very sad this story is.
Richard Lumsden takes the reader on a journey back and forth deep in the life of the titular character, Billy Binns, who reminded me of Forrest Gump at times with his literal and simplistic outlook on life.
The book is told in segments roughly corresponding to the five people who Billy has loved (in different ways) in his life, but the timeline meanders between past and present within each ‘part’, like the memory of an old man recounting his life history from the end days.
Billy spares himself and us nothing in the retelling. We get the terrible, raw truth of the indignity and vulnerability of old age. We hear of all of his bad decisions, stupid actions and hurtful words. Despite his honesty, Billy is an unreliable narrator as – like the other elderly people in The Cedars – his memory is not what it was, and he is often unsure of his facts, and equally often sure of facts that contradict others he has stood by!
Still, throughout the narrative we see some constancy in Billy’s kind thoughts about others, his willingness to own his mistakes and to accept other people just as they are. Not one of his five loves (I know, I know, five, six… but you have to sort that out for yourself I’m afraid, like I did!) was anything like I had expected. Every single one shocked, surprised and saddened me as my confident expectations seeped away or were turned upside down.
This is a beautiful and intricate story of the ordinary life of a man. Not a spectacular man, or even always a good man, or a clever man. Just a man who loved and was loved – perhaps not enough – and who wants to remember and be remembered. And what could be more important than that?
Mary, Evie, Archie, Vera, Mrs Jackson.
Five of them in all.
Five loves? Is that it?
It doesn’t sound much after all this time.
I recall the names, but the faces come and go.
When you first meet someone, you don’t know how long they’ll be in your life for. It could be minutes or it could be forever.
You don’t know when it starts.
And you don’t know when it stops.
Some endings are final, others take you by surprise.
Their last goodbye.
The world drags them away and all that’s left is a fading memory, turning to dust like the flesh on these old bones.
I want to remember what love feels like, one last time. To remember each of the people I loved, to see them all clearly again.
I’ll start with Mary.
Get it down on paper, all the details, before it’s gone for good.
While it’s still clear in my head.
– Richard Lumsden, The Six Loves of Billy Binns
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
My heart aches with how very sad this story is.
Richard Lumsden takes the reader on a journey back and forth deep in the life of the titular character, Billy Binns, who reminded me of Forrest Gump at times with his literal and simplistic outlook on life.
The book is told in segments roughly corresponding to the five people who Billy has loved (in different ways) in his life, but the timeline meanders between past and present within each ‘part’, like the memory of an old man recounting his life history from the end days.
Billy spares himself and us nothing in the retelling. We get the terrible, raw truth of the indignity and vulnerability of old age. We hear of all of his bad decisions, stupid actions and hurtful words. Despite his honesty, Billy is an unreliable narrator as – like the other elderly people in The Cedars – his memory is not what it was, and he is often unsure of his facts, and equally often sure of facts that contradict others he has stood by!
Still, throughout the narrative we see some constancy in Billy’s kind thoughts about others, his willingness to own his mistakes and to accept other people just as they are. Not one of his five loves (I know, I know, five, six… but you have to sort that out for yourself I’m afraid, like I did!) was anything like I had expected. Every single one shocked, surprised and saddened me as my confident expectations seeped away or were turned upside down.
This is a beautiful and intricate story of the ordinary life of a man. Not a spectacular man, or even always a good man, or a clever man. Just a man who loved and was loved – perhaps not enough – and who wants to remember and be remembered. And what could be more important than that?
Mary, Evie, Archie, Vera, Mrs Jackson.
Five of them in all.
Five loves? Is that it?
It doesn’t sound much after all this time.
I recall the names, but the faces come and go.
When you first meet someone, you don’t know how long they’ll be in your life for. It could be minutes or it could be forever.
You don’t know when it starts.
And you don’t know when it stops.
Some endings are final, others take you by surprise.
Their last goodbye.
The world drags them away and all that’s left is a fading memory, turning to dust like the flesh on these old bones.
I want to remember what love feels like, one last time. To remember each of the people I loved, to see them all clearly again.
I’ll start with Mary.
Get it down on paper, all the details, before it’s gone for good.
While it’s still clear in my head.
– Richard Lumsden, The Six Loves of Billy Binns
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
May 9, 2020
Do you still remember your first love?
I got this book, after thinking it sounded like something similar to Mitch Albom. And I ended up with something that was so much more from this. This is a truly heartwarming book, and a wonderful debut.
This is written by Richard Lumsden, a name you may not instantly recognise, but a face I definitely recognised as the dad Nathan from Sugar Rush. He's done a lot of research, as the book winds its way from 1900, through the First World War, to the Second World War, onward to the sixties, and to Billy's life in the care home.
Billy was a truly wonderful character. Some of the way he told his story (through struggling to write with a fountain pen, before typing slowly on a typewriter) reminded me of Elizabeth Is Missing and also some aspects of Onwards & Upwards. It is a slow start (and slow starts drive me crazy) but it is worthwhile sticking with, once you get to grips with the way it's told, continuously flitting back and forth in time.
There is some sex talk throughout the book, told in the manner of a young boy in the early 1900s. The book is split up into sections, while revisiting each of Billy's loves, while London/Britain changes around him. There are points when you will feel sorry for Billy, and other times where you will find yourself screaming at the book, trying to get Billy to do the right thing. It is quite an emotional read, and will provoke tears at some points.
The description included in this is just astounding, and a couple of points, I was truly lost in this. I could feel the broken bones of my leg grinding against each other, as I dragged myself through the mud of the Somme, and hearing the screaming of the dying and the gunpowder in the air - and then I looked up to find myself at my computer, at home, waiting for a contact. I sometimes had to mentally drag myself back to the present, I was so lost in this book. In fact, I read this in one sitting, during a quiet Saturday shift.
I'm still not sure about the ending - I think the author knew where he wanted to go with this, but the way it was told, he'd written himself into a corner, and probably found it quite difficult to end it satisfactorily. It wasn't a bad ending and I knew it had to end the way it did, with Billy being 117. There is a nice surprise at the end, which will have you blinking through tears to read the ending.
I fully expect this to be a much talked about read, much like Elizabeth Is Missing, or any of Mitch Albom's books. I will definitely be recommending this to others and will look forward to more books from this author.
I got this book, after thinking it sounded like something similar to Mitch Albom. And I ended up with something that was so much more from this. This is a truly heartwarming book, and a wonderful debut.
This is written by Richard Lumsden, a name you may not instantly recognise, but a face I definitely recognised as the dad Nathan from Sugar Rush. He's done a lot of research, as the book winds its way from 1900, through the First World War, to the Second World War, onward to the sixties, and to Billy's life in the care home.
Billy was a truly wonderful character. Some of the way he told his story (through struggling to write with a fountain pen, before typing slowly on a typewriter) reminded me of Elizabeth Is Missing and also some aspects of Onwards & Upwards. It is a slow start (and slow starts drive me crazy) but it is worthwhile sticking with, once you get to grips with the way it's told, continuously flitting back and forth in time.
There is some sex talk throughout the book, told in the manner of a young boy in the early 1900s. The book is split up into sections, while revisiting each of Billy's loves, while London/Britain changes around him. There are points when you will feel sorry for Billy, and other times where you will find yourself screaming at the book, trying to get Billy to do the right thing. It is quite an emotional read, and will provoke tears at some points.
The description included in this is just astounding, and a couple of points, I was truly lost in this. I could feel the broken bones of my leg grinding against each other, as I dragged myself through the mud of the Somme, and hearing the screaming of the dying and the gunpowder in the air - and then I looked up to find myself at my computer, at home, waiting for a contact. I sometimes had to mentally drag myself back to the present, I was so lost in this book. In fact, I read this in one sitting, during a quiet Saturday shift.
I'm still not sure about the ending - I think the author knew where he wanted to go with this, but the way it was told, he'd written himself into a corner, and probably found it quite difficult to end it satisfactorily. It wasn't a bad ending and I knew it had to end the way it did, with Billy being 117. There is a nice surprise at the end, which will have you blinking through tears to read the ending.
I fully expect this to be a much talked about read, much like Elizabeth Is Missing, or any of Mitch Albom's books. I will definitely be recommending this to others and will look forward to more books from this author.
February 3, 2019
"An ordinary man living an ordinary life.
It feels right and good to be ordinary."
Oh Billy Binns, you absolute legend, you.
There's nothing so interesting for me than to read of an ordinary life that has been lived and yours has certainly been well and truly lived. How can I do justice to your wonderful story?
Well, Billy Binns, I could say that I have just read the story of your life, lived over the course of more than 100 years and it was 466 pages of pure joy. You moved me to tears, you made me smile, you made me gasp, you shocked me. I felt every emotion whilst reading your words and not one of those words was wasted.
You tapped away at the typewriter, Billy, capturing your life, perfectly staging it for the slow reveal leading to those 'ohhhh' moments of realisation. Sometimes I had to look away for a moment, blink away some tears, before I could carry on reading.
You were born at the turn of the 20th century. Your experiences in WW1 were so moving, so raw. You lived through the depression, another war, the Swinging Sixties. You loved five times during your life, hoping for that one last elusive love. And what loves they were: Mary, Evie, Archie, Vera, Mrs Jackson. Your love for each of them was beautiful, intense and perfect, even if things didn't always turn out for the best.
I feel like I know you, Billy. At one point, as you clambered into the back seat of a car, I could see you in my mind's eye, how you looked, what you were wearing. You're a flawed man, but a wonderful man and I was utterly mesmerised by your life story. I loved you even when you made mistakes.
Richard Lumsden, the curator of your story, has created something that delighted me, an uplifting, heart-warming social history full of love, loss, youth, old age, the passing of time, a story of making mistakes and living with them. Not only a definite for my top reads of the year, I think this has to be one of my top reads of all time. Billy, you're a triumph.
It feels right and good to be ordinary."
Oh Billy Binns, you absolute legend, you.
There's nothing so interesting for me than to read of an ordinary life that has been lived and yours has certainly been well and truly lived. How can I do justice to your wonderful story?
Well, Billy Binns, I could say that I have just read the story of your life, lived over the course of more than 100 years and it was 466 pages of pure joy. You moved me to tears, you made me smile, you made me gasp, you shocked me. I felt every emotion whilst reading your words and not one of those words was wasted.
You tapped away at the typewriter, Billy, capturing your life, perfectly staging it for the slow reveal leading to those 'ohhhh' moments of realisation. Sometimes I had to look away for a moment, blink away some tears, before I could carry on reading.
You were born at the turn of the 20th century. Your experiences in WW1 were so moving, so raw. You lived through the depression, another war, the Swinging Sixties. You loved five times during your life, hoping for that one last elusive love. And what loves they were: Mary, Evie, Archie, Vera, Mrs Jackson. Your love for each of them was beautiful, intense and perfect, even if things didn't always turn out for the best.
I feel like I know you, Billy. At one point, as you clambered into the back seat of a car, I could see you in my mind's eye, how you looked, what you were wearing. You're a flawed man, but a wonderful man and I was utterly mesmerised by your life story. I loved you even when you made mistakes.
Richard Lumsden, the curator of your story, has created something that delighted me, an uplifting, heart-warming social history full of love, loss, youth, old age, the passing of time, a story of making mistakes and living with them. Not only a definite for my top reads of the year, I think this has to be one of my top reads of all time. Billy, you're a triumph.
May 3, 2019
As Billy reminisces about his long life he does so from his care home and often when he is walking through the many memories he has. There are plenty of those after over a century of lived moments. At times it is hard to differentiate where Billy is at any given moment, sometimes he is right there in the moment and other times he is just muttering about the past.
It's a sweet premise, however it is defined by the one voice and one character approach to the story, which means a subjective experience. So with all of Billy's loves there is no attempt to view his story from anything other than his own, as opposed to his many loves and their points of view.
Perhaps Evie would have seen his escapades in a slightly more negative light, and his other conquests might have had a word or two to say about it too. It's written very much in a boys will be boys jargon with crude language and especially when referencing women's anatomy.
The story seems disjointed at times, perhaps because it has a screenplay or radio show feel to it. In fact I can imagine myself listening to Billy tell me all about his life, loves, trials and tribulations. It has the feel of a Hendrik Groen, but with less political posturing and wit. I think the charm it tries to evoke gets lost in the selfish and thoughtless actions of Billy. It's hard to engage with a character who is so fundamentally flawed and yet in awe of his own choices.
This is the difference between Billy Binns and Harold Fry or Eleanor Oliphant. The latter two acknowledge their imperfections and mistakes. As it stands Billy Binns is an old man living in the past thinking about the most important romantic connections in his life and how his choices determined his path in life. It's ambitious, but has a strange pull instead of a peculiar charm. The life of an old man seen through his own frame of references. His sense of nostalgia about his escapades and relationships.
*I received a courtesy copy*
It's a sweet premise, however it is defined by the one voice and one character approach to the story, which means a subjective experience. So with all of Billy's loves there is no attempt to view his story from anything other than his own, as opposed to his many loves and their points of view.
Perhaps Evie would have seen his escapades in a slightly more negative light, and his other conquests might have had a word or two to say about it too. It's written very much in a boys will be boys jargon with crude language and especially when referencing women's anatomy.
The story seems disjointed at times, perhaps because it has a screenplay or radio show feel to it. In fact I can imagine myself listening to Billy tell me all about his life, loves, trials and tribulations. It has the feel of a Hendrik Groen, but with less political posturing and wit. I think the charm it tries to evoke gets lost in the selfish and thoughtless actions of Billy. It's hard to engage with a character who is so fundamentally flawed and yet in awe of his own choices.
This is the difference between Billy Binns and Harold Fry or Eleanor Oliphant. The latter two acknowledge their imperfections and mistakes. As it stands Billy Binns is an old man living in the past thinking about the most important romantic connections in his life and how his choices determined his path in life. It's ambitious, but has a strange pull instead of a peculiar charm. The life of an old man seen through his own frame of references. His sense of nostalgia about his escapades and relationships.
*I received a courtesy copy*
January 4, 2019
The book is told solely as a narrative from Billy and flits back and forth between his memories and his present time in the nursing home. At times it was slightly confusing as to whether I was reading a memory or a time from the nursing home until I was a few sentences into said paragraph as there didn’t seem to be any particular order to whether we were reading in present or past tense. However, I guess you could say this is in fitting with reading a 117 year old’s account, as I’m sure their memory would be very fleeting between the past and present with no necessary rhyme or reason.
I found this a really enjoyable easy read with some really nice moments in it. There are some sad moments, after all, who could live to 117 with only happy memories, however Billy is a character I really warmed to. It made me wonder what I will think about should I hopefully live to a ripe old age and what significant memories I will have of my life.
I found this a really enjoyable easy read with some really nice moments in it. There are some sad moments, after all, who could live to 117 with only happy memories, however Billy is a character I really warmed to. It made me wonder what I will think about should I hopefully live to a ripe old age and what significant memories I will have of my life.
August 5, 2019
Take a journey back in time.
Billy Binns, over 100 & determined to remember his greatest loves.
This wasn't my normal style, but that is why I enjoyed it.
While his Memory doesn't serve him well, the important parts of who Billy are shine through. From a time when the first world war was just beginning, a time where nothing is like it is now, to his typewriter in the nursing home, Billy is determined to putt together an autobiography written for a little boy who's father loved him dearly.
The journey this book takes you on is exceptional. At times I wanted to smack Billy upside the head, but with a doubt Mr Lumsden held true to the era.
Note: while I have mentioned the word autobiography, The Six Loves Of Billy Binns is a fictional with exceptional research and story telling.
Billy Binns, over 100 & determined to remember his greatest loves.
This wasn't my normal style, but that is why I enjoyed it.
While his Memory doesn't serve him well, the important parts of who Billy are shine through. From a time when the first world war was just beginning, a time where nothing is like it is now, to his typewriter in the nursing home, Billy is determined to putt together an autobiography written for a little boy who's father loved him dearly.
The journey this book takes you on is exceptional. At times I wanted to smack Billy upside the head, but with a doubt Mr Lumsden held true to the era.
Note: while I have mentioned the word autobiography, The Six Loves Of Billy Binns is a fictional with exceptional research and story telling.
August 20, 2019
Billy Binns lives in an old people's home and while there is thinking back over his life and the people (women) he loved. He had a varied life and those women he loved were also varied. Some were literally one night stands and one, in particular, was a very costly liaison.
While reminiscing he also refers to people in his life currently n the home so the flashbacks are a bit randomly mixed with his present-day observations.
His memory is patently a bit confused too as one particular person he remembers doing things he could not possibly have done but I won't say why as it would be a spoiler.
I enjoyed the book and came to quite like Billy Binns despite the fact that at times he was not a very likable person, he makes an interesting character.
While reminiscing he also refers to people in his life currently n the home so the flashbacks are a bit randomly mixed with his present-day observations.
His memory is patently a bit confused too as one particular person he remembers doing things he could not possibly have done but I won't say why as it would be a spoiler.
I enjoyed the book and came to quite like Billy Binns despite the fact that at times he was not a very likable person, he makes an interesting character.
July 4, 2024
Set in two times, one in a care home where Billy Binns looks back on his life and the author then shows his life.
We get to see the loves of Billy's life. The book cover suggests a quirkiness but there is plenty of grit in this book with a fair size of tragedy.
The best parts of the book involve the two world wars, outside of this the book meanders towards boredom.
As a character Billy is well written but isn't likeable and I really couldn't care what would happen to him.
We are told through Billy, he loves his son Archie but we are not shown this by the author and I would have liked to have seen it demonstrated.
Some of the structure of the book felt like I was reading a list with that said this is still a decent read.
We get to see the loves of Billy's life. The book cover suggests a quirkiness but there is plenty of grit in this book with a fair size of tragedy.
The best parts of the book involve the two world wars, outside of this the book meanders towards boredom.
As a character Billy is well written but isn't likeable and I really couldn't care what would happen to him.
We are told through Billy, he loves his son Archie but we are not shown this by the author and I would have liked to have seen it demonstrated.
Some of the structure of the book felt like I was reading a list with that said this is still a decent read.
April 15, 2019
The story of the life and loves of 117 year old Billy Binns....looking back at the book as a whole I enjoyed it but there were some points where it was a bit of a struggle to get through. It's quite a long and wordy story and as you can imagine a lot happens in such a long life so theres an incredible amount of detail. I found the historical side of it regarding the wars and the London of old really interesting and found myself rooting for Billy in all of his pursuits. I would recommend it if you've enjoyed books like 'Normal People' or 'Three Things About Elsie'.
October 24, 2019
This must be the best book I have read in 2019 !!
I was engrossed from start to finish and can’t wait to read the next book written by Richard Lumsden. Without spoiling any secrets for future readers the author didn’t sugar coat this amazing story of Billy Binns exceptional long life. All too often elderly people’s memories are depicted through “ rose coloured glasses “ but not Billy,s. Like many of us he made some wrong choices along life’s path but still remains a believable warm character and I felt very sad as I approached the last pages of the book. A MUST READ from me.
I was engrossed from start to finish and can’t wait to read the next book written by Richard Lumsden. Without spoiling any secrets for future readers the author didn’t sugar coat this amazing story of Billy Binns exceptional long life. All too often elderly people’s memories are depicted through “ rose coloured glasses “ but not Billy,s. Like many of us he made some wrong choices along life’s path but still remains a believable warm character and I felt very sad as I approached the last pages of the book. A MUST READ from me.
May 17, 2021
A rather sad, maudlin life story of the eponymous Billy Binns, through an examination of the 6 loves of his life. The major issue with the novel is the writer fails to make him an empathetic character, and rather he is buffeted through his life by a series of poor decisions and circumstances. The story as told by the 100 year plus Billy also rather lurches around at points moving dizzyingly fast, and at other points going so slow over areas so horrific (the back street abortion scene) that you pray for it to go faster.
February 3, 2023
The Six Loves of Billy Binns
Dont get fooled by the colourful cover and the fun title. I picked it up as I wanted a breezy read but I couldn't have been more wrong. The Book is the life story of the oldest man in Europe. His account of his life especially his love and relationship. It was thoroughly heart-breaking. The depiction of his daily life, life through the wars and his final life time at the assisted living center were beautifully described. The flawed life of Billy Binns would keep you hooked till the end.
Dont get fooled by the colourful cover and the fun title. I picked it up as I wanted a breezy read but I couldn't have been more wrong. The Book is the life story of the oldest man in Europe. His account of his life especially his love and relationship. It was thoroughly heart-breaking. The depiction of his daily life, life through the wars and his final life time at the assisted living center were beautifully described. The flawed life of Billy Binns would keep you hooked till the end.
June 4, 2023
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book. I thought it would be a bit more light hearted than it was but I did find it very interesting learning about Billy's life - it certainly wasn't easy. He definitely made some wrong decisions along the way but I enjoyed reading about him reflecting on some of them and the impact they had on his life. It would probably be a 3.5 if I could do half stars but I've rounded it up to a 4 because I did enjoy it and I like the jumps between the care home and his earlier life
December 21, 2025
The cover has quotes describing the book as “heartbreaking”, “magical”, and “uplifting”. The only way these words could describe the book is if they followed the word “not”. A book about a depressing man who caused most of the depressing events of his life to happen. It was a feeble attempt to make the main character likeable by having him be an old man. That’s not enough to push me to root for him. Found myself rooting against him for some of the book actually. Uplifting!?! Honestly!?! The only parts I did enjoy about the book were the more historical fiction parts.
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