When Are You Going Back?: A memoir of the sea

by Harry Nicholson

Following volumes one and two: 'The Best of Days' and 'You'll See Wonders', here is part three of the memoirs of a radio officer in the golden years of the British Merchant Navy. At the close of the 1950s, we take voyages to the East on steamships with British and Indian crews. We come to know the Ganges Delta, Calcutta, Madras, Ceylon, Eritrea, Sudan, and the Maldives. We meet wireless equipment before the age of transistors. There are telegraph keys, Morse code, early Radar, and India just twelve years after independence.

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 22, 2023

About the author

I’m thinking back, trying to discern how I came to write an historical novel. When I was tapping out Morse in the pitching wireless cabins of tropical steamers, it was not in my mind – though I read all the books in the ship’s library. A career in television studios might have brought it about – thirty years working with stories in pictures soaks the mind with images. Now I’ve retired I have more time to imagine at leisure - perhaps I’ve just reached the proper age to be a teller of stories.
So my first story is about ‘Tom Fleck’ and his struggles to be a free man in our own district of Cleveland – but a Cleveland of five centuries in the past.

Reviews

[Mrs Olga A Danes-Volkov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely book

This is a beautifully written memoir, not only for it's descriptions of shipboard life, but for the erudition. There's history and poetry in here as well which I very rudely hadn't expected. As I said, a lovely book, a good read, full of reminders of the fifties and sixties for an oldie like me. Thoroughly recommended.

[Phil Altimas · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a great read. a great look at the world of the lads in the merchant navy

[John Kueck · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting tale of life as a sparky in the British merchant marine

Well written, educational, amazing how life was just 50 years ago. Too bad it is the third and last book.