Teardrops on My Drum

Jack tells his story growing up in Liverpool from the age of five to fourteen. It's a tough life with parents who at best care little for him; a father who is perpetually drunk and a mother who will pawn anything of any value he manage to acquire. But Jack is a resourceful and positive lad, he makes some good friends, and he is prepared to work to improve his lot. Among his friends is his school mate Eggy, and the two boys eventually become very close indeed. He also meets a young policeman who delights Jack by getting inside his knickers and with whom he eventually lives; he also enjoys various escapades with other guys including an adventurous camping trip with some older boys where most of the adventures take place within the tents. The conditions in Liverpool between the wars which Jack describes are horrendous. His home is filthy, the streets are squalid, he owns no shoes and little else, and most of the time he is starving and left to fend for himself. Yet while these aspects are vividly portrayed, this is far from a depressing tale, in fact quite the opposite, for Jack has the ability to see the positive in all he encounters. He comes across as an appealing and most likeable boy, good looking, wiry and athletic; and he certainly appeals to those he meets, many of whom he enjoys intimate relations with. Nothing seems to get Jack down, from the appalling conditions of his home life to the drudgery of the army, all he sees are the many delightful boys and men in his life; in truth it is this aspect of his life that make the rest bearable. This is a most enjoyable story, described as autobiographical, the writing at times almost poetic as Jack becomes carried away in wonderment as he describes some of the many pleasures he enjoys. I found this a moving, rewarding and enlightening book.