The Holy City: A Tale of Clydebank

This is a book I have been looking for for a long time and Meg Henderson tells it like it was at that terrible time in the history of Clydebank and the surrouding area that was involved in the Blitz. My family lived in Dalmuir (which is the town just next to Clydebank) at the time and the opposite end of the tenament we lived in was bombed, one of my sisters was in the ARP which helped in rescuing the victims of the Holy City. My family moved to Clydebank after the war so I can relate to all the areas mentioned in the book. It is just pure nostalgia to me. My brother who lives in the Glasgow area just read it and like me just loved this fabulous book.

This book made me laugh, cry and get angry. I was born in Glasgow and grew up in New Zealand from the age of nine years onwards. My grandfather, father and uncles worked in the shipyards, and I heard the stories Meg Henderson tells from when I was young. "The Holy City" filled in spaces in my knowledge and satisfied my curiosity about some of my roots. Apart from that, I so admired Marion Kate MacLeod as a character. She was absolutely believable - I know Scottish women just like her - and I was engrossed in the story at every opportunity because I wanted to know what happened to her. Because I was born in Glasgow, I had no trouble understanding the dialogue. However, I could see it being a stumbling block to non-Scottish readers. I would urge those readers to persevere. It is worth the effort.

A poignant account of life before and during the second world war - vividly portrayed and a very accurate account of life in Clydeside during that conflict. Recommended reading for anyone who is interested in the social conditions during that period.Recommended

Meg Henderson has given a wonderful insight into what happened in Clydebank during and after the Blitz. Anyone associated with Clydebank in any way will relate to it. A wonderful story, keep the tissues nearby.