The Thorns of Winter is a Coming of Age novel based on the true-life experiences of the author as an eleven-year-old boy. Peter, the main character, has experienced horrific scenes of destruction during the 2nd Blitz on London in 1944. His mother, an Irish immigrant, sends him to his paternal grandmother's in Kent for safety. From 1944 to 1949, he sees his mother for short visits. Peter's father fought in India and Burma, but is reported killed during...