After sharp showers, the sun shines brightest, 16 Nov 2008
The premise of this book is the story of a soap company that would eventually become Unilever and its founder and directing mind, William Lever. It doesn't sound promising, but, like many obscure corners of history that have been illuminated by fascinating, lucid and readable biographies and histories, this is the window to a wide and startling vista.

I came to read the book after hearing excerpts of it on BBC Radio 4's `A Good Read'. It sounded interesting in the round, but what really made me pay attention was the detail on Rivington. Rivington is a village in the moorland above Chorley and Bolton. It has medieval tithe barns, a quaint village centre, strange follies and the most amazing terraced gardens, ornamental lake and Roman ruins.

As a child I was taken there for Sunday walks, climbing the stone steps to a strange grotto that, in my mind, was permanently winter. The waterfall would be petrified, frozen solid in mid-tumble, and the landscape glistening as a pallid sunlight reflected from a thick and universal spread of frost.

In short it seemed a magical and strange place. So I was much obliged to the author of this book for providing some illumination as to how Japanese gardens and intricate terraces had been transplanted to this windswept and remote corner of Lancashire.

And once I had started reading the book it was clear that not only would my interest in a local beauty spot be satiatied, but that this was a wide-ranging and interesting book which, although having William Lever and his soap business as the central focus of attention, also covered the British Empire, the Liberal Party, old age pensions, garden cities and much more.

William Lever is presented sympathetically - it is obvious that Mr MacQueen is struck by the common affliction of biographers in his growing affection for his subject. But this is backed by the legacy of the man, which, whilst not completely apart from the times, was markedly different to the Victorian factory owners in this dark corner of Britain.

Mr MacQueen makes it clear that this book should not be read as a comprehensive biography of the man. William Lever's life is detailed, but is also used as a launch pad to some fascinating discourses on everything from the brutal history of Belgian Congo to the more obscure Parliamentary rules.

This book was a joy to read, and should whet the appetite to at least visit Port Sunlight, Rivington and the Isle of Harris and Lewis. So far I've got two out of the three, and the very brief but alluring introduction of the Western Isles has meant that I will try and head to the furthest reaches of Scotland sometime soon.

A True Lancashire Man, 26 Aug 2007
As a frequent visitor to Rivington ,this book regails the life of local philantronphist and fills in the gaps of the life of the enigma that was William Lever. If you live in the Lancashire you must read this book

ALL BUBBLES AND FROTH, 19 Dec 2005
Forgive me for raining on the parade of stars that have been showered on this particular book. It is undoubtedly slick, stylish and sometimes very amusing. However, it is also superficial in its approach. People should read instead Roger Hutchinson's 'The Soap Man'. While this work clearly concentrates on Leverhulme's investments in Lewis and Harris, it also gives a better sense of what the Soap King was like as a man.

An highly entertaining biography, 28 Jun 2004
As a great-granddaughter of Mary Lever Tillotson, sister to William Hesketh Lever, aka "The King of Sunlight", I was delighted to be given this book as a "special birthday" present earlier this month. Before opening the cover, I had no idea how highly entertaining and fascinating it would be. Leaving aside the family connection, Adam Macqueen's descriptions of a clever, down-to-earth and visionary entrepreneur had me in fits of laughter, although in contrast, a chapter relating what is thought to have happened to William's younger brother, James, was sensitively handled and in many ways a contrast to much of the rest of the book. Some of William Lever's late 19th and early 20th Century ideas of the "duties" of an employer would be regarded as nothing less than expected in the 21st Century, and this book gives a witty and perceptive insight into his life and times. In my childhood, I felt that over the years, my family had been blessed with somewhat more than its fair share of what some might label "eccentrics". Thanks to Adam Macqueen's book, I feel others now have an insight into one of these, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys being entertained whilst reading a biography - and challenge anyone who thinks biographies are boring old tomes to say this of "The King of Sunlight" once they have read it. I found it a hard book to put down.

After sharp showers, the sun shines brightest, 16 Nov 2008
The premise of this book is the story of a soap company that would eventually become Unilever and its founder and directing mind, William Lever. It doesn't sound promising, but, like many obscure corners of history that have been illuminated by fascinating, lucid and readable biographies and histories, this is the window to a wide and startling vista.

I came to read the book after hearing excerpts of it on BBC Radio 4's `A Good Read'. It sounded interesting in the round, but what really made me pay attention was the detail on Rivington. Rivington is a village in the moorland above Chorley and Bolton. It has medieval tithe barns, a quaint village centre, strange follies and the most amazing terraced gardens, ornamental lake and Roman ruins.

As a child I was taken there for Sunday walks, climbing the stone steps to a strange grotto that, in my mind, was permanently winter. The waterfall would be petrified, frozen solid in mid-tumble, and the landscape glistening as a pallid sunlight reflected from a thick and universal spread of frost.

In short it seemed a magical and strange place. So I was much obliged to the author of this book for providing some illumination as to how Japanese gardens and intricate terraces had been transplanted to this windswept and remote corner of Lancashire.

And once I had started reading the book it was clear that not only would my interest in a local beauty spot be satiatied, but that this was a wide-ranging and interesting book which, although having William Lever and his soap business as the central focus of attention, also covered the British Empire, the Liberal Party, old age pensions, garden cities and much more.

William Lever is presented sympathetically - it is obvious that Mr MacQueen is struck by the common affliction of biographers in his growing affection for his subject. But this is backed by the legacy of the man, which, whilst not completely apart from the times, was markedly different to the Victorian factory owners in this dark corner of Britain.

Mr MacQueen makes it clear that this book should not be read as a comprehensive biography of the man. William Lever's life is detailed, but is also used as a launch pad to some fascinating discourses on everything from the brutal history of Belgian Congo to the more obscure Parliamentary rules.

This book was a joy to read, and should whet the appetite to at least visit Port Sunlight, Rivington and the Isle of Harris and Lewis. So far I've got two out of the three, and the very brief but alluring introduction of the Western Isles has meant that I will try and head to the furthest reaches of Scotland sometime soon.

A True Lancashire Man, 26 Aug 2007
As a frequent visitor to Rivington ,this book regails the life of local philantronphist and fills in the gaps of the life of the enigma that was William Lever. If you live in the Lancashire you must read this book

ALL BUBBLES AND FROTH, 19 Dec 2005
Forgive me for raining on the parade of stars that have been showered on this particular book. It is undoubtedly slick, stylish and sometimes very amusing. However, it is also superficial in its approach. People should read instead Roger Hutchinson's 'The Soap Man'. While this work clearly concentrates on Leverhulme's investments in Lewis and Harris, it also gives a better sense of what the Soap King was like as a man.

An highly entertaining biography, 28 Jun 2004
As a great-granddaughter of Mary Lever Tillotson, sister to William Hesketh Lever, aka "The King of Sunlight", I was delighted to be given this book as a "special birthday" present earlier this month. Before opening the cover, I had no idea how highly entertaining and fascinating it would be. Leaving aside the family connection, Adam Macqueen's descriptions of a clever, down-to-earth and visionary entrepreneur had me in fits of laughter, although in contrast, a chapter relating what is thought to have happened to William's younger brother, James, was sensitively handled and in many ways a contrast to much of the rest of the book. Some of William Lever's late 19th and early 20th Century ideas of the "duties" of an employer would be regarded as nothing less than expected in the 21st Century, and this book gives a witty and perceptive insight into his life and times. In my childhood, I felt that over the years, my family had been blessed with somewhat more than its fair share of what some might label "eccentrics". Thanks to Adam Macqueen's book, I feel others now have an insight into one of these, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys being entertained whilst reading a biography - and challenge anyone who thinks biographies are boring old tomes to say this of "The King of Sunlight" once they have read it. I found it a hard book to put down.

Harrowing but not particularly well written, 10 Oct 2008
Before people criticise me for not raving about this book I should add that the content was totally horrifying and made me cry on more than one occasion. The reason was simply that the treatment of these children was so appalling, so outrageously cruel and so evil that anyone not moved must have a heart of stone. As a parent myself I found Eunice Spry's behaviour deeply upsetting and hope she is never released from prison.

The problem is the style in which the book is written. It's not good and there are many occasions where phrases are repeated in the same paragraph and it doesn't read well as a whole. I believe the additional writer was Andrew Holmes and his style is poor and clumsy. That's a shame as Christopher's Spry's tale is compelling and thought-provoking. But for a book like this to be a success it needs more than mere content - and one can't just praise a book because of the shocking treatment of the writer and the sympathy one feels for those who suffered at the hands of a monster as 'Mother'.

If you can cope with the child abuse depicted within I recommend you read it. But if you want a skilfully written account you might be disappointed.

Pure Evil !, 27 Sep 2008
I read about this case in the newspapers , so when I saw this book being advertised, I knew I had to buy it and see if the foster mother, was as evil as they made out.
And yes she is, my only dissapointment was that she only got 14 years in prison. She should have been hung !!! pity the death sentance is no longer used !
Good Luck to Chris, Karen and Lulu in whatever you do. x

Truth hurts, 25 Jun 2008
This is a 'must have' book. When JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potters series, you could witness the pain as she battled with depression. At times it was difficult to read those books because the dark side was coming out. In this book, Child C, there is a similarity, which is even more touching as this is not a made up story. Eunice Spry tricked the authorities for years, she persecuted her children and made mockery of the vocation of motherhood. The consequences of her actions will ripple forward in the lives of all those who know and have heard this sorry tale. Christopher (the author) has written his story in an easy to read fashion which makes digesting the difficult material easier at times. It won't put you off your food, but it will open your eyes. Too often we are unaffected by life's turmoils, books like this open up the world to us and hopefully make us all a little bit more aware. I am looking forward to reading his next book which will detail how his life has moved on since Eunice was sent to prison, I am sure that will be an even more heart moving account.

How on earth could this have happened???, 14 May 2008
I feel compelled to write a review of this book. I recieved it yesterday and had read its entirety in just a few hours, couldn't put it down. Page after page just gripped me with horror and sadness at the life this poor young guy was made to live at the hands of this evil, evil woman. Eunice Spry apparently smiled that day as she was led away from the court to start her 14 year sentence to pay for the abuse and trauma she put these 3 innocent children through almost every day up until their 'rescue/escape' Is this what religion can do to some people?? Was she just plain evil? Did it stem from a fateful childhood of her own? We shall never truly know what drove this woman to hurt these kids so viciously as she denies it anyway. To Chris, you are a very VERY brave and strong person for not only enduring the relentless torture, but also for standing up against Eunice in court. It upset me to read that you didn't really feel you should be doing this to her, but she NEEDS to be punished for what she did to you and your foster sisters. I wish you all the very best of luck in coming to terms with your horrendous past and making a happy life for yourself and the people around you.
Personally, I believe prison is too good for people like Eunice Spry. Prison is where she will recieve substantial meals EVERY DAY (No starvation punishments), she will have a clean comfortable bed every night. There will be no bleach or sticks or tcp or excrement being forced into HER mouth...and there will be officers there 99% of the time for her protection from other inmates. Did these 3 children get ANYTHING like that from the person that was left in charge to care for them? She won't have to worry about baked bean cans or tuna cans being thrown at her, or cricket bats whacked against her legs or chair legs beating her feet. She will have NONE of this...they got it all. They were innocent...she was found guilty of horrendous abuse...yet who's being punished?? Social services may have a hard job to do, and i appreciate that, but just reading Chris' book, and also his foster sister's book "Deliver Me From Evil", you can't blame anybody from thinking somebody wasn't doing their job. There were signs that trained people that had contact with the family should have spotted a mile off. And let's not forget how recent this was...this wasn't back in the 60's & 70's when things seemed to be 'acceptable' or just swept under the carpet. Has everybody forgotten about little Ricky Nieve???

a brilliant read!, 30 Apr 2008
I must disagree with other reviews of this book and say i was hooked from the minute i picked it up.
Christopher told everything exactly how it was, even down to how he still feels about eunice.
Being of the same age as him and living not too far away,
i found myself thinking of what i was doing at times when christopher reflected on his past, and i must say this boy suffered immensely but doesnt seem to have let it spill into his adult life,
i hope where ever eunice spry is, she has read this book and finally felt some remorse.

After sharp showers, the sun shines brightest, 16 Nov 2008
The premise of this book is the story of a soap company that would eventually become Unilever and its founder and directing mind, William Lever. It doesn't sound promising, but, like many obscure corners of history that have been illuminated by fascinating, lucid and readable biographies and histories, this is the window to a wide and startling vista.

I came to read the book after hearing excerpts of it on BBC Radio 4's `A Good Read'. It sounded interesting in the round, but what really made me pay attention was the detail on Rivington. Rivington is a village in the moorland above Chorley and Bolton. It has medieval tithe barns, a quaint village centre, strange follies and the most amazing terraced gardens, ornamental lake and Roman ruins.

As a child I was taken there for Sunday walks, climbing the stone steps to a strange grotto that, in my mind, was permanently winter. The waterfall would be petrified, frozen solid in mid-tumble, and the landscape glistening as a pallid sunlight reflected from a thick and universal spread of frost.

In short it seemed a magical and strange place. So I was much obliged to the author of this book for providing some illumination as to how Japanese gardens and intricate terraces had been transplanted to this windswept and remote corner of Lancashire.

And once I had started reading the book it was clear that not only would my interest in a local beauty spot be satiatied, but that this was a wide-ranging and interesting book which, although having William Lever and his soap business as the central focus of attention, also covered the British Empire, the Liberal Party, old age pensions, garden cities and much more.

William Lever is presented sympathetically - it is obvious that Mr MacQueen is struck by the common affliction of biographers in his growing affection for his subject. But this is backed by the legacy of the man, which, whilst not completely apart from the times, was markedly different to the Victorian factory owners in this dark corner of Britain.

Mr MacQueen makes it clear that this book should not be read as a comprehensive biography of the man. William Lever's life is detailed, but is also used as a launch pad to some fascinating discourses on everything from the brutal history of Belgian Congo to the more obscure Parliamentary rules.

This book was a joy to read, and should whet the appetite to at least visit Port Sunlight, Rivington and the Isle of Harris and Lewis. So far I've got two out of the three, and the very brief but alluring introduction of the Western Isles has meant that I will try and head to the furthest reaches of Scotland sometime soon.

A True Lancashire Man, 26 Aug 2007
As a frequent visitor to Rivington ,this book regails the life of local philantronphist and fills in the gaps of the life of the enigma that was William Lever. If you live in the Lancashire you must read this book

ALL BUBBLES AND FROTH, 19 Dec 2005
Forgive me for raining on the parade of stars that have been showered on this particular book. It is undoubtedly slick, stylish and sometimes very amusing. However, it is also superficial in its approach. People should read instead Roger Hutchinson's 'The Soap Man'. While this work clearly concentrates on Leverhulme's investments in Lewis and Harris, it also gives a better sense of what the Soap King was like as a man.

An highly entertaining biography, 28 Jun 2004
As a great-granddaughter of Mary Lever Tillotson, sister to William Hesketh Lever, aka "The King of Sunlight", I was delighted to be given this book as a "special birthday" present earlier this month. Before opening the cover, I had no idea how highly entertaining and fascinating it would be. Leaving aside the family connection, Adam Macqueen's descriptions of a clever, down-to-earth and visionary entrepreneur had me in fits of laughter, although in contrast, a chapter relating what is thought to have happened to William's younger brother, James, was sensitively handled and in many ways a contrast to much of the rest of the book. Some of William Lever's late 19th and early 20th Century ideas of the "duties" of an employer would be regarded as nothing less than expected in the 21st Century, and this book gives a witty and perceptive insight into his life and times. In my childhood, I felt that over the years, my family had been blessed with somewhat more than its fair share of what some might label "eccentrics". Thanks to Adam Macqueen's book, I feel others now have an insight into one of these, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys being entertained whilst reading a biography - and challenge anyone who thinks biographies are boring old tomes to say this of "The King of Sunlight" once they have read it. I found it a hard book to put down.

Harrowing but not particularly well written, 10 Oct 2008
Before people criticise me for not raving about this book I should add that the content was totally horrifying and made me cry on more than one occasion. The reason was simply that the treatment of these children was so appalling, so outrageously cruel and so evil that anyone not moved must have a heart of stone. As a parent myself I found Eunice Spry's behaviour deeply upsetting and hope she is never released from prison.

The problem is the style in which the book is written. It's not good and there are many occasions where phrases are repeated in the same paragraph and it doesn't read well as a whole. I believe the additional writer was Andrew Holmes and his style is poor and clumsy. That's a shame as Christopher's Spry's tale is compelling and thought-provoking. But for a book like this to be a success it needs more than mere content - and one can't just praise a book because of the shocking treatment of the writer and the sympathy one feels for those who suffered at the hands of a monster as 'Mother'.

If you can cope with the child abuse depicted within I recommend you read it. But if you want a skilfully written account you might be disappointed.

Pure Evil !, 27 Sep 2008
I read about this case in the newspapers , so when I saw this book being advertised, I knew I had to buy it and see if the foster mother, was as evil as they made out.
And yes she is, my only dissapointment was that she only got 14 years in prison. She should have been hung !!! pity the death sentance is no longer used !
Good Luck to Chris, Karen and Lulu in whatever you do. x

Truth hurts, 25 Jun 2008
This is a 'must have' book. When JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potters series, you could witness the pain as she battled with depression. At times it was difficult to read those books because the dark side was coming out. In this book, Child C, there is a similarity, which is even more touching as this is not a made up story. Eunice Spry tricked the authorities for years, she persecuted her children and made mockery of the vocation of motherhood. The consequences of her actions will ripple forward in the lives of all those who know and have heard this sorry tale. Christopher (the author) has written his story in an easy to read fashion which makes digesting the difficult material easier at times. It won't put you off your food, but it will open your eyes. Too often we are unaffected by life's turmoils, books like this open up the world to us and hopefully make us all a little bit more aware. I am looking forward to reading his next book which will detail how his life has moved on since Eunice was sent to prison, I am sure that will be an even more heart moving account.

How on earth could this have happened???, 14 May 2008
I feel compelled to write a review of this book. I recieved it yesterday and had read its entirety in just a few hours, couldn't put it down. Page after page just gripped me with horror and sadness at the life this poor young guy was made to live at the hands of this evil, evil woman. Eunice Spry apparently smiled that day as she was led away from the court to start her 14 year sentence to pay for the abuse and trauma she put these 3 innocent children through almost every day up until their 'rescue/escape' Is this what religion can do to some people?? Was she just plain evil? Did it stem from a fateful childhood of her own? We shall never truly know what drove this woman to hurt these kids so viciously as she denies it anyway. To Chris, you are a very VERY brave and strong person for not only enduring the relentless torture, but also for standing up against Eunice in court. It upset me to read that you didn't really feel you should be doing this to her, but she NEEDS to be punished for what she did to you and your foster sisters. I wish you all the very best of luck in coming to terms with your horrendous past and making a happy life for yourself and the people around you.
Personally, I believe prison is too good for people like Eunice Spry. Prison is where she will recieve substantial meals EVERY DAY (No starvation punishments), she will have a clean comfortable bed every night. There will be no bleach or sticks or tcp or excrement being forced into HER mouth...and there will be officers there 99% of the time for her protection from other inmates. Did these 3 children get ANYTHING like that from the person that was left in charge to care for them? She won't have to worry about baked bean cans or tuna cans being thrown at her, or cricket bats whacked against her legs or chair legs beating her feet. She will have NONE of this...they got it all. They were innocent...she was found guilty of horrendous abuse...yet who's being punished?? Social services may have a hard job to do, and i appreciate that, but just reading Chris' book, and also his foster sister's book "Deliver Me From Evil", you can't blame anybody from thinking somebody wasn't doing their job. There were signs that trained people that had contact with the family should have spotted a mile off. And let's not forget how recent this was...this wasn't back in the 60's & 70's when things seemed to be 'acceptable' or just swept under the carpet. Has everybody forgotten about little Ricky Nieve???

a brilliant read!, 30 Apr 2008
I must disagree with other reviews of this book and say i was hooked from the minute i picked it up.
Christopher told everything exactly how it was, even down to how he still feels about eunice.
Being of the same age as him and living not too far away,
i found myself thinking of what i was doing at times when christopher reflected on his past, and i must say this boy suffered immensely but doesnt seem to have let it spill into his adult life,
i hope where ever eunice spry is, she has read this book and finally felt some remorse.



If you love books by Torey Hayden, you'll love books by Cathy Glass., 07 Sep 2008
Cathy Glass writes in much the same gripping style as Torey Hayden, allowing you to learn about the child (in this case Tayo), as she does throughout the story. With her fluent story-telling style, it is easy to be swept up in the tale, and read the whole book in one day, hardly pausing for breathe between chapters.

Moreover, this book is not simply a tale of horror and suffering, although, to be sure, there is mention, but rather a moving memoir of her time with Tayo, highs and lows, progress and setbacks.

A well-written and moving read by all accounts.

hidden, 22 Aug 2008
this book is excelant i would recomend it to anyone i couldnt put it down at all i have the bags to prove it lol cant wait to read the next one

Well worth a read., 18 Jun 2008
Having read Glass' previous book 'Damaged' I felt compelled to read this one too. Another shocking insight into the world of social care, or more into the world of those who enter into it. I found it somehow not quite as compelling as her first book - perhaps because it didn't have so much 'shock factor' for want of a better description, but its still a real eye opener, and well worth a read. A happier ending at least - brought tears to my eyes!

AMAZING!, 13 Jun 2008
I think this book is great! It is a must read for everybody. I had already read 'Damaged' written by Cathy Glass and knew that this was going to be good too. I could not put it down all day and now the book spends most of its time being borrowed by friends. This book is such a good read and i would reccommend it to anyone who was interested. An AMAZING READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brilliant book!, 01 Jun 2008
This was a wonderful story, much different from the usual stories of abuse and hurt. The lovely part about this story was that there really was a magical fairy tale ending. This was written in a way that was not shocking by its content but saddening by its reality. I really enjoyed the book.

After sharp showers, the sun shines brightest, 16 Nov 2008
The premise of this book is the story of a soap company that would eventually become Unilever and its founder and directing mind, William Lever. It doesn't sound promising, but, like many obscure corners of history that have been illuminated by fascinating, lucid and readable biographies and histories, this is the window to a wide and startling vista.

I came to read the book after hearing excerpts of it on BBC Radio 4's `A Good Read'. It sounded interesting in the round, but what really made me pay attention was the detail on Rivington. Rivington is a village in the moorland above Chorley and Bolton. It has medieval tithe barns, a quaint village centre, strange follies and the most amazing terraced gardens, ornamental lake and Roman ruins.

As a child I was taken there for Sunday walks, climbing the stone steps to a strange grotto that, in my mind, was permanently winter. The waterfall would be petrified, frozen solid in mid-tumble, and the landscape glistening as a pallid sunlight reflected from a thick and universal spread of frost.

In short it seemed a magical and strange place. So I was much obliged to the author of this book for providing some illumination as to how Japanese gardens and intricate terraces had been transplanted to this windswept and remote corner of Lancashire.

And once I had started reading the book it was clear that not only would my interest in a local beauty spot be satiatied, but that this was a wide-ranging and interesting book which, although having William Lever and his soap business as the central focus of attention, also covered the British Empire, the Liberal Party, old age pensions, garden cities and much more.

William Lever is presented sympathetically - it is obvious that Mr MacQueen is struck by the common affliction of biographers in his growing affection for his subject. But this is backed by the legacy of the man, which, whilst not completely apart from the times, was markedly different to the Victorian factory owners in this dark corner of Britain.

Mr MacQueen makes it clear that this book should not be read as a comprehensive biography of the man. William Lever's life is detailed, but is also used as a launch pad to some fascinating discourses on everything from the brutal history of Belgian Congo to the more obscure Parliamentary rules.

This book was a joy to read, and should whet the appetite to at least visit Port Sunlight, Rivington and the Isle of Harris and Lewis. So far I've got two out of the three, and the very brief but alluring introduction of the Western Isles has meant that I will try and head to the furthest reaches of Scotland sometime soon.

A True Lancashire Man, 26 Aug 2007
As a frequent visitor to Rivington ,this book regails the life of local philantronphist and fills in the gaps of the life of the enigma that was William Lever. If you live in the Lancashire you must read this book

ALL BUBBLES AND FROTH, 19 Dec 2005
Forgive me for raining on the parade of stars that have been showered on this particular book. It is undoubtedly slick, stylish and sometimes very amusing. However, it is also superficial in its approach. People should read instead Roger Hutchinson's 'The Soap Man'. While this work clearly concentrates on Leverhulme's investments in Lewis and Harris, it also gives a better sense of what the Soap King was like as a man.

An highly entertaining biography, 28 Jun 2004
As a great-granddaughter of Mary Lever Tillotson, sister to William Hesketh Lever, aka "The King of Sunlight", I was delighted to be given this book as a "special birthday" present earlier this month. Before opening the cover, I had no idea how highly entertaining and fascinating it would be. Leaving aside the family connection, Adam Macqueen's descriptions of a clever, down-to-earth and visionary entrepreneur had me in fits of laughter, although in contrast, a chapter relating what is thought to have happened to William's younger brother, James, was sensitively handled and in many ways a contrast to much of the rest of the book. Some of William Lever's late 19th and early 20th Century ideas of the "duties" of an employer would be regarded as nothing less than expected in the 21st Century, and this book gives a witty and perceptive insight into his life and times. In my childhood, I felt that over the years, my family had been blessed with somewhat more than its fair share of what some might label "eccentrics". Thanks to Adam Macqueen's book, I feel others now have an insight into one of these, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys being entertained whilst reading a biography - and challenge anyone who thinks biographies are boring old tomes to say this of "The King of Sunlight" once they have read it. I found it a hard book to put down.

Harrowing but not particularly well written, 10 Oct 2008
Before people criticise me for not raving about this book I should add that the content was totally horrifying and made me cry on more than one occasion. The reason was simply that the treatment of these children was so appalling, so outrageously cruel and so evil that anyone not moved must have a heart of stone. As a parent myself I found Eunice Spry's behaviour deeply upsetting and hope she is never released from prison.

The problem is the style in which the book is written. It's not good and there are many occasions where phrases are repeated in the same paragraph and it doesn't read well as a whole. I believe the additional writer was Andrew Holmes and his style is poor and clumsy. That's a shame as Christopher's Spry's tale is compelling and thought-provoking. But for a book like this to be a success it needs more than mere content - and one can't just praise a book because of the shocking treatment of the writer and the sympathy one feels for those who suffered at the hands of a monster as 'Mother'.

If you can cope with the child abuse depicted within I recommend you read it. But if you want a skilfully written account you might be disappointed.

Pure Evil !, 27 Sep 2008
I read about this case in the newspapers , so when I saw this book being advertised, I knew I had to buy it and see if the foster mother, was as evil as they made out.
And yes she is, my only dissapointment was that she only got 14 years in prison. She should have been hung !!! pity the death sentance is no longer used !
Good Luck to Chris, Karen and Lulu in whatever you do. x

Truth hurts, 25 Jun 2008
This is a 'must have' book. When JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potters series, you could witness the pain as she battled with depression. At times it was difficult to read those books because the dark side was coming out. In this book, Child C, there is a similarity, which is even more touching as this is not a made up story. Eunice Spry tricked the authorities for years, she persecuted her children and made mockery of the vocation of motherhood. The consequences of her actions will ripple forward in the lives of all those who know and have heard this sorry tale. Christopher (the author) has written his story in an easy to read fashion which makes digesting the difficult material easier at times. It won't put you off your food, but it will open your eyes. Too often we are unaffected by life's turmoils, books like this open up the world to us and hopefully make us all a little bit more aware. I am looking forward to reading his next book which will detail how his life has moved on since Eunice was sent to prison, I am sure that will be an even more heart moving account.

How on earth could this have happened???, 14 May 2008
I feel compelled to write a review of this book. I recieved it yesterday and had read its entirety in just a few hours, couldn't put it down. Page after page just gripped me with horror and sadness at the life this poor young guy was made to live at the hands of this evil, evil woman. Eunice Spry apparently smiled that day as she was led away from the court to start her 14 year sentence to pay for the abuse and trauma she put these 3 innocent children through almost every day up until their 'rescue/escape' Is this what religion can do to some people?? Was she just plain evil? Did it stem from a fateful childhood of her own? We shall never truly know what drove this woman to hurt these kids so viciously as she denies it anyway. To Chris, you are a very VERY brave and strong person for not only enduring the relentless torture, but also for standing up against Eunice in court. It upset me to read that you didn't really feel you should be doing this to her, but she NEEDS to be punished for what she did to you and your foster sisters. I wish you all the very best of luck in coming to terms with your horrendous past and making a happy life for yourself and the people around you.
Personally, I believe prison is too good for people like Eunice Spry. Prison is where she will recieve substantial meals EVERY DAY (No starvation punishments), she will have a clean comfortable bed every night. There will be no bleach or sticks or tcp or excrement being forced into HER mouth...and there will be officers there 99% of the time for her protection from other inmates. Did these 3 children get ANYTHING like that from the person that was left in charge to care for them? She won't have to worry about baked bean cans or tuna cans being thrown at her, or cricket bats whacked against her legs or chair legs beating her feet. She will have NONE of this...they got it all. They were innocent...she was found guilty of horrendous abuse...yet who's being punished?? Social services may have a hard job to do, and i appreciate that, but just reading Chris' book, and also his foster sister's book "Deliver Me From Evil", you can't blame anybody from thinking somebody wasn't doing their job. There were signs that trained people that had contact with the family should have spotted a mile off. And let's not forget how recent this was...this wasn't back in the 60's & 70's when things seemed to be 'acceptable' or just swept under the carpet. Has everybody forgotten about little Ricky Nieve???

a brilliant read!, 30 Apr 2008
I must disagree with other reviews of this book and say i was hooked from the minute i picked it up.
Christopher told everything exactly how it was, even down to how he still feels about eunice.
Being of the same age as him and living not too far away,
i found myself thinking of what i was doing at times when christopher reflected on his past, and i must say this boy suffered immensely but doesnt seem to have let it spill into his adult life,
i hope where ever eunice spry is, she has read this book and finally felt some remorse.



If you love books by Torey Hayden, you'll love books by Cathy Glass., 07 Sep 2008
Cathy Glass writes in much the same gripping style as Torey Hayden, allowing you to learn about the child (in this case Tayo), as she does throughout the story. With her fluent story-telling style, it is easy to be swept up in the tale, and read the whole book in one day, hardly pausing for breathe between chapters.

Moreover, this book is not simply a tale of horror and suffering, although, to be sure, there is mention, but rather a moving memoir of her time with Tayo, highs and lows, progress and setbacks.

A well-written and moving read by all accounts.

hidden, 22 Aug 2008
this book is excelant i would recomend it to anyone i couldnt put it down at all i have the bags to prove it lol cant wait to read the next one

Well worth a read., 18 Jun 2008
Having read Glass' previous book 'Damaged' I felt compelled to read this one too. Another shocking insight into the world of social care, or more into the world of those who enter into it. I found it somehow not quite as compelling as her first book - perhaps because it didn't have so much 'shock factor' for want of a better description, but its still a real eye opener, and well worth a read. A happier ending at least - brought tears to my eyes!

AMAZING!, 13 Jun 2008
I think this book is great! It is a must read for everybody. I had already read 'Damaged' written by Cathy Glass and knew that this was going to be good too. I could not put it down all day and now the book spends most of its time being borrowed by friends. This book is such a good read and i would reccommend it to anyone who was interested. An AMAZING READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brilliant book!, 01 Jun 2008
This was a wonderful story, much different from the usual stories of abuse and hurt. The lovely part about this story was that there really was a magical fairy tale ending. This was written in a way that was not shocking by its content but saddening by its reality. I really enjoyed the book.

The Blackest Streets, 15 Sep 2008
I am enjoying this book because it has shed new light on my own family's story as they lived in Bethnal Green at the end of the 19th century. The use of personal stories especially those of Arthur Harding is very effective and one of the best things about the book. I have struggled with its over-wordiness in places and the insertion of several numerical facts one after the other but on the whole it's very readable and an important historical record of a largely ignored problem.

What a Book! Social history at its very best, 27 Aug 2008
I have seldom read such an affecting book. It is a model of accessible, informative and gripping social history. Through meticulous research, it tells the lives of those people who lived in the area known as "The Nicol" in East London in the late 19th c. there are countless individual stories of heartbreaking poverty, set against the bigger picture of social, political and religious reforms and the history of urban victorian slums. Contemporary photographs and etchings are really illustrative and help bring the area to life. I have ancestors who lived in the area and it provided a fascinating and humbling glimpse of their lives but this book is so well written and informative, in a very accessible style that anyone interested in history will enjoy it. It is a real page turner - I was completely caught up in the day to day lives of the people of the Nicol. Utterly compelling and highly recommended. My book of the year so far.

A Glimpse of the First Sink Estates, 05 Aug 2008
Thank you Sarah for setting out in great detail what many refuse to accept - poor social planning has its consequences. Today, we read of sink estates, crime and poverty unaware that these issues are not new. Sarah Wise has highlighted the attitudes that existed in the 19th century to proper housing for the working classes, and when we look at the problems surround modern day housing estates we find that little has changed. Councils, Housing Trusts and Landlords indifferent to the conditions of their tenants so long as the money is rolling in, and when dissent is voiced, use the law, use the courts use any means possible to avoid the legal, moral and social responsibilities of the provision and maintainence of decent housing. Sarah's message is buried deep in the pages of this marvellous book, which is a wealth of social and urban history.

After sharp showers, the sun shines brightest, 16 Nov 2008
The premise of this book is the story of a soap company that would eventually become Unilever and its founder and directing mind, William Lever. It doesn't sound promising, but, like many obscure corners of history that have been illuminated by fascinating, lucid and readable biographies and histories, this is the window to a wide and startling vista.

I came to read the book after hearing excerpts of it on BBC Radio 4's `A Good Read'. It sounded interesting in the round, but what really made me pay attention was the detail on Rivington. Rivington is a village in the moorland above Chorley and Bolton. It has medieval tithe barns, a quaint village centre, strange follies and the most amazing terraced gardens, ornamental lake and Roman ruins.

As a child I was taken there for Sunday walks, climbing the stone steps to a strange grotto that, in my mind, was permanently winter. The waterfall would be petrified, frozen solid in mid-tumble, and the landscape glistening as a pallid sunlight reflected from a thick and universal spread of frost.

In short it seemed a magical and strange place. So I was much obliged to the author of this book for providing some illumination as to how Japanese gardens and intricate terraces had been transplanted to this windswept and remote corner of Lancashire.

And once I had started reading the book it was clear that not only would my interest in a local beauty spot be satiatied, but that this was a wide-ranging and interesting book which, although having William Lever and his soap business as the central focus of attention, also covered the British Empire, the Liberal Party, old age pensions, garden cities and much more.

William Lever is presented sympathetically - it is obvious that Mr MacQueen is struck by the common affliction of biographers in his growing affection for his subject. But this is backed by the legacy of the man, which, whilst not completely apart from the times, was markedly different to the Victorian factory owners in this dark corner of Britain.

Mr MacQueen makes it clear that this book should not be read as a comprehensive biography of the man. William Lever's life is detailed, but is also used as a launch pad to some fascinating discourses on everything from the brutal history of Belgian Congo to the more obscure Parliamentary rules.

This book was a joy to read, and should whet the appetite to at least visit Port Sunlight, Rivington and the Isle of Harris and Lewis. So far I've got two out of the three, and the very brief but alluring introduction of the Western Isles has meant that I will try and head to the furthest reaches of Scotland sometime soon.

A True Lancashire Man, 26 Aug 2007
As a frequent visitor to Rivington ,this book regails the life of local philantronphist and fills in the gaps of the life of the enigma that was William Lever. If you live in the Lancashire you must read this book

ALL BUBBLES AND FROTH, 19 Dec 2005
Forgive me for raining on the parade of stars that have been showered on this particular book. It is undoubtedly slick, stylish and sometimes very amusing. However, it is also superficial in its approach. People should read instead Roger Hutchinson's 'The Soap Man'. While this work clearly concentrates on Leverhulme's investments in Lewis and Harris, it also gives a better sense of what the Soap King was like as a man.

An highly entertaining biography, 28 Jun 2004
As a great-granddaughter of Mary Lever Tillotson, sister to William Hesketh Lever, aka "The King of Sunlight", I was delighted to be given this book as a "special birthday" present earlier this month. Before opening the cover, I had no idea how highly entertaining and fascinating it would be. Leaving aside the family connection, Adam Macqueen's descriptions of a clever, down-to-earth and visionary entrepreneur had me in fits of laughter, although in contrast, a chapter relating what is thought to have happened to William's younger brother, James, was sensitively handled and in many ways a contrast to much of the rest of the book. Some of William Lever's late 19th and early 20th Century ideas of the "duties" of an employer would be regarded as nothing less than expected in the 21st Century, and this book gives a witty and perceptive insight into his life and times. In my childhood, I felt that over the years, my family had been blessed with somewhat more than its fair share of what some might label "eccentrics". Thanks to Adam Macqueen's book, I feel others now have an insight into one of these, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys being entertained whilst reading a biography - and challenge anyone who thinks biographies are boring old tomes to say this of "The King of Sunlight" once they have read it. I found it a hard book to put down.

Harrowing but not particularly well written, 10 Oct 2008
Before people criticise me for not raving about this book I should add that the content was totally horrifying and made me cry on more than one occasion. The reason was simply that the treatment of these children was so appalling, so outrageously cruel and so evil that anyone not moved must have a heart of stone. As a parent myself I found Eunice Spry's behaviour deeply upsetting and hope she is never released from prison.

The problem is the style in which the book is written. It's not good and there are many occasions where phrases are repeated in the same paragraph and it doesn't read well as a whole. I believe the additional writer was Andrew Holmes and his style is poor and clumsy. That's a shame as Christopher's Spry's tale is compelling and thought-provoking. But for a book like this to be a success it needs more than mere content - and one can't just praise a book because of the shocking treatment of the writer and the sympathy one feels for those who suffered at the hands of a monster as 'Mother'.

If you can cope with the child abuse depicted within I recommend you read it. But if you want a skilfully written account you might be disappointed.

Pure Evil !, 27 Sep 2008
I read about this case in the newspapers , so when I saw this book being advertised, I knew I had to buy it and see if the foster mother, was as evil as they made out.
And yes she is, my only dissapointment was that she only got 14 years in prison. She should have been hung !!! pity the death sentance is no longer used !
Good Luck to Chris, Karen and Lulu in whatever you do. x

Truth hurts, 25 Jun 2008
This is a 'must have' book. When JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potters series, you could witness the pain as she battled with depression. At times it was difficult to read those books because the dark side was coming out. In this book, Child C, there is a similarity, which is even more touching as this is not a made up story. Eunice Spry tricked the authorities for years, she persecuted her children and made mockery of the vocation of motherhood. The consequences of her actions will ripple forward in the lives of all those who know and have heard this sorry tale. Christopher (the author) has written his story in an easy to read fashion which makes digesting the difficult material easier at times. It won't put you off your food, but it will open your eyes. Too often we are unaffected by life's turmoils, books like this open up the world to us and hopefully make us all a little bit more aware. I am looking forward to reading his next book which will detail how his life has moved on since Eunice was sent to prison, I am sure that will be an even more heart moving account.

How on earth could this have happened???, 14 May 2008
I feel compelled to write a review of this book. I recieved it yesterday and had read its entirety in just a few hours, couldn't put it down. Page after page just gripped me with horror and sadness at the life this poor young guy was made to live at the hands of this evil, evil woman. Eunice Spry apparently smiled that day as she was led away from the court to start her 14 year sentence to pay for the abuse and trauma she put these 3 innocent children through almost every day up until their 'rescue/escape' Is this what religion can do to some people?? Was she just plain evil? Did it stem from a fateful childhood of her own? We shall never truly know what drove this woman to hurt these kids so viciously as she denies it anyway. To Chris, you are a very VERY brave and strong person for not only enduring the relentless torture, but also for standing up against Eunice in court. It upset me to read that you didn't really feel you should be doing this to her, but she NEEDS to be punished for what she did to you and your foster sisters. I wish you all the very best of luck in coming to terms with your horrendous past and making a happy life for yourself and the people around you.
Personally, I believe prison is too good for people like Eunice Spry. Prison is where she will recieve substantial meals EVERY DAY (No starvation punishments), she will have a clean comfortable bed every night. There will be no bleach or sticks or tcp or excrement being forced into HER mouth...and there will be officers there 99% of the time for her protection from other inmates. Did these 3 children get ANYTHING like that from the person that was left in charge to care for them? She won't have to worry about baked bean cans or tuna cans being thrown at her, or cricket bats whacked against her legs or chair legs beating her feet. She will have NONE of this...they got it all. They were innocent...she was found guilty of horrendous abuse...yet who's being punished?? Social services may have a hard job to do, and i appreciate that, but just reading Chris' book, and also his foster sister's book "Deliver Me From Evil", you can't blame anybody from thinking somebody wasn't doing their job. There were signs that trained people that had contact with the family should have spotted a mile off. And let's not forget how recent this was...this wasn't back in the 60's & 70's when things seemed to be 'acceptable' or just swept under the carpet. Has everybody forgotten about little Ricky Nieve???

a brilliant read!, 30 Apr 2008
I must disagree with other reviews of this book and say i was hooked from the minute i picked it up.
Christopher told everything exactly how it was, even down to how he still feels about eunice.
Being of the same age as him and living not too far away,
i found myself thinking of what i was doing at times when christopher reflected on his past, and i must say this boy suffered immensely but doesnt seem to have let it spill into his adult life,
i hope where ever eunice spry is, she has read this book and finally felt some remorse.



If you love books by Torey Hayden, you'll love books by Cathy Glass., 07 Sep 2008
Cathy Glass writes in much the same gripping style as Torey Hayden, allowing you to learn about the child (in this case Tayo), as she does throughout the story. With her fluent story-telling style, it is easy to be swept up in the tale, and read the whole book in one day, hardly pausing for breathe between chapters.

Moreover, this book is not simply a tale of horror and suffering, although, to be sure, there is mention, but rather a moving memoir of her time with Tayo, highs and lows, progress and setbacks.

A well-written and moving read by all accounts.

hidden, 22 Aug 2008
this book is excelant i would recomend it to anyone i couldnt put it down at all i have the bags to prove it lol cant wait to read the next one

Well worth a read., 18 Jun 2008
Having read Glass' previous book 'Damaged' I felt compelled to read this one too. Another shocking insight into the world of social care, or more into the world of those who enter into it. I found it somehow not quite as compelling as her first book - perhaps because it didn't have so much 'shock factor' for want of a better description, but its still a real eye opener, and well worth a read. A happier ending at least - brought tears to my eyes!

AMAZING!, 13 Jun 2008
I think this book is great! It is a must read for everybody. I had already read 'Damaged' written by Cathy Glass and knew that this was going to be good too. I could not put it down all day and now the book spends most of its time being borrowed by friends. This book is such a good read and i would reccommend it to anyone who was interested. An AMAZING READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brilliant book!, 01 Jun 2008
This was a wonderful story, much different from the usual stories of abuse and hurt. The lovely part about this story was that there really was a magical fairy tale ending. This was written in a way that was not shocking by its content but saddening by its reality. I really enjoyed the book.

The Blackest Streets, 15 Sep 2008
I am enjoying this book because it has shed new light on my own family's story as they lived in Bethnal Green at the end of the 19th century. The use of personal stories especially those of Arthur Harding is very effective and one of the best things about the book. I have struggled with its over-wordiness in places and the insertion of several numerical facts one after the other but on the whole it's very readable and an important historical record of a largely ignored problem.

What a Book! Social history at its very best, 27 Aug 2008
I have seldom read such an affecting book. It is a model of accessible, informative and gripping social history. Through meticulous research, it tells the lives of those people who lived in the area known as "The Nicol" in East London in the late 19th c. there are countless individual stories of heartbreaking poverty, set against the bigger picture of social, political and religious reforms and the history of urban victorian slums. Contemporary photographs and etchings are really illustrative and help bring the area to life. I have ancestors who lived in the area and it provided a fascinating and humbling glimpse of their lives but this book is so well written and informative, in a very accessible style that anyone interested in history will enjoy it. It is a real page turner - I was completely caught up in the day to day lives of the people of the Nicol. Utterly compelling and highly recommended. My book of the year so far.

A Glimpse of the First Sink Estates, 05 Aug 2008
Thank you Sarah for setting out in great detail what many refuse to accept - poor social planning has its consequences. Today, we read of sink estates, crime and poverty unaware that these issues are not new. Sarah Wise has highlighted the attitudes that existed in the 19th century to proper housing for the working classes, and when we look at the problems surround modern day housing estates we find that little has changed. Councils, Housing Trusts and Landlords indifferent to the conditions of their tenants so long as the money is rolling in, and when dissent is voiced, use the law, use the courts use any means possible to avoid the legal, moral and social responsibilities of the provision and maintainence of decent housing. Sarah's message is buried deep in the pages of this marvellous book, which is a wealth of social and urban history.

More of the same please, 19 May 2008
I am a former member of the PC Brigade and I found this book an excellent introduction to countering PC arguments.

I am not against all aspects of PC but it has now become a bloated, arrogant,dishonest and ironically very intolerant creed. I realised that I no longer wanted to be PC when I saw so called liberals marching around London with placades saying " We are all Hezbollah now ". I suppose a placade stating " we are all medieval, homophobic, anti-semitic, misogynst, intolerant religious fascists now " would have been unwieldy.

Once a realised I no longer believed in PC I wanted to learn how to counter PC arguments and this book fits the bill as a primer.However Browne offers counter arguments to many of the dogmas of PC without stooping to the name calling the PC crowd now unfortunately uses in place of honest debate.I am still in favour of equality for women, gays and ethnic minorities and so is the author. It is the bullying dogma, dishonest and sometimes downright stupidity of many PC arguments that has driven me away from it. After reading Brownes book I know I am not alone.

Polemic? I think not., 31 Jan 2008
Whilst an interesting read, there is little in terms of content that I found to be particularly controversial. Perhaps, as Browne suggests in his final few pages, this is indicative of the demise of the PC ideology; I certainly hope so. This is very much an essay rather than a work of any great intellectual rigour but one that I would suggest is worthy of the investment of a few hours of one's time.

Excellent, essential reading, 29 Dec 2007
A brilliant book that should be read by anyone with an interest in the issues it addresses, The Retreat Of Reason is written in a very accessible manner and can be digested quickly. The author makes his points succinctly and intelligently. He is a beacon of wisdom in this land taken over by madness, as sponsored by an appalling government.

There should be a copy of this in every library in Britain and in every MP's office in Britain. But of course that won't happen. Why? Political correctness!

An almost perfect account of PC's origins, 16 Oct 2007
Perhaps not surprisingly, Browne's political pamphlet has received some fairly stinging attacks - always a great way to draw attention (and sales) to it. Julian Petley has written a discourteous review of The Retreat of Reason and regrettably fallen foul of concentrating on the odd factual error in an effort to divert attention from many of Browne's arguments.

PC thought and action though has evolved to the point that the "common" people - not just academics or our former liberal elite - are regularly touched by it. Anyone who has been unfortunate to have become a victim of crime will invariably encounter PC (sic) behaviour from their local police - often in their sheer lack of interest in pursuing the perpetrator. When citizens deal with local authorities, the NHS, and even many commercial organisations (such as Sainsbury's) they'll encounter PC behaviour at some point.

Browne explores the origin of PC and knocks over some of it's foundations (with relative ease it has to be said.) He points out the now-regular conumdrums that PC-literate folk suffer from, almost constantly - when they have to somehow balance their strict morality with its consequences - pointing-out the likes of Ken Livingstone - formerly known for promoting equality in all forms, but who will quite happily invite a Muslim scholar to London who calls for the murder of gays and the formal chastisement of women.

One element of the book rankles with me - Brownes almost puppy-like love of big corporations and enterprises. These are the organisations that have willingly shipped technology abroad (to Communist China for instance) and hopelessly failed to invest in skills and training for decades. Brownes lavish praise for capitalism might be out of step with some readers who are (like me) a little skeptical of its so-called triumph.

Browne though pulls his punches. The knots that PC folk get themselves into have led to our former left-wing and liberal elite falling into the maw of facism in recent years - an observation regularly pointed-out by commentators like Nick Cohen and the former Leftist David Horowitz in the US. Enchanted with a desire to challenge Western concepts in all forms, PC has moved from its Marxist heritage to occupy the ground that those around in the 1930's would have recognised as distinctly facist. Thus we see so-called "Lefties" demanding the introduction of Sharia Law (through the SWP/Respect) whilst the likes of Peter Tatchell are frantically discouraged by those who are desperately floundering with their moral compasses.

PC's greatest failure is to rob society of the liberal elite and left-leaning individuals that would have protested for our freedoms of expression, encouraged (proper) equality for women and gays and fought off the siren call of facism. Now, because of PC, that generation has been lost and we are none the better for it. Browne points out that we will need a new Age of Elightenment to repair the damage that PC has done - but those who used to work to change the Establishment have now become part of it.

Excellent, 25 Sep 2007
This book is a very informative text for anyone who wishes to understand more clearly the effects of the Political Correct culture that has swept across our land over recent years.

Browne discusses in detail the objectives of the Political Correct elite and how this plague has driven an infection into the very heart of a once free speaking nation. Using strong examples and a thorough understanding of current events and social behavior this book gives the reader an interesting insight into debate and the suppression of debate that we are currently faced with.

The effects of PC culture that is so strongly enforced by our media and government are clear when we see how individuals have to behave day to day to ensure they are not offending some group or other. Browne brings home his point when introducing hypocrisy in PC culture, misleading statistical evidence to support PC objectives and the new victim culture that is so evident in today's society.

This is an excellent read and one which should certainly put a few noses out of joint. More of the same please!!

After sharp showers, the sun shines brightest, 16 Nov 2008
The premise of this book is the story of a soap company that would eventually become Unilever and its founder and directing mind, William Lever. It doesn't sound promising, but, like many obscure corners of history that have been illuminated by fascinating, lucid and readable biographies and histories, this is the window to a wide and startling vista.

I came to read the book after hearing excerpts of it on BBC Radio 4's `A Good Read'. It sounded interesting in the round, but what really made me pay attention was the detail on Rivington. Rivington is a village in the moorland above Chorley and Bolton. It has medieval tithe barns, a quaint village centre, strange follies and the most amazing terraced gardens, ornamental lake and Roman ruins.

As a child I was taken there for Sunday walks, climbing the stone steps to a strange grotto that, in my mind, was permanently winter. The waterfall would be petrified, frozen solid in mid-tumble, and the landscape glistening as a pallid sunlight reflected from a thick and universal spread of frost.

In short it seemed a magical and strange place. So I was much obliged to the author of this book for providing some illumination as to how Japanese gardens and intricate terraces had been transplanted to this windswept and remote corner of Lancashire.

And once I had started reading the book it was clear that not only would my interest in a local beauty spot be satiatied, but that this was a wide-ranging and interesting book which, although having William Lever and his soap business as the central focus of attention, also covered the British Empire, the Liberal Party, old age pensions, garden cities and much more.

William Lever is presented sympathetically - it is obvious that Mr MacQueen is struck by the common affliction of biographers in his growing affection for his subject. But this is backed by the legacy of the man, which, whilst not completely apart from the times, was markedly different to the Victorian factory owners in this dark corner of Britain.

Mr MacQueen makes it clear that this book should not be read as a comprehensive biography of the man. William Lever's life is detailed, but is also used as a launch pad to some fascinating discourses on everything from the brutal history of Belgian Congo to the more obscure Parliamentary rules.

This book was a joy to read, and should whet the appetite to at least visit Port Sunlight, Rivington and the Isle of Harris and Lewis. So far I've got two out of the three, and the very brief but alluring introduction of the Western Isles has meant that I will try and head to the furthest reaches of Scotland sometime soon.

A True Lancashire Man, 26 Aug 2007
As a frequent visitor to Rivington ,this book regails the life of local philantronphist and fills in the gaps of the life of the enigma that was William Lever. If you live in the Lancashire you must read this book

ALL BUBBLES AND FROTH, 19 Dec 2005
Forgive me for raining on the parade of stars that have been showered on this particular book. It is undoubtedly slick, stylish and sometimes very amusing. However, it is also superficial in its approach. People should read instead Roger Hutchinson's 'The Soap Man'. While this work clearly concentrates on Leverhulme's investments in Lewis and Harris, it also gives a better sense of what the Soap King was like as a man.

An highly entertaining biography, 28 Jun 2004
As a great-granddaughter of Mary Lever Tillotson, sister to William Hesketh Lever, aka "The King of Sunlight", I was delighted to be given this book as a "special birthday" present earlier this month. Before opening the cover, I had no idea how highly entertaining and fascinating it would be. Leaving aside the family connection, Adam Macqueen's descriptions of a clever, down-to-earth and visionary entrepreneur had me in fits of laughter, although in contrast, a chapter relating what is thought to have happened to William's younger brother, James, was sensitively handled and in many ways a contrast to much of the rest of the book. Some of William Lever's late 19th and early 20th Century ideas of the "duties" of an employer would be regarded as nothing less than expected in the 21st Century, and this book gives a witty and perceptive insight into his life and times. In my childhood, I felt that over the years, my family had been blessed with somewhat more than its fair share of what some might label "eccentrics". Thanks to Adam Macqueen's book, I feel others now have an insight into one of these, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys being entertained whilst reading a biography - and challenge anyone who thinks biographies are boring old tomes to say this of "The King of Sunlight" once they have read it. I found it a hard book to put down.

Harrowing but not particularly well written, 10 Oct 2008
Before people criticise me for not raving about this book I should add that the content was totally horrifying and made me cry on more than one occasion. The reason was simply that the treatment of these children was so appalling, so outrageously cruel and so evil that anyone not moved must have a heart of stone. As a parent myself I found Eunice Spry's behaviour deeply upsetting and hope she is never released from prison.

The problem is the style in which the book is written. It's not good and there are many occasions where phrases are repeated in the same paragraph and it doesn't read well as a whole. I believe the additional writer was Andrew Holmes and his style is poor and clumsy. That's a shame as Christopher's Spry's tale is compelling and thought-provoking. But for a book like this to be a success it needs more than mere content - and one can't just praise a book because of the shocking treatment of the writer and the sympathy one feels for those who suffered at the hands of a monster as 'Mother'.

If you can cope with the child abuse depicted within I recommend you read it. But if you want a skilfully written account you might be disappointed.

Pure Evil !, 27 Sep 2008
I read about this case in the newspapers , so when I saw this book being advertised, I knew I had to buy it and see if the foster mother, was as evil as they made out.
And yes she is, my only dissapointment was that she only got 14 years in prison. She should have been hung !!! pity the death sentance is no longer used !
Good Luck to Chris, Karen and Lulu in whatever you do. x

Truth hurts, 25 Jun 2008
This is a 'must have' book. When JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potters series, you could witness the pain as she battled with depression. At times it was difficult to read those books because the dark side was coming out. In this book, Child C, there is a similarity, which is even more touching as this is not a made up story. Eunice Spry tricked the authorities for years, she persecuted her children and made mockery of the vocation of motherhood. The consequences of her actions will ripple forward in the lives of all those who know and have heard this sorry tale. Christopher (the author) has written his story in an easy to read fashion which makes digesting the difficult material easier at times. It won't put you off your food, but it will open your eyes. Too often we are unaffected by life's turmoils, books like this open up the world to us and hopefully make us all a little bit more aware. I am looking forward to reading his next book which will detail how his life has moved on since Eunice was sent to prison, I am sure that will be an even more heart moving account.

How on earth could this have happened???, 14 May 2008
I feel compelled to write a review of this book. I recieved it yesterday and had read its entirety in just a few hours, couldn't put it down. Page after page just gripped me with horror and sadness at the life this poor young guy was made to live at the hands of this evil, evil woman. Eunice Spry apparently smiled that day as she was led away from the court to start her 14 year sentence to pay for the abuse and trauma she put these 3 innocent children through almost every day up until their 'rescue/escape' Is this what religion can do to some people?? Was she just plain evil? Did it stem from a fateful childhood of her own? We shall never truly know what drove this woman to hurt these kids so viciously as she denies it anyway. To Chris, you are a very VERY brave and strong person for not only enduring the relentless torture, but also for standing up against Eunice in court. It upset me to read that you didn't really feel you should be doing this to her, but she NEEDS to be punished for what she did to you and your foster sisters. I wish you all the very best of luck in coming to terms with your horrendous past and making a happy life for yourself and the people around you.
Personally, I believe prison is too good for people like Eunice Spry. Prison is where she will recieve substantial meals EVERY DAY (No starvation punishments), she will have a clean comfortable bed every night. There will be no bleach or sticks or tcp or excrement being forced into HER mouth...and there will be officers there 99% of the time for her protection from other inmates. Did these 3 children get ANYTHING like that from the person that was left in charge to care for them? She won't have to worry about baked bean cans or tuna cans being thrown at her, or cricket bats whacked against her legs or chair legs beating her feet. She will have NONE of this...they got it all. They were innocent...she was found guilty of horrendous abuse...yet who's being punished?? Social services may have a hard job to do, and i appreciate that, but just reading Chris' book, and also his foster sister's book "Deliver Me From Evil", you can't blame anybody from thinking somebody wasn't doing their job. There were signs that trained people that had contact with the family should have spotted a mile off. And let's not forget how recent this was...this wasn't back in the 60's & 70's when things seemed to be 'acceptable' or just swept under the carpet. Has everybody forgotten about little Ricky Nieve???

a brilliant read!, 30 Apr 2008
I must disagree with other reviews of this book and say i was hooked from the minute i picked it up.
Christopher told everything exactly how it was, even down to how he still feels about eunice.
Being of the same age as him and living not too far away,
i found myself thinking of what i was doing at times when christopher reflected on his past, and i must say this boy suffered immensely but doesnt seem to have let it spill into his adult life,
i hope where ever eunice spry is, she has read this book and finally felt some remorse.



If you love books by Torey Hayden, you'll love books by Cathy Glass., 07 Sep 2008
Cathy Glass writes in much the same gripping style as Torey Hayden, allowing you to learn about the child (in this case Tayo), as she does throughout the story. With her fluent story-telling style, it is easy to be swept up in the tale, and read the whole book in one day, hardly pausing for breathe between chapters.

Moreover, this book is not simply a tale of horror and suffering, although, to be sure, there is mention, but rather a moving memoir of her time with Tayo, highs and lows, progress and setbacks.

A well-written and moving read by all accounts.

hidden, 22 Aug 2008
this book is excelant i would recomend it to anyone i couldnt put it down at all i have the bags to prove it lol cant wait to read the next one

Well worth a read., 18 Jun 2008
Having read Glass' previous book 'Damaged' I felt compelled to read this one too. Another shocking insight into the world of social care, or more into the world of those who enter into it. I found it somehow not quite as compelling as her first book - perhaps because it didn't have so much 'shock factor' for want of a better description, but its still a real eye opener, and well worth a read. A happier ending at least - brought tears to my eyes!

AMAZING!, 13 Jun 2008
I think this book is great! It is a must read for everybody. I had already read 'Damaged' written by Cathy Glass and knew that this was going to be good too. I could not put it down all day and now the book spends most of its time being borrowed by friends. This book is such a good read and i would reccommend it to anyone who was interested. An AMAZING READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brilliant book!, 01 Jun 2008
This was a wonderful story, much different from the usual stories of abuse and hurt. The lovely part about this story was that there really was a magical fairy tale ending. This was written in a way that was not shocking by its content but saddening by its reality. I really enjoyed the book.

The Blackest Streets, 15 Sep 2008
I am enjoying this book because it has shed new light on my own family's story as they lived in Bethnal Green at the end of the 19th century. The use of personal stories especially those of Arthur Harding is very effective and one of the best things about the book. I have struggled with its over-wordiness in places and the insertion of several numerical facts one after the other but on the whole it's very readable and an important historical record of a largely ignored problem.

What a Book! Social history at its very best, 27 Aug 2008
I have seldom read such an affecting book. It is a model of accessible, informative and gripping social history. Through meticulous research, it tells the lives of those people who lived in the area known as "The Nicol" in East London in the late 19th c. there are countless individual stories of heartbreaking poverty, set against the bigger picture of social, political and religious reforms and the history of urban victorian slums. Contemporary photographs and etchings are really illustrative and help bring the area to life. I have ancestors who lived in the area and it provided a fascinating and humbling glimpse of their lives but this book is so well written and informative, in a very accessible style that anyone interested in history will enjoy it. It is a real page turner - I was completely caught up in the day to day lives of the people of the Nicol. Utterly compelling and highly recommended. My book of the year so far.

A Glimpse of the First Sink Estates, 05 Aug 2008
Thank you Sarah for setting out in great detail what many refuse to accept - poor social planning has its consequences. Today, we read of sink estates, crime and poverty unaware that these issues are not new. Sarah Wise has highlighted the attitudes that existed in the 19th century to proper housing for the working classes, and when we look at the problems surround modern day housing estates we find that little has changed. Councils, Housing Trusts and Landlords indifferent to the conditions of their tenants so long as the money is rolling in, and when dissent is voiced, use the law, use the courts use any means possible to avoid the legal, moral and social responsibilities of the provision and maintainence of decent housing. Sarah's message is buried deep in the pages of this marvellous book, which is a wealth of social and urban history.

More of the same please, 19 May 2008
I am a former member of the PC Brigade and I found this book an excellent introduction to countering PC arguments.

I am not against all aspects of PC but it has now become a bloated, arrogant,dishonest and ironically very intolerant creed. I realised that I no longer wanted to be PC when I saw so called liberals marching around London with placades saying " We are all Hezbollah now ". I suppose a placade stating " we are all medieval, homophobic, anti-semitic, misogynst, intolerant religious fascists now " would have been unwieldy.

Once a realised I no longer believed in PC I wanted to learn how to counter PC arguments and this book fits the bill as a primer.However Browne offers counter arguments to many of the dogmas of PC without stooping to the name calling the PC crowd now unfortunately uses in place of honest debate.I am still in favour of equality for women, gays and ethnic minorities and so is the author. It is the bullying dogma, dishonest and sometimes downright stupidity of many PC arguments that has driven me away from it. After reading Brownes book I know I am not alone.

Polemic? I think not., 31 Jan 2008
Whilst an interesting read, there is little in terms of content that I found to be particularly controversial. Perhaps, as Browne suggests in his final few pages, this is indicative of the demise of the PC ideology; I certainly hope so. This is very much an essay rather than a work of any great intellectual rigour but one that I would suggest is worthy of the investment of a few hours of one's time.

Excellent, essential reading, 29 Dec 2007
A brilliant book that should be read by anyone with an interest in the issues it addresses, The Retreat Of Reason is written in a very accessible manner and can be digested quickly. The author makes his points succinctly and intelligently. He is a beacon of wisdom in this land taken over by madness, as sponsored by an appalling government.

There should be a copy of this in every library in Britain and in every MP's office in Britain. But of course that won't happen. Why? Political correctness!

An almost perfect account of PC's origins, 16 Oct 2007
Perhaps not surprisingly, Browne's political pamphlet has received some fairly stinging attacks - always a great way to draw attention (and sales) to it. Julian Petley has written a discourteous review of The Retreat of Reason and regrettably fallen foul of concentrating on the odd factual error in an effort to divert attention from many of Browne's arguments.

PC thought and action though has evolved to the point that the "common" people - not just academics or our former liberal elite - are regularly touched by it. Anyone who has been unfortunate to have become a victim of crime will invariably encounter PC (sic) behaviour from their local police - often in their sheer lack of interest in pursuing the perpetrator. When citizens deal with local authorities, the NHS, and even many commercial organisations (such as Sainsbury's) they'll encounter PC behaviour at some point.

Browne explores the origin of PC and knocks over some of it's foundations (with relative ease it has to be said.) He points out the now-regular conumdrums that PC-literate folk suffer from, almost constantly - when they have to somehow balance their strict morality with its consequences - pointing-out the likes of Ken Livingstone - formerly known for promoting equality in all forms, but who will quite happily invite a Muslim scholar to London who calls for the murder of gays and the formal chastisement of women.

One element of the book rankles with me - Brownes almost puppy-like love of big corporations and enterprises. These are the organisations that have willingly shipped technology abroad (to Communist China for instance) and hopelessly failed to invest in skills and training for decades. Brownes lavish praise for capitalism might be out of step with some readers who are (like me) a little skeptical of its so-called triumph.

Browne though pulls his punches. The knots that PC folk get themselves into have led to our former left-wing and liberal elite falling into the maw of facism in recent years - an observation regularly pointed-out by commentators like Nick Cohen and the former Leftist David Horowitz in the US. Enchanted with a desire to challenge Western concepts in all forms, PC has moved from its Marxist heritage to occupy the ground that those around in the 1930's would have recognised as distinctly facist. Thus we see so-called "Lefties" demanding the introduction of Sharia Law (through the SWP/Respect) whilst the likes of Peter Tatchell are frantically discouraged by those who are desperately floundering with their moral compasses.

PC's greatest failure is to rob society of the liberal elite and left-leaning individuals that would have protested for our freedoms of expression, encouraged (proper) equality for women and gays and fought off the siren call of facism. Now, because of PC, that generation has been lost and we are none the better for it. Browne points out that we will need a new Age of Elightenment to repair the damage that PC has done - but those who used to work to change the Establishment have now become part of it.

Excellent, 25 Sep 2007
This book is a very informative text for anyone who wishes to understand more clearly the effects of the Political Correct culture that has swept across our land over recent years.

Browne discusses in detail the objectives of the Political Correct elite and how this plague has driven an infection into the very heart of a once free speaking nation. Using strong examples and a thorough understanding of current events and social behavior this book gives the reader an interesting insight into debate and the suppression of debate that we are currently faced with.

The effects of PC culture that is so strongly enforced by our media and government are clear when we see how individuals have to behave day to day to ensure they are not offending some group or other. Browne brings home his point when introducing hypocrisy in PC culture, misleading statistical evidence to support PC objectives and the new victim culture that is so evident in today's society.

This is an excellent read and one which should certainly put a few noses out of joint. More of the same please!!


this book is great, capisci., 17 Aug 2008
by far the most interesting book I have read in ages, everything you wanted to know about the Mafia. And as everyone says, 'LEMONS!'?!?

A fascinating history, 31 May 2008
The development of the mafia in Sicily over the last 150 years is described in detail in this absorbing book.
The challenge of writing about a secret, criminal fraternity is obvious. How can you be sure of the accuaracy of your sources and to what extent have popular perceptions of the Mafia been distorted by the media industry that has fuelled its reputation and its mystique? Dickie never fails to acknowledge the difficulty of such a task and never falls into the trap of allowing his writing to become melodramatic or unrealistic. This means that his tale has the air of authority of journalistic prose and brings to life the conditions in which the Mafia arose by focusing on the social and economic events that encouraged its development.
This means that the book is of interest not just to historians but to anyone who has an interest in Italian culture and society. Dickie makes clear his admiration for those who have fought against violence and corruption and whose integrity has prompted the recent courtcases against mafia leaders.The book is well written and provides both an interesting introduction to a controversial subject and a brave rebuttal of Hollywood's tendency to glamourise crime.


It all started with Lemons !!!, 19 Sep 2007
Well I never.........but it really did, way back in the 1800's in Sicily.

I had no idea what to expect, and took to the task of reading what was described by a fellow Anglo-Italian as "the finest read concerning the Cosa Nostra" with great gusto.

Being written by an academic, (and not being one myself) it meant that there was always going to be some heavy going content, and the middle phase is indeed that. Great, but you do have to have your wits about you to take it in and it is all relative to the latter events and the developing threads. Dickie clearly knows his stuff and his supporting research is meticulous.

Covers everything, and everyone, from the startings back in the 1800's right up to modern day, including excellent quality detail on the Maxi trials and the assasinations of those brave Mafia-busting Judges, Falcone and Borsellino.

It even covers the export of Cosa Nostra to the USA and exposes the quite different methods and "management styles", albeit their "business interests" are very much aligned.

I read this alongside Donnie Brasco and it was quite amazing how much more I was able to relate to what he actually went through for those years and the magnitude of his achievements.

An excellent history, 26 Nov 2006
The praise given by critics and reviewers when this book was first published in 2004 are easily understood and justified when reading it in paperback format. While many earlier books have largely relied on a review of recent Sicilian history and events post WWII (Norman Lewis, Claire Sterling) or focussing on a very specific area (such as Alex Stille's "Excellent Cadavers" on the story of investigating magistrates Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino), this is the first real recent effort I know of in English to write a full history of the Sicilian Mafia under its correct name of Cosa Nostra. This is faciltated by the recent outpouring of Italian writings based on the vast amount of new information and evidence now available and which Dickie fully acknowledges in his book. In addition Dickie has also researched a number of historical sources and reports which have been largely ignored by previous English language writers.

What really places this book above the rest is:

Dickie has proven much better at covering the 19th century foundation of Cosa Nostra (and its earlier roots in Sicilian society) and then tracking this organisation's development of being a very tightly controlled killing machine exterminating any competition through the 20th century to date - the fact that nearly half of the book is devoted to the period before the end of WWII reflects this approach.

He has avoided the trap of spending too much time covering the US Mafia with its well known more public image and history, instead only referring to it as it actually impacts and helps our understanding of the Sicilian society's history.

Finally he has done a much fuller job than many prior books in tracking the Cosa Nostra linkage through Sicilian politics with Italian political history since Italian unification in late 19th century and especially since WWII, with the rise of Christian Democrats party who dominated Italian politics, especially under Andreotti. He makes a very strong case that without such political links and Rome's constant vacillation, Cosa Nostra would never have become as endemic and protected from the forces of law and order.

One ends the book feeling that the whole tragedy while not at an end is certainly moving into a model seen in many other countries, where criminal or terrorist elements have realised their best chances of survival are lower profile protection and corruption activities plus control of drugs, kidnapping and prostitution rather than seeking to always be in the public eye. This was almost wholly down to an almost public civil war started and executed by Leggio and Rinna with numerous public killings between 1970 and 1982. The murdering of a number of high profile police and anti-Mafia lawyers and politicians, ultimately created the environment where Falcone and Borsellino were able to achieve the maxi-trials in 1986 which used pentiti (defectors) such as Tomasso Buscetta. This led to many (but not all) leading Cosa Nostra old style heads being jailed for long terms under better enforced new Italian laws and those persons failing to date to obtain their freedom by political corruption in Rome.

The book is likely to be the classic text of the area for some time given all these strengths and with the organisation becoming more circumspect.

Good early history of cosa nostra, 12 Nov 2006
This book gives lots of good information relating to how cosa nostra started in sicily. It makes a very interesting read about their roots and improvements.

In my opinion it would have been good to included a little bit more about modern sicilian mafia to weigh up the extensive information about cosa nostra's roots.

All in all a very good read and highlights well the difference between the american mafia and the sicilian.

Almost worth 4 stars but somehow does not quite warrant it. But if you are interested in the mafia then definately READ IT!!!

After sharp showers, the sun shines brightest, 16 Nov 2008
The premise of this book is the story of a soap company that would eventually become Unilever and its founder and directing mind, William Lever. It doesn't sound promising, but, like many obscure corners of history that have been illuminated by fascinating, lucid and readable biographies and histories, this is the window to a wide and startling vista.

I came to read the book after hearing excerpts of it on BBC Radio 4's `A Good Read'. It sounded interesting in the round, but what really made me pay attention was the detail on Rivington. Rivington is a village in the moorland above Chorley and Bolton. It has medieval tithe barns, a quaint village centre, strange follies and the most amazing terraced gardens, ornamental lake and Roman ruins.

As a child I was taken there for Sunday walks, climbing the stone steps to a strange grotto that, in my mind, was permanently winter. The waterfall would be petrified, frozen solid in mid-tumble, and the landscape glistening as a pallid sunlight reflected from a thick and universal spread of frost.

In short it seemed a magical and strange place. So I was much obliged to the author of this book for providing some illumination as to how Japanese gardens and intricate terraces had been transplanted to this windswept and remote corner of Lancashire.

And once I had started reading the book it was clear that not only would my interest in a local beauty spot be satiatied, but that this was a wide-ranging and interesting book which, although having William Lever and his soap business as the central focus of attention, also covered the British Empire, the Liberal Party, old age pensions, garden cities and much more.

William Lever is presented sympathetically - it is obvious that Mr MacQueen is struck by the common affliction of biogra