Product Description

The much loved Scots actor Bill Paterson was brought up in those halcyon days of post-war Britain when a child could still play happily and safely in his own back green and the streets beyond. Now, in TALES FROM THE BACK GREEN he evokes his boyhood and youth in Glasgow's East End during the 1950s, full of intriguing characters and extraordinary events. Always eager to push the boundaries of what they were allowed to do, Bill and his mates construct a giant dust atomic bomb, try to hold their own World Cup tournament and play endlessly on wasteland thats now unrecognizable from the exciting jungle of his childhood.

TALES FROM THE BACK GREEN is not only a brilliant realisation of a time and a place, but a classic memoir of childhood that will strike a chord with everyone who's ever played and dreamed with little thought of life when I grow up.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6068 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 154 pages

Review
'The tales are full of wit and warmth, carefully sculpted but told in a conversational style. An unusual gem.'
--Telegraph, November 1, 2008

Review
'magical', 'exquisitely funny', 'evocative' (Daily Mail )

'The 11 tales are pithy, colourful, and sometimes very funny ... anyone who lived through the social and economic upheaval of Glasgow in the 1950s and 60s will find something in Tales from the Back Green that will strike a chord, be it major or minor.' (Herald )

'Sharp, funny, unsentimental. Great stuff.' (Guardian )

'Affectionate, and beautifully written and narrated.' (Daily Express )

'warmly nostalgic' (Saga Magazine )

'as cosy and comforting as hot buttered toast on a cold winter’s morning, and none the worst for that. This unashamedly nostalgic collection is a fine and gentle piece of work.' (Tribune )

About the Author
Bill Paterson was born in Glasgow. His theatre career includes being a founder member of 7:84 Theatre Company with the landmark production of The Cheviot, The Stag and the Black, Black Oil. Film and Television work includes Wives and Daughters, The Crow Road, The Witches, Truly Madly Deeply, Traffik, The Singing Detective, Aufweidersehn Pet, Comfort and Joy and The Killing Fields. He is a Fellow of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Customer Reviews

Perfect gentle humour
Buy this for everyone you know - it's a perfect Christmas present and its gentle humour will appeal to all. Get the audio version for the authenticity of the author's lovely voice. You can listen to it a hundred times and not get tired of it - buy it for yourself and have a wallow in the past. Thoroughly recommend it.

Tales from the Back Green - Its like being there.
Read by Bill,with a warmth that will captivate you from the first sentence, this enchanting CD [or book]is irresistible and many years in the coming. I used to work for BBC Scotland and in the hours that followed the radio broadcast of Bill's stories, we were flooded with calls from listeners desperate to purchase them in a book, or on CD. Not lost in detail, Bill's tales can understood and enjoyed by all members of the family, and should be. Enjoy but pace yourself, if you can!

I remember a childhood like this!
I first heard these stories when they were broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland a few years back, and prayed that the day would come when they would appear in book form. While I was a "country boy", the spirit, adventure & inventiveness of Bills' childhood in the city resonates with me for its many similaritiesto my own. Some of the stories are "smile and nod" in recognition, and others "laugh out loud" funny, all combining to make this the best Glasgow autobiography in many years, and a future classic of Scottish writing.

I was struck by the warmth of the telling in Bill Patersons' voice on radio, and would, because of that, recommend the audio book version as well. You won't need to be Scottish, or Glaswegian to enjoy these stories, just to have had a childhood in the 50's & 60's