Indie Spotlight is my attempt to help Indie authors with marketing. It is a daunting task, and if I can help even a little, I’m glad to do it. You can help too by sharing this post with all the readers you know. Below is a review of Pon My Puff by Peter Stark Lansley. It was discovered, edited, and published by his son, Dr. Charles Morris Lansley.
Book Review
This is an autobiographical novel by Peter Stark Lansley about his childhood on the Isle of Wight in the 1920s. It was discovered 60 years later and edited by his son, Dr. Charles Morris Lansley, who also provides notes about the history and background of the era, the location, and the family.
We watch young Peter living an everyday life and celebrating big moments. Peter fondly remembers starting “morning school,” a crush on his teacher, attending horse races, meeting his friend Vicki, and more. I loved the Christmas traditions portrayed, including “stirring the pudding.” There are notes from the editor describing this Victorian tradition and its deep spiritual meaning.
One of my favorite parts of the book was when Peter asked his Gramp what would happen to him when he died. He said, “When I die I’m going to Mount Joy,” and went on to explain that “It’s the Down overlooking Newport…” And on a clear day, …you can hear the angels playing their silver whistle-pipes if you stop and listen.” This appears to be the name of a cemetery, but it became Peter’s euphemism for going to heaven, and he was quite glad when he was told his Aunt Emily had gone to Mount Joy.
“Pon my Puff,” was Gramp’s favorite saying, and is used as an exclamation throughout the book. “Pon my puff,” said Gramp, “You do ask some questions. Now, where do I begin?”
This book reads like a big hug, a look at an idyllic childhood that will put a smile on anyone’s face. It hearkens back to a simpler time, and Peter’s relationship with Gramp is truly a joy. This is a fun, special, well-written, and well-researched autobiographical novel/history.
About the Author
Peter Stark Lansley was born in Portsmouth and died in 1999 on the Isle of Wight after 80 years of a varied and interesting life at sea and in aviation. Between 1938 and 1939 Peter was a radio engineering student at the Municipal College Portsmouth, now the University of Portsmouth. His course was interrupted by the outbreak of war, so Peter joined the Merchant Navy on the staff of the Marconi International Marine Communications Company as Radio Officer and went to sea on board M.V. Port Hobart.
While serving on MV Wandby as Second Radio Officer, his ship was sunk by a German U-boat off the coast of Iceland after being torpedoed on 19 October 1940. He survived and served as a radio officer aboard various ships until being released from the Merchant Navy in 1946 on medical grounds. After this, he worked for the Ministry of Aviation as a telecommunications officer based at Eastleigh Airport, now Southampton Airport, completing his aviation career at Heathrow Airport before retiring to the Isle of Wight in 1981.
Peter loved writing and was a member of the Southampton Writers Circle in the 1950s, during which time he wrote numerous short stories and the notes that were to form his book Pon My Puff!
About the Editor
Dr Charles Morris Lansley has strong connections to the Isle of Wight through his father’s side of the family, who lived on the Island, his Stark and Morris ancestors having had grazing rights in 1425 in the reign of Henry VI. He still maintains his connection to the Island through his home in Shanklin and his interest in Island family and social history.
After discovering his late father’s manuscript of his autobiographical novel forgotten in a trunk for almost 60 years, Charles Lansley edited the notebooks by piecing together the stories and by providing annotations to give background information on the villages and villagers in the 1920s.
Charles Morris Lansley’s other research interests are in 18th and 19th-century natural history, science, and literature. He was awarded his PhD by the University of Winchester in 2016 for research into Charles Darwin. His book, ‘Charles Darwin’s Debt to the Romantics: How Alexander von Humboldt, Goethe and Wordsworth Helped Shape Darwin’s View of Nature’ was published in 2018 by Peter Lang. Prior to his research on Darwin, he worked in education and training before retiring. He is a Fellow of The Linnean Society of London.
Purchase Links
** The UK version is the current version from Austin MacAuley Publishers. The US version appears to be an older issue.
Before You Go
If you read this book, remember to post a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and anywhere else you review books. Your review does not have to be a masterpiece. Just a couple of sentences about how the book made you feel will make the author’s day and help them immensely.
I’ve been to the Isle of Wight and loved it. What a great place to grow up. I love that his son has edited a d pu listed this book.
I have never been there so I have no idea what it is like now, but it was interesting to read about how it was in the 1920s.
Darlene. It is so nice to hear that you have been to the Isle of Wight and if you haven’t read the book, I hope you do. I discovered my father’s story in an old trunk after he died in 1999. He had hand written it in notebooks in the 1950s. When I read it I was totally bowled over not only by the magic of the writing but the innocence of childhood and his deep relationship with his grandparents. It just had to be a project to get it published – simply to enable others to also enjoy this magic. As I read the book I discovered three amazing things. The first was simply the dialogue of the book made all the characters come alive. The second was all the references to my family members were correct yet at the same time woven into the stories as if the book were a novel. Thirdly all the references to the villages and villagers were also correct. So for anyone falling in love with the Isle of Wight or wanting to visit it, I felt I had a responsibility to research everything and put footnotes for all my background research. So after the initial joy of reading the book, it was an absolute delight to research the villagers who lived at that time. There are some lovely stories in the book of little four year old Peter learning about life from the local cobbler, the milkman and from his nursery school teacher who he had a crush on – and they were all real, they all existed. Many of the stories centred around the village of Wootton by the Creek. Which part of the Island did you visit? Of course, all great people have been there: Longfellow, Dickens, Darwin, Jane Austen, Keats, Tennyson and many more …
It’s wonderful that you posted a great review and information about the book, Bonnie. That his son edited and published it is so nice.
Thank you for your interest in my late father’s book. If you haven’t read the book, I hope you do. I discovered my father’s story in an old trunk after he died in 1999. He had hand written it in notebooks in the 1950s. When I read it I was totally bowled over not only by the magic of the writing but the innocence of childhood and his deep relationship with his grandparents. It just had to be a project to get it published – simply to enable others to also enjoy this magic. As I read the book I discovered three amazing things. The first was simply the dialogue of the book made all the characters come alive. The second was all the references to my family members were correct yet at the same time woven into the stories as if the book were a novel. Thirdly all the references to the villages and villagers were also correct. So for anyone falling in love with the Isle of Wight or wanting to visit it, I felt I had a responsibility to research everything and put footnotes for all my background research. So after the initial joy of reading the book, it was an absolute delight to research the villagers who lived at that time. There are some lovely stories in the book of little four year old Peter learning about life from the local cobbler, the milkman and from his nursery school teacher who he had a crush on – and they were all real, they all existed. Many of the stories centred around the village of Wootton by the Creek. The magic of the Island cast a spell on many literary figures who visited the Island including Longfellow, Dickens, Darwin, Jane Austen, Keats, Tennyson and many more.
Wonderful job, Charles. 😊
This sounds like a delightful read! (When I read the title, I had no idea what the phrase could possibly mean.)
Yes, I have never heard that phrase in my life.
I wonder if it was unique to Gramp.
Thank you Liz for your interest in my late father’s book. If you haven’t read the book, I hope you do. I discovered my father’s story in an old trunk after he died in 1999. He had hand written it in notebooks in the 1950s. When I read it I was totally bowled over not only by the magic of the writing but the innocence of childhood and his deep relationship with his grandparents. It just had to be a project to get it published – simply to enable others to also enjoy this magic. As I read the book I discovered three amazing things. The first was simply the dialogue of the book made all the characters come alive. The second was all the references to my family members were correct yet at the same time woven into the stories as if the book were a novel. Thirdly all the references to the villages and villagers were also correct. So for anyone falling in love with the Isle of Wight or wanting to visit it, I felt I had a responsibility to research everything and put footnotes for all my background research. So after the initial joy of reading the book, it was an absolute delight to research the villagers who lived at that time. There are some lovely stories in the book of little four year old Peter learning about life from the local cobbler, the milkman and from his nursery school teacher who he had a crush on – and they were all real, they all existed. Many of the stories centred around the village of Wootton by the Creek. The magic of the Island cast a spell on many literary figures who visited the Island including Longfellow, Dickens, Darwin, Jane Austen, Keats, Tennyson and many more.
You’re welcome, Charles. I’ve been learning a lot about the Isle of Wight from various people’s blogs. It sounds like a wonderful place!
Liz, I hope you get the opportunity to visit it some day. Apart from the cultural heritage ( for example Queen Victoria and her husband Albert developed Osborne House there for their family – they hated Buckingham Palace and spent as much time as they could on the Island. It is open to the public and they even have a large sized Swiss Cottage which her children used to get away from their parents, with its own kitchen and museum) – apart from this, there are stunning views and walks along the coastline. And of course as it’s an island it has kept its rural nature and mainly country lanes. The Island has also got connections to the USA – the States have even got a County named after it (Isle of Wight County in Virginia) even though the County is not an island (very confusing!).