An illustrated poetic memoir in tribute to the author's home town of Felling, Gateshead. A Foreword by Michael Chaplin and the book includes colour photographs and even a fold-a-way map of Felling.
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[In early 2010 I responded to a call for River Tyne memories from Michael Chaplin, then writer in residence at The Port of Tyne Authority, based in South Shields]***
(Limelight Classic Productions Limited, 10 April 2019, 88 pages, paperback, copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed, #BlogTour 23 April via via #RandomThingsTours)
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I'd never heard of the poet before but decided to take part in the Blog Tour as I liked the title of the book and the idea behind it intrigued me. This memoir is definitely one of a kind and was a pleasure to read. The book felt good in your hand, oversized and chunky, the kind of book you itch to start reading. I raced through it in a single setting. I loved the cover, pink and glossy, screaming of being a teenager. I've never visited Felling or any other areas described in the book by that doesn't matter, Elaine brings the world she grew up in and where she still lives to brilliant, vivid life. It felt real to me. I could relate to the anecdotes scattered throughout of growing up, struggling to find your place and connecting at last with the thing that makes your heart sing. There are a few poems scattered throughout the book. These were excellent but there weren't enough of them. I wanted more poems. The Princess of Felling is a unique reading experience.
