
Peering out from behind his curtained windows in his little house in Northern Ireland, Hugh Vaughan's childhood couldn't have been anything other than interesting. The hustle and bustle of life in his little corner of the world captivated the youngster, who like many of his era, learned the lessons than only such an experience could bring. Cups of tea, bread toasted by the fire, the mother's knitting and slaloms through the clothes line made it a typical Irish upbringing for Hugh, and he takes us delightfully through life's little journeys and a much simpler time in 'A Bump On The Road' (Stories of an Irish Childhood). The innocent years before secondary school are recalled as are movies featuring John Wayne and cowboys and Indians in an era when parents did not hover over their children but allowed them to amuse themselves by playing with mates in the street.Family secrets were, at the threat of real physical harm, hushed by the stares of Hugh's mother, and then there was the day the Saracen armored cars roared down the crescent in which h e lived. Hugh Vaughan moved to Australia where he was able to contrast and compare life at home and abroad. A Bump On The Road is a wonderfully descriptive collection of short stories from Irish life of a bygone age while Vaughan is one of the most eloquent Irish writers to emerge in recent years. A Bump on the RoadA Bump on the Road is a book of 18 short stories emanating from the innocent years before secondary school, and the growing out of it. The stories reflect an observant child in Ireland attempting to understand the world around him. Family, The Church, The Troubles, secrets, ghost stories, leaving home, myths and legends. All this comes under the microscope of a child growing up. These stories are disguised memoirs – creative memoirs. Little nuggets of memories give birth to these flights of fancies. Read the preface for more details of the stories.
The reader is taken on a gamut of emotions in this rich and amusing journey of growing up in Ireland. Sorrow is never too far away. It allows the reader to get a glimpse into the mind of a young child - his thoughts, wishes and dreams as he ventures through the streets of his birth and beyond. The reader will engage and identify with the child as each adventure takes place. | Purchase
A Bump on the Road
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© Hugh Vaughan 2009
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Reviews
‘I have just this minute finished reading your stories - I thoroughly enjoyed reading them, thanks very much. The whole book is a lovely piece of work and I will be reading it again! I was very aware, especially while reading "Down Memory Lane", of having grown up in a very similar environment to you. It pulls everything together and also your descriptions in every story are so clear. I was particularly affected by the story "My Dear Boy". I really love the way you can draw the reader into a moment. Nuala, New Zealand
‘A Bump in the Road is a collection of delightful stories that brought back fond memories of my own childhood in suburban Australia, however the Irish flavour makes it all the more interesting ... More, especially during the 'troubles'. This book is best enjoyed at a leisurely pace, leaving time to ponder and reminisce between stories. Hugh Vaughan has a gift for storytelling’ Regan - Google Review