Review: Intermission: A Place in Time by Glenda Lee Vollmecke

Author:  Glenda Lee Vollmecke

Paperback, 192 pages

Published in 2013 by Outskirts Press

Reader Category:  Adult

Synopsis:  Intermission A Place in Time… Enjoy this riveting autobiography filled with typical British humor and occasional suspense! This electrifying book offers a journey of continual spellbinding and brilliant stories, some of historic significance. Who would have thought that a young girl like Glen born in the aftermath of WWII, whose family lived on a fixed income would be present at Rock-n-Roll’s most memorable events when the Beatles took Liverpool and the world, by storm. Glen who at seven years old lost her adored father, and adapted to boarders taken in to help with the bills. Subsequently, she endured the selfish antics of her stepfather who even tried to dispatch her to Scotland at the age of eight, by placing her on the wrong train. Amazing vivid descriptions of this era, her associations with the Beatles and other Liverpool musicians bring to life an incredible period. The Liverpool lads knew she was there, and during their initial appearances, she recalls fond memories of her favorite Beatle Ringo, who was quite a clown. She shares her life from age six until sixteen, and it is an overwhelming journey. You will not put this book down! Take a break, and enjoy this ‘place in time’ and feel the ambiance, familiarity, and awareness of the past.

My Review:  This book was a joy to read.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, as some autobiographies can tend to read like disjointed journals (a little choppy with awkward dialogue).  But this book really came to life.  I was drawn in and could picture myself actually having a conversation with the author.  Perhaps over tea with a little cognac?

What drew me to this book was that it would give me some insight into the Beatles’ start, but what kept me reading was the writing itself.  Ms. Vollmecke’s recollections give you a good glimpse of her past while teaching a little about post WWII life.  Offering not too much detail, but not too little either.  Her writing style is so lively, infusing her British humor with even the most serious of events.

Did I say this was a joy to read?

 

WWW Wednesdays November 13, 2013

W.W.W. Wednesdays is a weekly event brought to you by MizB from Should Be Reading.  To play along, answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you are going to read next?

Here is my WWW for today:

What are you currently reading?  I literally just picked up The Coach’s Son by Jeffrey Hickey.  Can’t wait to get started.  Check it out:

Synopsis:  Have you ever felt that your presence at a sporting event influenced the result? Are you certain your team could not possibly succeed without you at the game? Do you believe your adherence to a precise routine on game day, whether at the stadium or in your own home, is the key to winning or losing? And if you don’t hold to these rituals exactly, do you believe in your heart that your team is doomed? If you are a sports fan, you know about superstitions, curses and hexes. The sporting world is littered with these legends. Some, like the Curse of the Bambino, the Curse of the Billy Goat, or being on the cover of Sports Illustrated, are well known and documented. More recently, there has been a rising swell of evidence supporting the Madden Curse. But there are other stories similar to these that have never been told. This is one of those stories. It is the story of a boy named Mark O’Bern.

What did you recently finish reading?  I just finished reading Intermission: A Place In Time by Glenda Lee Vollmecke, Four Seasons of Patrick by Susan Hughes, and Upload by Mark McClelland.  My reviews of Intermission and Four Seasons of Patrick will be up shortly.  You can see my review of Upload here.

What do you think you are going to read next?   I am going to read Morehead by Jeffrey Hickey.

Synopsis:  Morehead is an explicitly adult novel, about Dave Morehead, a young man living in San Francisco during the height of the sexual revolution, in the late 1970’s to mid-1980’s. It was a time of sexual, evolutionary, and political change, with both glorious and nearly catastrophic consequences. San Francisco was teeming with diversity, and an evolving political base that forever changed the landscape of what had always been a progressive city. Harvey Milk, Halloween in the Castro, college classes where heterosexuals are in the minority, the first Gay Games, and spiritual cults comprise just part of the terrain Dave must traverse in order to get from where he was, to what he will become. Along the way, he is challenged, assaulted, and forced to defend himself, while relying on an expanding and surprising variety of friends. At the same time, a mysterious “gay cancer” is beginning to afflict some of his new friends and the community at large. Dave has to grow up, and he has to make choices. Will he be there for his friends, or will he let them go? Morehead is a coming of age story in the first person. It is told from the perspective of journals, classroom assignments, and transcribed audio recordings. Morehead comically, bluntly, graphically, and poignantly tells the tale of a straight young man living in a gay old city.

Teaser Tuesdays November 12, 2013

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.  Everyone is invited to play along.  Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author as well so that others can add the book to their To Be Read list!

Right now I am reading Intermission: A Place In Time by Glenda Lee Vollmecke.  Check out the teaser and synopsis below:

After forty minutes of pushing and pulling, it became clear that leg extraction from the foul-smelling sewer undeniably needed adult assistance.  Finally, Elsie grabbed Rita’s small shoulders.  “Stay and wait until I bring some help,” cried Elsie dramatically.  Sullenly Rita glared at Elsie.  “Where the hell do you think I’m going?”  Confused and skeptical the small girl shook her head.  Page 26

Synopsis:  Intermission: A Place in Time… Enjoy this riveting autobiography filled with typical British humor and occasional suspense! This electrifying book offers a journey of continual spellbinding and brilliant stories, some of historic significance. Who would have thought that a young girl like Glen born in the aftermath of WWII, whose family lived on a fixed income would be present at Rock-n-Roll’s most memorable events when the Beatles took Liverpool and the world, by storm. Glen who at seven years old lost her adored father, and adapted to boarders taken in to help with the bills. Subsequently, she endured the selfish antics of her stepfather who even tried to dispatch her to Scotland at the age of eight, by placing her on the wrong train. Amazing vivid descriptions of this era, her associations with the Beatles and other Liverpool musicians bring to life an incredible period. The Liverpool lads knew she was there, and during their initial appearances, she recalls fond memories of her favorite Beatle Ringo, who was quite a clown. She shares her life from age six until sixteen, and it is an overwhelming journey. You will not put this book down! Take a break, and enjoy this ‘place in time’ and feel the ambiance, familiarity, and awareness of the past.

WWW Wednesdays October 30, 2013

W.W.W. Wednesdays is a weekly event brought to you by MizB from Should Be Reading.  To play along, answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you are going to read next?

Wow.  I can’t believe that October is almost at an end.  It feels like fall outside and I am loving it.  Perfect time to grab your read and a cup of tea.  Enjoy!  Here is my WWW for today:

What are you currently reading?  I am reading Upload by Mark McClelland.  So far it’s really good.  Check it out:

Synopsis:  His criminal past catching up with him, a troubled young man seeks escape into digital utopia by uploading his consciousness into a computer – just as first love casts his life in a new light.  In this thrilling near-future science-fiction novel, Mark McClelland explores the immense potential of computer-based consciousness and the philosophical perils of simulated society.

What did you recently finish reading?  I just finished reading Marcel Proust in Taos by Jon Foyt and The Hanging Tree by Michael Phillip Cash.  See my review of The Hanging Tree here.  I am waiting for interview question responses from Jon Foyt before I post my review for Marcel Proust in Taos, so stay tuned.

What do you think you are going to read next?   I am going to read Intermission by Glenda Lee Vollmecke.  It’s a pretty short read so hoping to read The Coach’s Son by Jeffrey Hickey right after.  Check them out below:

Synopsis:  Who would have thought that a young girl like Glen born in the aftermath of WWII, whose family lived on a fixed income would be present at Rock-n-Roll’s most memorable events when the Beatles took Liverpool and the world, by storm. Glen who at seven years old lost her adored father, and adapted to boarders taken in to help with the bills. Subsequently, she endured the selfish antics of her stepfather who even tried to dispatch her to Scotland at the age of eight, by placing her on the wrong train.

Amazing vivid descriptions of this era, her associations with the Beatles and other Liverpool musicians bring to life an incredible period. The Liverpool lads knew she was there, and during their initial appearances, she recalls fond memories of her favorite Beatle Ringo, who was quite a clown. She shares her life from age six until sixteen, and it is an overwhelming journey. You will not put this book down! Take a break, and enjoy this ‘place in time’ and feel the ambiance, familiarity, and awareness of the past.

From Goodreads:  Have you ever felt that your presence at a sporting event influenced the result? Are you certain your team could not possibly succeed without you at the game? Do you believe your adherence to a precise routine on game day, whether at the stadium or in your own home, is the key to winning or losing? And if you don’t hold to these rituals exactly, do you believe in your heart that your team is doomed? If you are a sports fan, you know about superstitions, curses and hexes. The sporting world is littered with these legends. Some, like the Curse of the Bambino, the Curse of the Billy Goat, or being on the cover of Sports Illustrated, are well known and documented. More recently, there has been a rising swell of evidence supporting the Madden Curse. But there are other stories similar to these that have never been told. This is one of those stories. It is the story of a boy named Mark O’Bern.

Tell me about your WWW’s!

Related articles:

WWW Wednesday MUSINGS FROM A BOOKMAMMAL

WWW Wednesday #42 Chrissi Reads

WWW Wednesday (October 30)  Ceopatra Loves Books