E. V. Thompson (1931–2012)
Author of Chase the Wind
About the Author
E. V. Thompson was born on July 14 1931. He left the Burford Grammar School in Oxfordshire at the age of 16 to join the Royal Navy, where he remained until 1956, serving in Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked for the Bristol constabulary, was an investigator show more with BOAC, was chief security officer for the department of civil aviation in Rhodesia, and worked at Devonport Naval Dockyard. His first book, Chase the Wind, was published in 1977. He wrote about 40 historical novels during his lifetime including Harvest of the Sun, The Dream Traders, Cry Once Alone, Blue Dress Girl, Somewhere a Bird Is Singing, Winds of Fortune, Beyond the Storm, and The Bonds of Earth. He was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2012 New Year's Honours list. He died on July 19, 2012 at the age of 81. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Series
Works by E. V. Thompson
Singing Spheres 1 copy
Chase the Wind (abridged) 1 copy
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Thompson, Ernest Victor
- Birthdate
- 1931-07-14
- Date of death
- 2012-07-19
- Gender
- male
- Awards and honors
- Order of the British Empire (Member)
- Nationality
- UK
- Birthplace
- London, England, UK
- Place of death
- Launceston, Cornwall, England, UK
- Associated Place (for map)
- England, UK
Members
Reviews
This is a fast moving story, a real page turner. I know the locations but it was fascinating to learn about life on St Michael’s Mount. Apparently Thompson has written about 40 books so I’m looking forward to more stories by this wonderful author. Gripping from start to finish (in a Cornish sort of way).
This sweeping historical novel covers the lives of the villagers of Tolpuddle, in Dorset, in the early 1830s when infamously six farm labourers were transported to Australia after a show trial for swearing an oath to become members of a union of farm workers (that was not itself illegal by that time), to protest against the gradual reduction of farm labourers' wages that was threatening them and their families with hardship and near starvation. None of the six is a major character in the show more novel though, and the lives and loves of the fictional characters weave a web that gives a strong feeling for the texture of life in this society at this particular time, the poverty, sense of community and strong religious, especially Methodist, underpinning to life, that underlay the concerns for social justice. The main characters are young Wesley Gillam, and the girl he comes to love, Saranna Vey, though the eponymous woman is Amelia Cake, a cantankerous but ultimately compassionate widowed landowner for whom Wesley and Saranna work. A good read, and I would read more by this author - I understand that many of his novels are set in Cornwall, a part of the country I love. show less
The thing with Thompson is that you know what you are going to get. Star crossed lovers who may, or may, not hate each other on first sight, then kept apart by class/war/circumstances until the final few chapters where all is resolved and they live happily, contentedly, ever after, (usually after the male has worked his way heroically up the social ladder a couple of notches.)
9/10 there is a bit of social history thrown in for good measures. The working classes struggling with their lot.
For show more me Thompson's books are the literary equivalent of mashed potato, - comfort food; something to curl up with when you want the familiar, when you want a break from brain-aching 'intellectual' tomes.
He must be doing something right as I have several shelves of the things now! show less
9/10 there is a bit of social history thrown in for good measures. The working classes struggling with their lot.
For show more me Thompson's books are the literary equivalent of mashed potato, - comfort food; something to curl up with when you want the familiar, when you want a break from brain-aching 'intellectual' tomes.
He must be doing something right as I have several shelves of the things now! show less
This historical novel centres on the notorious Scottish Highland clearances in the early to mid 19th century. Wyatt Jamieson is a liberally-minded minister in the Scottish church sent to a parish in the Highlands, where the factor John Garrett, employed by the absentee landowner Lord Kilmale, is determined to clear the area of highland crofters to make way for more profitable sheep. At the same time, church and state are in conflict and the path is set for the schism of the Free Church from show more the main body of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. These conflicts are played out in various ways including through bloody conflict as Garrett resorts to terror tactics to achieve his aims. I enjoyed the story, though not quite as much the author's The Tolpuddle Woman. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 53
- Also by
- 4
- Members
- 950
- Popularity
- #27,087
- Rating
- 4.0
- Reviews
- 19
- ISBNs
- 306
- Languages
- 6
- Favorited
- 2