Page 21 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - September 15
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In a different situation in another class, Yael, a and Mules, about the WW1 Zion Mule Corps and
sweet 14 year old, wrote that “Mozart wrote music its sequel, Of Guns, Revenge & Hope about the
for violence” instead of violins. In another class, WW2 Jewish Brigade. Unfortunately none of my
another pupil swore that he’d read Steinbeck’s books sold particularly well until I changed to an
classic novel in English about the two miskenim, American publisher and brought out my two
Lennie and George. His book report was entitled ‘Tudor-flavoured’ novels about Henry VIII’s
Of Rats & People. At least he’d spelt ‘people’ fourth and fifth wives: Anne of Cleves – Henry’s
correctly. Luckiest Wife and Catherine Howard – Henry’s
Fifth Failure. These have sold very well,
Teaching however was not enough for me and, especially in the USA as has my most recent novel,
about twenty years ago, I started to express myself Six Million Accusers: Catching Adolf Eichmann.
by writing historical novels. Perhaps as a result of
my Movement education, the first one I wrote was After working over forty years at the chalk-face I
Tolpuddle. This was based on the story of the retired in 2013. I now spend my time scribbling
Tolpuddle Martyrs from Dorset who were illegally historical novels hoping that one day I’ll write a
transported to Australia in 1833. They’d had the best-seller. This will be followed by film rights, T-
chutzpa to start a union and claim higher wages. shirts and a four-page article in the weekend
This was followed by a novel about Guy Fawkes literary supplement of Yediot. Of course I will
and another about Christopher Marlowe. I then proudly show this to my three children and three
wrote three novels about Shakespeare including grandchildren.
one called Who Really Wrote Shakespeare? (Will
the Real William Shakespeare Please Stand up? in And so, to conclude this brief summary of how I
its first edition) featuring four literary detectives. I have fulfilled my Zionist aspirations since coming
also wrote two ‘Israeli history’ novels: Of Guns on Aliya, let me quote from the Bard (who else?)
‘Time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides.’
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