Kirjahaku

"Beyond the Reef" is about the South Pacific Islands of West and East Samoa and their people where the author lived and worked for 14 years as a Teacher, Bookshop Manager and a travelling Inspector of Village Schools. During that time he was expected to be proficient in the Samoan language and understand its culture and customs. He reflects on the manner in which these Polynesian people responded to a succession of onslaughts by representatives of the White Man's world, explorers, traders, missionaries, colonial servants and a horde of American troops during the 2nd World War. The author arrived in Samoa in 1954

Throughout five hundred years of English history no member of the Neems family has achieved fame or notoriety. Mostly farmers, they lived largely hidden lives in small villages near to market towns such as Faversham, Tetbury or Brentford. Their work was 'down to earth'. Alice, named in her father's will of 1572, received three sheep. Rebecca, widowed mother of Tim Neems, a musketeer in Cromwell's Army, struggled to keep her small leasehold following the Restoration of 1660. Joseph, trader in farm produce, and later a publican of 'go ahead' Brentford Market in mid 18th century London, these are some of the characters appearing in these pages. Wedded to the land, the people we meet in 'Only Footprints' portray a distinctive English character.