Paperback Writer

Not saying I’m a slow reader, but I finally finished this small book some 18 years after being given it by the author!
To be fair, I’d forgotten I had it for most of that time, but this third - lengthy - lockdown has had me searching through the bookshelves for something to read.
The lady who wrote this book used to be one of my customers and was in her mid eighties when I first met her. She had led an incredible life and had no intentions of stopping just because of old age. She had been planning on doing a tandem parachute jump and was most annoyed that the doctor refused to sign the medical forms because she had fallen and broken an arm and a leg the year before. She genuinely didn’t understand why they wouldn’t let her do the jump. In the end, she did a tandem microlight flight instead - taking the controls for most of it as she was an experienced pilot, previously holding a private pilots licence. A lovely lady, with a fund of great stories - genuinely what you would call a “character”
But one subject never to be broached with her was Swallows and Amazons. The popular book by Arthur Ransome was set around Coniston and recounted the tale of a summer holiday spent on the Lake by two groups of children. Pauline and her family knew Arthur Ransome well and she was convinced that she and her sister were the inspiration for the Amazons. This was disputed by Ransome and others who were around at the time which was a constant and continuing irritation to Pauline who felt her role in the story should be acknowledged. This particular book is her take on what actually happened that summer and makes an interesting read, especially if you have read Swallows and Amazons or seen the film.
I had totally forgotten that she had personally signed this copy and written a short note thanking me for my help. I can’t remember what I did but it was nice to be appreciated.
Whether or not she was one of the Amazons - and I’d like to believe she was - I am still able to say I knew someone who knew not only knew Arthur Ransome personally but also the other people who were the inspiration for some of the characters in his book.