'Walking Out of The Dark'

I usually have two or three books on the go: fiction, non-fiction, maybe a technical book (music). 

Up until this week, I had four: Matthew Walker's 'Why We Sleep'; Dmitry Grozoubinski's 'Why Politicians Lie About Trade...'; Ian Leslie's 'John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs'; and Harald Jähner and  Shaun Whiteside's 'Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich'.

All of those went on hold, this week, with the arrival of 'Walking Out Of The Dark'. 

I first met Kelvyn about twenty years ago, at an awful breakfast networking club. He was running a successful business, always looking to make more sales, whereas I was a start-up wondering whether I'd still be going in a few months' time. 

I'm pleased to say we became friends and have remained so. You might know him on Blip as @intothehills and have perhaps seen on these pages the occasions when we get together. 

In all that time, he has alluded now and then to his difficult childhood and, of course, he told me about his mother's untimely death. I even had some hint of what he went through subsequently, but it is all laid bare in his book. 

It is a compelling read, not least for the tension between understanding fully what he's been through and knowing that he's still a fully functioning (and excellent) person, and not just a gibbering wreck. 

If anything, I feel a bit of guilt that I didn't know more of this, although it's not in my nature to pry, but I'll be giving him a massive hug next time I see him.