Authors.

In my former years, one of the greatest delights after school was visiting the local library. The store of mind expanding literature was a never ending source of pleasure. I eagerly scanned the shelves for new copies of my favourite authors. Apart from the classic tombs of Alexander Dumas, Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, H G Wells, there were a great number more classic masters awaiting to captivate me.

My insatiable drive for action heroes included the Biggles series about his aviation exploits. In the deepest jungle, against all odds the survival of an orphaned boy brought up by a foster family of apes, meant that for me the Tarzan stories ranged from visiting cities to exploring Mars.

Later in life, although still attending school, I chanced upon a science writer by the name of Isaac Asimov who lifted the curtain on space travel and robots.

A new twist to my experiences with all out action heroes was an encounter with Wilbur Smith’s Egyptian and African adventures, which hooked me, with realistic and unforgettable escapade packed epics.

Blood and broadside mind blowing feats of excellent seamanship were introduced to my mind by C. S. Forester Hornblower's Royal Navy exploits. The hero of the stories, much to my delight, progressed up the ladder of command to become an admiral of the fleet.

Alfred Hitchcock’s film director extraordinaire, collected and presented a collection of stories that had impressed him, and even now as I recollect the scope and ingenuity they still cause me to smile.

Of course in the present day there is so much TV, with an abundance of films, however the printed page has a power of igniting the imagination in a way that is personal and so enjoyable. The well thought out and assembled letters on a page can do this for me, in a way that nothing else can.