Shabby Tiger

by Howard Spring

This was one of Howard Spring's earlier novels, and it is probably the one that first shows his great feeling for Manchester, with the adventures of the likes of Nick Faunt, an artist; Anna Fitzgerald; Charlie 'Piggy' White; and it marks the introduction of Rachel Rosing, who, of course, became the main character in the sequel.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

248 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1934

About the author

HOWARD SPRING was an immensely popular and successful writer, who enjoyed a large following of readers from the 1940s to the 1960s; and though, since his death in 1965, he has become rather neglected, his books are still worth seeking out for their terrific storytelling and the quality of the writing. He was certainly painstaking and professional in his approach. Every morning he would shut himself in his study and write one thousand words, steadily building up to novels of around one hundred and fifty thousand words. He rarely made major alterations to his writings (all completed with a dip-in pen!).
Howard Spring started out as a journalist, but from 1934 produced a series of best-selling novels, the most successful of which were My Son My Son and Fame is the Spur.
He was born in Cardiff in 1889 in humble circumstances, one of nine children and the son of a jobbing gardener who died while Howard was still at school. He left school at the age of 12 to begin work as an errand boy, later becoming an office boy at a firm of accountants in Cardiff Docks, and then a messenger at the South Wales Daily News. Spring was keen to train as a reporter, and was largely self-taught --he spent his leisure time learning shorthand and taking evening classes, where he studied English, French, Latin, mathematics and history. He mastered English grammar by studying a book on the subject by William Cobbett.
He worked his way up to become a reporter on the South Wales Daily News, and then in 1911 he joined the Yorkshire Observer in Bradford. By 1915 he was on the Manchester Guardian –proof that he was a young man with much talent. Soon afterwards he was called up for the Army Service Corps, where he served as a shorthand typist. After the war, he returned to the paper in Manchester and worked as a reporter on a paper that allowed journalists to write and express themselves. In 1931, after reporting on a political meeting at which Lord Beaverbrook was the speaker, Beaverbrook was so impressed by Spring's piece (he described the man as ‘a pedlar of dreams’) that he arranged for Spring to be offered a post with the Evening Standard in London, where he eventually became a book reviewer –a successor to Arnold Bennett and J.B. Priestley.
At the same time, Spring was developing his ambition to become a full-time writer. He thought he could do a lot better than many of the so-called authors whose books he was asked to review! His first book, Darkie and Co, came out in 1932 (in this period he wrote a number of children’s books for his sons), followed by his first novel, Shabby Tiger (September 1934) and a sequel, Rachel Rosing (1935).
His first major success came in February 1938 with My Son, My Son (originally titled O Absalom, but, happily, changed when William Faulkner used a similar title in the United States), and in 1939 he was able to move to Cornwall to become a full-time writer (he and his wife, Marion, eventually settled at The White Cottage in Fenwick Road, where they remained for the rest of their married life). In 1940, his best-known work, Fame is the Spur, the story of a Labour leader's rise to power, was published. This is without doubt a superb novel, and probably the one book by Spring that is still being read more than 40 years after his death.
During the war years Spring wrote two other novels, Hard Facts (1944) and Dunkerley's (1946), and, subsequently he published There is No Armour (1948), The Houses in Between (1951), A Sunset Touch (1953), These Lovers Fled Away (1955), Time and the Hour (1957), All The Day Long (1959) and I Met a Lady (1961). Spring also produced three volumes of autobiography--Heaven Lies About Us (1939), In the Meantime (1942); and And Another Thing (1946)—which were later published in one volume as The Autobiography (1972). His last book was Winds of the Day (1964).
It is relevant to note that many of his books had Manchester settings, which led to him being referred to as ‘The Manchester Man’, and

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true tale of Manchester. Gosh it made me nostalgic for my own three years there living among artists and musicians. I liked a drink back then and knew the pubs of the 80s in the way that Nick and Anna and Rachel and Piggy knew the pubs of the 30s. I was there in the in between bit when they didn't have trams. It's a good novel, in some ways a great novel but by gosh it's a novel that makes you want to read it. In fact I'm tempted to get on a train to near Chester and to travel the route of the novel from chapter to chapter, Cheshire countryside into Manchester streets, and then street by street though to the end. Very few novels allow you to track them geographically as this one does.

I loved my time in Manchester. I loved re-living it all in these pages. Our bunch was like the bunch in the book and like them, some of us moved away and settled down, some of us quietly disappeared, one or two went on to do great things and had books published, paintings sold and songs recorded. Two of us died as tragically as a death in the book. Manchester is still there. Howard's Spring's Manchester is still there, my Manchester is still there and today's Manchester will draw on the nostalgia of its children in decades to come.

I will look forward to my next visit and my next chance to read a Howard Spring novel.

[Runningrara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not often that I ration myself with a book as I am enjoying it so much. This tatty 2nd hand paperback was a gem. A cast of colourful characters weave through the streets of Manchester and each other's lives. Set in the 20's it was vibrant, gritty and full of northern humour. I may just read it again right now.

[Mackenzie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the great Howard Spring’s first novel first published in 1934.
Here was a writer clearly still developing his style, but despite this, the book stands up on its own as a novel of incredible work from the man I always considered to be the Northern Dickens. The characters are clearly taken from the streets of Manchester, where Spring worked as a reported for the Manchester Guardian, even though he was born in Cardiff and eventually lived in Cornwall as his fame grew.
I can imagine that the outrageous character of Anna Fitzgerald would have caused quite a stir back in 1934, but despite this all are beautifully written three dimensional beings.
The story follows the adventures of artist Nick Faunt and unexpected meeting with the beautiful but forthright Anna Fitzgerald and how they shack up together in Manchester - living over the brush no less - and meet an array of fascinating people, including the larger than life bookie, Piggie White and the enigmatic Rachel Rosing, who has every man who meets her, including Nick Faunt, falling at her feet.
A delight and a must read.

[Cathy McGough]

Must've been quite controversial at the time of publication - Howard Spring's rich characters and story lines never fail me - and this was an excellent read from cover to cover!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-reading my way through all the Howard Spring novels, starting with this, his first one, written in 1934. Although it seems rather dated at the beginning, and slightly "overwritten" for today's tastes, all the ingredients are there which made his later novels masterpieces: good, well-told stories, superb characterisation, compassion, humour, sorrow, and the understanding of the sufferings of the "little people" at the bottom of the pile.

[Sophie Houston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, but I was in tears towards the end. Poor Moly, and poor little black cat.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting in its depiction of Manchester life in the 1930's a setting the author obviously knew well. Two of the main characters are Jewish and although portrayed with a fair amount of sympathy there is also a degree of anti-semitism and casual stereotyping which reflects the era it was written in,

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic novel. Thoroughly enjoyed this author’s wonderful descriptive writing and characters even though in the 21st century the style of writing is no longer used by authors.

This is the first novel in a trilogy but each book is a story in itself.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have decided to read more books based around my local area. Manchester, Lancashire, the North West, etc. This book is a favourite of my mum's and one I've been seeing on the shelves forever. It was about time I read it.

The tale starts with Anna, a maid, running away from her job. She meets up with Nick, an artist, and their story is told. It incorporates many other characters, all of whom added interest for me. The cast spans the Manchester classes from just above the very bottom to the top. With those in between not always happy with their lot. It was written and set in the 1930's. It's still recognisable as Manchester and gives a fascinating viewpoint of the city.


None of the characters are entirely sympathetic or totally loath-able. They're all pretty much in between. Much like normal folk I suppose. This isn't a dreary kitchen sink drama about the state of the nation's poor. It gives a window into life but never dwells on anything. This is no miserable read. It's fun, although not so on every single page. It rips along at a great pace.

It has encouraged me to read more about the local area. Starting with the sequel Rachel Rosing.

Unfortunately the book is no longer in print but is available via the usual 2nd hand sellers.

It was filmed for a Granada TV series in 1973. Luckily I managed to get a DVD from Amazon. That is going to be interesting viewing as it was filmed where it was set.

If anyone has any recommendations for books set around the NW of Engalnd I'd love to hear them.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

One star for remembrance, the rest because it's a bloody good story, fresh as when it was written in 1934. Been on my bookshelves so long the writing on the spine had faded to nothing and consequently I forgot I had it, but immediately I began reading I was transported back to my teens. And, hallelujah, I've the sequel still to read.