No More Tigers, a childhood memoir that will break your heart: In 1942, when I was eight, I walked out of Burma…

by Mary Rayner, Sarah Rayner

"A poignant memoir featuring my extended family," Musician Norman Cook, aka FatBoy Slim

"An unforgettable tale of courage and love, focused on real events. This is a beautiful, precious book," Jane Lythell, author of the bestselling After the Storm

"It's romantic, it's magical, it's atmospheric. The sense of history and the jungle are so strong I was moved to tears. I absolutely loved it." Laura Lockington, author and podcaster

Chapter One...

"When I was eight, I walked out of Burma..."

So begins the true story of Mary Rayner's childhood, a beautifully written and deeply moving account of a family who for several generations lived in colonial Burma, and of what happened to Mary and her siblings when World War 2 shattered their lives.Featuring dozens of original photographs that capture the people and places that were once part of the British Empire, plus the heartbreaking love letters from a her father and mother who were torn apart by war, No More Tigers is a tale of resilience and survival which readers of all ages can enjoy. It is a quest for understanding, for home, for answers. Packed so full of detail it carries you away to a different time and place, it's laugh-aloud funny, yet isn't afraid to ask uncomfortable questions about how we used to live.

* From the author/illustrator of the much-loved picture books, Mr & Mrs Pig's Evening Out, Garth Pig & The Icecream Lady, Mrs Pig's Bulk Buy and many more

* Published and edited by Mary's daughter, Sarah Rayner, author of the international bestselling novel One Moment, One Morning

* Featuring a Foreword and Afterword penned by Sarah, outlining the history of WW2 in the Far East and exploring the road to publication

* Packed full of family photographs, images conveying what the war was like and maps to show where events took place

* A must-read for anyone interested in the tragic tale of WW2's Forgotten Army

* 25% of profits are being donated to WWF's Save the Tiger campaign

* Suitable for readers aged 11+ and those who enjoy YA

* An ideal Christmas gift for older people

* For fans of The Diary of Anne Frank, The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Lady in Waiting

Chapter

What is my country? I have no country, nowhere that I can call truly my own. Oh yes, I live in a village tucked below the rolling downs of Wiltshire, in a house that has been here for centuries; I know the history and the trees and the wildflowers and the birds and the architecture of England probably as well if not better than most, because it has been important to me to learn it, to adopt it as my own, but it is not deeply and thoroughly mine.

The landscape that feels right to me is on a grander scale. The hills are parched, tawny and dry, the skies are blue, the rivers are wide. Why does it still, after forty years and more, seem an imposition to put on shoes and stockings or socks? Because bare feet or sandals are the right and proper thing. Why does the fall of leaves in autumn fill me with foreboding, the smell of chrysanthemums revolt me? Because winter is a hostile season. Cold winds that others find invigorating-make my ears and teeth ache.

Genres: Nonfiction

212 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 5, 2020

Reviews

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like Mary Rayner, my late mother also fled the Japanese invasion of Burma as a child, so I was especially keen to read "No More Tigers" – in part because was interested to know how the author’s experience compared with my own family's history.

Yoma Grigson lived in Upper Burma with her husband, Aubrey and children, Ann, Mary (the author), and Stephen – the family enjoying what seems a very comfortable and privileged life; but when the Japanese invade, Yoma simply rolls up her sleeves and does what needs to be done – namely leave her husband (Aubrey stayed behind to fight), their home, and all their possessions, and undertake a two-week, cross-country trek through the jungle to India *with three young children*. (My own grandfather also stayed behind after my mother and grandmother had fled, and nearly died on his own trek to safety, so this part particularly resonated.)

In parallel with Yoma's story is Aubrey's – detailed in letters he wrote after his family had left. His loneliness is palpable, yet he joined up – in the face of incredible threat – an became a member of what was later known as The Forgotten Army.

Rayner presents her fiercely determined eight-year-old self with wry humour and refreshing honesty, revealing just how much she loved her father, and the country where she was born. The relationships (and rivalries) between her and her siblings are also laid bare (much humour and resonance there too).

"No More Tigers" made me laugh and cry; it sang to me with the joys and sorrows of childhood, of what it is to be truly brave, and the beauty of human relationships. In the midst of today's pandemic it’s useful to consider these other times the world has been turned upside down, and to know that people coped (and without modern transport and communications too). To this end, the book's slow-burn start perfectly sets the scene, which – when the horrors of war finally arrive – is thrown into stark relief, encapsulating both the enormity of the situation, and the incredible actions of those involved.

This is an extraordinary memoir. But it's more than that – it's a love story. It is history too (my family's and that of many others), and also a reminder of what it is to be human. I loved it – but keep the tissues handy.

[Laura Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Rayner’s memoir is a vivid, often funny, poignant portrait of life in colonial Burma before and during World War II; a tale of an idyllic childhood and of a perilous flight from the invading Japanese army. More than anything it is a tale about enduring love.
The story begins in the late nineteenth century, long before the author was born, and shows how the ties with the country are forged. Aubrey and Yoma Grigson live in Upper Burma where they raise their three children, Ann, Mary (our author) and Stephen. It’s a wonderful, privileged childhood of jungle camps, riding elephants and stroking tiger cubs, but when war breaks out the British are advised to flee. Aubrey stays behind to fight. Meanwhile Yoma and the three children make the arduous trek through the mountains to India and safety. Their courage and resilience is all the more remarkable given their ages – Mary was only eight. After a spell in India the family return to England and a very different life. Mary’s love for Burma endures over several decades.
Seen through a child’s eyes the story has the magic and romance of a fairy tale, an adventure, a quest for a missing father. It’s a memoir about identity, what shapes us, and the meaning of home and it doesn’t shy away from criticism of Empire.
It’s worth adding that the foreword and afterword written by Mary’s daughter, bestselling author Sarah Rayner, offer further insights and tell the story behind the story. Another bonus is the wonderful photographs – carefully sized – which are scattered throughout. Fascinating and moving. Highly recommended.

[Jill Robbertze · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this memoir really interesting, the history, the colonial lifestyle and how the escape from Burma to India was organized and handled. (I fully understand the feeling of not fully belonging, having my family heritage in the UK, being born in apartheid South Africa and ultimately settling in Canada.) However, living through the uncertainties of war and the losses of family members must have been really difficult. The detail of day-t0-day life in Burma was so interesting, the teak logging business and the work the elephants did and I was happy to hear that they were relatively well treated. I did find the numerous names of relatives and friends across the generations (for myself) impossible to keep track of but it didn't detract from the enjoyment and understanding of the this fascinating story.
By the way, I LOVE the cover !!!

[Val Guest · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable read, very emotive and an insight into colonialism. Three children flee Burma with their mother leaving behind a father. Travelling on foot into India to safety during the Japanese onslaught during WW2, using letters and diary entries as well as her 8 year olds memories this tells an ultimately sad story. A bonus for me was some of the profits are supporting tiger welfare, another side of the empire.

[Tracey S Choat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

This true story has been interesting and informative about a subject I have read little about. I can't imagine dragging children all the way from Burma to India today, much less back in more primitive days. Thank you for sharing your family story.

[Sarah Grigson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book detailing the wartime experiences of my husband's family. Evocative and beautifully written.

[Supercosmic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Read

[Nicola McAuley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the middle section of this book the most, the walk was described in engaging detail and the characters were most alive to me. The beginning was a bit slow with too many names and initials, or maybe I'm just losing my memory. Descriptions of the jungle and the birds were very engrossing. And the stamina of the children was impressive, a credit to their mother.

[Barbara Beswick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite possibly one of the most remarkably amazing and heart warming books I have ever read. Reading this memoir about Mary Rayner and her family's plight during the Second World War in Burma, allowed me a personal insight into the lives of this awe inspiring family. The narrative along with the many photographs transported me to Rangoon and I often felt I was a part of life with the Grigson's! Images of the 70's tv series 'Tenko' filled my head and my goodness, what a terrific film this story would make, - a real Merchant Ivory classic for sure! The author's Mother Yoma enduring many treacherous miles with her three small children trying to reach safety in India, while herself ill with Chickenpox, Cholera rife, proves her strength and determination were titanic! And all this after having to pack a minimal few clothes and leave behind their family home and all their possessions, her husband miles away duty bound on military duties – barely imaginable. And yet there were so many happy times too. How many children get to ride elephants rather than watch them from the constraints of a zoo?! Not for these children visits to the circus – the circus came to them! Well apart from the clowns, and who likes those?! Aside from being an exceptional read, this book is educational, and not only in terms of teaching history and geography. Who knew for example 'Karens' were people from the South-East of Burma way before 2020, when according to Google, 'Karen is a pejorative term for someone perceived as entitled or demanding beyond the scope of what is appropriate or necessary'. An utterly riveting read. Do have a niggling query though. On page sixty two, a picture of Mary with her baby brother Stephen shows her right foot in an open-toe sandal with her left foot fully concealed. Page sixty six shows I believe the same shoes this time both have open-toes. I'm intrigued. Although why should I be? After all, this sweet little girl who grew up to be such a great writer, clearly even then had the nous and style to create two looks from one pair of sandals! No surprise at all to learn at the end of the book, the author's heart remains still very much in Burma. After reading this memoir, I think maybe a tiny piece of mine does too...

[Bobbie Darbyshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is extremely rare these days that a book brings tears to my eyes, but this one did, twice. In places it is heartbreaking, but it is also fascinating and often funny.
When the Japanese invaded Burma in 1942, the author, then eight years old, fled north overland to India with her mother, older sister and younger brother, leaving their father behind. The family eventually settled in England, where Mary’s books for children about Garth Pig sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide. This is her memoir of her family’s and her own deep attachment to Burma, of the people, elephants and various other animals that she encountered in childhood, and how lives were shattered by the Japanese invasion. It includes countless wonderful photographs and the love letters from Mary’s father at the war front to her mother in India.
Mary's daughter, writer Sarah Rayner, has published her mother’s memoir through the independent imprint Creative Pumpkin Publishing (signed copies available from them). 25% of royalties go to the World Wildlife Fund’s Save the Tiger Campaign.