Sift: Memories of Childhood

by Lawrence Sail

Sift is the memoir of writer and poet Lawrence Sail s formative years in post-war Exeter. Sail paints a wonderfully evocative picture of British life in the 1940s and 50s, while exploring the richness and bafflements of a child s life. Most families know the true history of time and chance the sift of who and what survives, what is spoken of or glossed over; the stubborn objects outliving their owners passion for them; the oddities of fashion; the co-editing of memory, forgetfulness and the need to forget... Praise for "A most compelling read the intensity of detail, the moments of drama, the sense of the post-war period and, above all, it is marvellously written." Penelope Lively "Sift is a brilliantly atmospheric recreation of a post-war childhood. Lawrence Sail explores the absence of his German artist father, his mother s determination to bring up her twin s singlehanded, and his own heritage in a memoir which is beautifully written, candid, funny and moving." Helen Dunmore

168 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2010

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a personal stake in this book for two reasons: it's a memoir of childhood in Exeter, which is where I grew up, and it's written by the guy who taught me French at GCSE and A level and who was probably my favourite teacher. Which means that it's probably more interesting to me than to the average, casual reader.
In some ways it's slight, bitty and lacks an over-arching theme or strong narrative, although the father's absence is probably the main thread throughout the book. But, as you'd expect from a poet, the writing is expressive and observant, it's funny and evocative, and it got me thinking about some of the forgotten corners of my own childhood.