The Road to Nab End - William Woodruff

...something I haven't tried before. The Road to Nab End is a terrific book and one that I have read several times. The Road to Nab End, by William Woodruff, is the true story of the author living in Blackburn in the 1920's/30s.

Woodruff, nicknamed Billy, describes his experiences of living in a gruff, northern milltown like Blackburn in its zenith in the first person viewpoint that could descend into nostalgic one off anecdotes but ...
...in the ccentre of the town. His childhood years reveal attitudes in Britain towards religion, war and industry. Woodruff's writing possesses his childhood innocence - he didn't understand religion, but accepted its importance in the lives of his family. He shares his views on Blackburn's eventual decline, the education system, and Communism through the views he had as a child. There is very little retrospective analysis of his childhood thoughts, ... more

After completing my first movie review fairly recently, and my first CD review only weeks ago, I decided to have a crack at doing a book review, something I haven't tried before. The Road to Nab End is a terrific book and one that I have read several times. The Road to Nab End, by William Woodruff, is the true story of the author living in Blackburn in the 1920's/30s.

Woodruff, nicknamed Billy, describes his experiences of living in a gruff, northern milltown like Blackburn in its zenith in the first person viewpoint that could descend into nostalgic one off anecdotes but somehow doesn't. Woodruff lived in extreme poverty with his family in the ccentre of the town. His childhood years reveal attitudes in Britain towards religion, war and industry. Woodruff's writing possesses his childhood innocence - he didn't understand religion, but accepted its importance in the lives of his family. He shares his views on Blackburn's eventual decline, the education system, and Communism through the views he had as a child. There is very little retrospective analysis of his childhood thoughts, which is definately a good thing - this would certainly ruin the overall feel of the book. Woodruff gives detailed, loving accounts of his family and their lives, and we begin to learn each family member as a different character - his strong, silent, hard working father, his wise old grandmother Bridget, and his mischeivious, rebel brother Danny.

The book is structured in roughly chronological chapters about a certain subject - be it work, religion, the strikes in the '30's, or his family's past. It's clear that although Woodruff lived in poverty, he has an some extraordinary stories to tell. The heartwarming tale of his aunties, his gruelling education, his first job, his chldhood sweetheart and the riots in Blackburn over wages. He describes the feeling of helplesness in the city at the time superbly, and there are many interesting incidents, supplemented by captivating dialogue that makes it a gripping read. Due to the fact that the book is not a straightforward story, and is divided into chapters with different themes, it is quite easy to pick up and read rather than one that you have to read all the way through. This can lead to the book getting a little disjointed, and although the book progresses well towards the end, it can sometimes read like a series of separate stories.

The cover of the book depicts a group of happy children running free down the street. The book begins by describing Woodruff's home and family, and, as mentioned, he describes them very well and does a great job in giving a general fell to the town and the life his family lead in spite of their poverty. The Woodruff's move house twice, meet interesting people, and participate in strikes against the owners of the mills. The poverty that they livein is well documented and a reminder that while things have gotten worse in Britain recently, mamy things have become much better. Towards the end of the book, Woodruff describes his flirtation with politics, documenting his fascination with communism and eventualkly his move to London in search of a better life. Certainly, the books high moments are those hands on recollections of the Blackburn strikes and the decline of the Lancashire mill industry in the 1930s. I've been told that there is a sequel to the book that documents Woodruff's experiences in London, but I haven't read it.

Overall, The Road to Nab End is a superb and heartwarming read that deserves attention. It's only 400 pages or so, so it isn't thre longest book in the world, but it's certainly one that you'll want to read again. It is not only an interesting book, it's also a tale of human triumph against the odds, and I'd recommend to anyone looking for a very enjoyable read.  

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