Never Pure and Seldom Simple: Musings of an Ancient Pig. Robert Byrne

In this starkly humorous novel, set in post World-War 2 England, we experience the realities of life on the sprawling, sooty streets of Yorkshire. Martin Rooney is a young man, scarred by a childhood of bombings, black-outs and bad news followed by three years of traumatic service in R. A. F. Bomber Command, only to find equally bleak prospects for post-war employment. He signs on as an officer of the Crown and enters a world that he had never imagined, a world which quickly alters his view of policemen as angels of justice. Through Martin's eyes, we experience drunkenness, corruption, crime and death, viewed with gentle empathy and rare understanding. We ride with him through the bustle of life, seeing facets of the criminal world not usually considered; the imperfections of a deeply flawed criminal justice system and the day to day distortion of truth and honesty which results. A rich narrative by an author with intimate knowledge of the era, Never Pure and Seldom Simple offers a glimpse into the reality of life, bereft of glamour but still full of honesty, warmth, humor and affection.