Out of the Tunnel latest reviews
Thanks this week to authors Caroline Smailes , Clare Sudbery, and Sarah Salway for their reviews of Out of the Tunnel .
Caroline says....
''Out of the Tunnel is a beautifully crafted and (in parts) a delicate account that pulls on the experiences of both Rachel and of her co-survivors.
Rachel North gives voice to other stories. She speaks of post-traumatic stress disorder. She informs. There is integrity within her honest account. Rachel's voice carries emotion and has a depth that pulls the reader into specific times and places.
Out of the Tunnel is a story that speaks of survival and humanity. I am full of admiration for Rachel. For writing such a brave and open account.
I will not explain how this book helped me and made me realise things about myself. Tear educing things. All that needs to be known is that this book forces opinion and reaction.After reading her words, I was left with the feelings of hope and inspiration.
I have a few words scribbled into the back cover of my copy of Out of the Tunnel.The words.
Inspiration. Hope. Horror. Bravery. Beautiful''
more here
(So Caroline, whose wonderful book In Search of Adam I reviewed here, have both made each other cry! But in a good way. If we ever meet each other we shall have to bring tissues)
Sarah said
''You never forget Rachel's a real person, not just a photograph or a news report, and that's the most valuable lesson for me from this book. The joy in just being ordinary - in being able to wish someone an 'ordinary year', in having someone look at your battered face and seeing, not that, but the ordinary, old non-perfect 'you' underneath the bruises. And there's plenty of joy in here too - in fact, that's what I was left with, a feeling of pride and inspiration. A great book.''
And Clare said
''You would expect her story to make you cry, and feel immense pity.
I didn’t. But I did find myself utterly gripped from the moment I started reading. I was carried along by this extraordinary woman’s ability to tell a story, by wanting to know what would happen next - despite knowing most of it already.
And far from feeling pity I felt admiration, and was inspired. She has felt anger, of course she has. And despair, and fear, and sick dread. But she has never drawn the conclusion that Islam is to blame, and the last thing she wants is to fear her neighbours. And despite the pull of pessimism, she tries to focus on the people in the dark. Those fellow tube passengers who never even looked at each other until they faced that horror together and held each other’s hands.
I consumed Out of the Tunnel eagerly, and what I got was an honest, touching and beautifully-written account, not just of suffering but of how to keep going and why, even if you have had your life threatened twice by random strangers, it’s still worth trusting your fellow man.''
Thank you so much for the amazing support. I have just had a very moving email from another fellow-carriage one passenger, who has read it as well, and it is such a relief to know that people who were there in the dark with me have read it and approve of it and want the story told.
Caroline says....
''Out of the Tunnel is a beautifully crafted and (in parts) a delicate account that pulls on the experiences of both Rachel and of her co-survivors.
Rachel North gives voice to other stories. She speaks of post-traumatic stress disorder. She informs. There is integrity within her honest account. Rachel's voice carries emotion and has a depth that pulls the reader into specific times and places.
Out of the Tunnel is a story that speaks of survival and humanity. I am full of admiration for Rachel. For writing such a brave and open account.
I will not explain how this book helped me and made me realise things about myself. Tear educing things. All that needs to be known is that this book forces opinion and reaction.After reading her words, I was left with the feelings of hope and inspiration.
I have a few words scribbled into the back cover of my copy of Out of the Tunnel.The words.
Inspiration. Hope. Horror. Bravery. Beautiful''
more here
(So Caroline, whose wonderful book In Search of Adam I reviewed here, have both made each other cry! But in a good way. If we ever meet each other we shall have to bring tissues)
Sarah said
''You never forget Rachel's a real person, not just a photograph or a news report, and that's the most valuable lesson for me from this book. The joy in just being ordinary - in being able to wish someone an 'ordinary year', in having someone look at your battered face and seeing, not that, but the ordinary, old non-perfect 'you' underneath the bruises. And there's plenty of joy in here too - in fact, that's what I was left with, a feeling of pride and inspiration. A great book.''
And Clare said
''You would expect her story to make you cry, and feel immense pity.
I didn’t. But I did find myself utterly gripped from the moment I started reading. I was carried along by this extraordinary woman’s ability to tell a story, by wanting to know what would happen next - despite knowing most of it already.
And far from feeling pity I felt admiration, and was inspired. She has felt anger, of course she has. And despair, and fear, and sick dread. But she has never drawn the conclusion that Islam is to blame, and the last thing she wants is to fear her neighbours. And despite the pull of pessimism, she tries to focus on the people in the dark. Those fellow tube passengers who never even looked at each other until they faced that horror together and held each other’s hands.
I consumed Out of the Tunnel eagerly, and what I got was an honest, touching and beautifully-written account, not just of suffering but of how to keep going and why, even if you have had your life threatened twice by random strangers, it’s still worth trusting your fellow man.''
Thank you so much for the amazing support. I have just had a very moving email from another fellow-carriage one passenger, who has read it as well, and it is such a relief to know that people who were there in the dark with me have read it and approve of it and want the story told.
Labels: out of the tunnel
posted by Rachel at 11:04 am
Good luck with the book. It's a difficult thing to write about, but it's something I think London especially needs a real eye witness account of.
I too may leave my review here. It is not easy reading your own words in quotes in pages 184-5 but as a result of that Rachel knows whom this post is from even though I have marked it anonymous and not under my blogger name as I am not yet ready to share with the world my reaction to the bombs nor to have people visit my blog with the express intention to find out more than I wish to release at this current time.
I am the man that sent that email, who pleaded with Rachel for information and as I type my hair stands on end and I have tears close. I am the man who read that victims lifeline, exactly three years ago today on a peaceful Sunday afternoon in bed with him by accident and blurted out "Where's the rest of your life line, You're gonna die young!" and instantly regretted my words even though I had not meant them nor bid them come to my mouth.
I was in tears only at those pages, and I learnt more about PTSD even though I have a smattering of knowledge about those things.
I was truly gripped by the brutal and exceptional honesty and the easy way Rachel can bring cinematographic proceedings that she has eyewitnessed to life with such intensity and level clear writing.
I am both humbled and exalted by her honesty and her willingness to spend a page writing about me and she knows this and I thank her from the bottom of my heart for this encouragement and her ability to remember exactly what was said that day.
God Bless you Rachel.
Hi Rachel, I'm probably not the first to ask this, but do you know when your book will be available in the US? I keep looking on Amazon.com and it's not there. And thanks again for reading my own short story (titled the biologist's daughter) and giving me good feedback a while ago... I really want to return the favor.
Marina