Book List

Goodnight Children, Everywhere
Voices of the WWII Evacuees

The History Press Ltd; August 1, 2009
ISBN-10: 0752452827
ISBN-13: 978-0752452821

Off the children went, some as young as three years old, their gas masks in square boxes slung over their shoulders, their sparse belongings in battered suitcases and paper bags. Their parents, urged by the government not to see their boys and girls off at railway stations, had no idea where their children were going, nor had they any assurance that they would ever see them again. For many children, the evacuation at the outbreak of the Second World War was profoundly life-changing, often being their first time away from home and family, although children’s experiences varied widely. Some foster families
treated the children as their own, while other evacuees were seen as a source of free labour. Some children developed a life-long love of the country, but others could not wait to get back to the city, despite the dangers.

Monica B. Morris was herself an evacuee and in Goodnight Children, Everywhere she gives a full account of her story, complemented by in-depth interviews with a number of other evacuees. Seventy years on, the evacuation is still a vivid memory for most of those involved, and for some, it shaped the course of the rest of their lives.

That Ridiculous Blue Sky
(click the cover to see the back cover)

March 28, 2006
ISBN: 0595384269
(click to order from Amazon.com)

Three very different women meet at an elaborate promotional event for "Magdalena, the Mediterranean Matchmaker," hoping their lives will be transformed. Their lives are, indeed, changed dramatically - but not as they could possibly have foreseen!

"The novel combines themes of love, friendship, matchmaking, and justice, within a humorous and suspenseful plot. Situations are created that reveal personal turning points for each of the characters. It's an "easy read" that gives a lot for its genre. It is fun, entertaining, and endearing." -- Editor's review

Read more about - That Ridiculous Blue Sky

FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN:
THE MATURE WOMAN'S GUIDE TO FINDING ROMANTIC FULFILLMENT

Square One Publishers; 2005
ISBN: 075700136X
(Click here to order from Amazon.com)

Click here to read more about Falling in Love Again, including an excerpt from the book.

“I can highly recommend Dr. Morris' book “Falling in Love Again” as a valuable tool and helpful guide for older women who are seeking personal fulfillment and companionship in later life. As a gerontologist and an older woman, myself, I appreciate the author's careful assessment of the labyrinth awaiting those who are interested in re-entering the uncertain world of dating relationship with older men. In this delightful and well researched book, the author provides the reader with carefully documented guidelines in the search for companionship and includes humorous and poignant case histories that illustrate the joys and pitfalls this search can entail. But this book is not only about the search for love in our mature years. I particularly enjoyed her insightful advice about personal enrichment and how a  rich and meaningful life in the last half of our lives is not necessarily dependent on finding a significant other, But for those who are engaged in this search, this book is an invaluable resource.”
 -- Janice A Smithers Ph.D.; (A review on Amazon.com. September 2005)

LAST CHANCE CHILDREN: GROWING UP WITH OLDER PARENTS

Columbia University Press; 1988
ISBN: 0231066945
(click to order from Amazon.com)

More timely than ever, Last Chance Children, looks at the increasing trend towards later parenting.  Women may defer parenting for many reasons, until they realize that time is running out and, in their late thirties or early forties, they may decide that it is now or never. While much has been written about the parents and their decisions, this is the first book to look at how children feel about having parents who may be  as old as other children's grandparents. Research seems to show that late-born children whose parents were generous with themselves and their leisure time remember their childhood years with more affection than those whose parents were less involved. This might, of course, apply to any children, regardless of their parents' ages and, indeed, much in this book speaks to all parents desiring their children's well-being and sense of security.

Other insights, though, are specific to children of older parents, for even those who describe their childhoods as idyllic have some reservations about the double generation gap between their parents and themselves.