Seeing Better Now
£25.00
Hardback – 82 pages of illustrated magic
ISBN 9789553891907
- Description
- Reviews (10)
Description
“The very cream is offered to you in this delightful book. Seeing Better Now is a charming, broad square of a volume that is a gift to bring joy to anyone, child or adult at Christmas or birthdays. A compendium of 56 verse stories engulfed by colourful illustrations that reflect the quirkiness of the poems. The book at first makes you think of the Victorian poetry by Edward Lear, Rudyard Kipling or Lewis Carroll. But unlike A Book of Nonsense or The Tale of the Mock Turtle, most stories by Michael Roc Thomas have a firm relevance amidst all the whacky fun. True there’s playful, zany rhyming and lots of bizarreness, but most of them have embedded in their heart a meaningful story and message.”
“An Amazing Book.”
Dr Lawrence Blair- Bali –
It has been a long time since I’ve had as much fun reading poetry. Where is all the light and humorous verse nowadays? Have publishers forgotten the power of Lear and Nash and Belloc, at simultaneously their silliest and most profound, and their rhythms which haunt our minds well into dotage? This is a pleasing kaleidoscope of delightful nonsense and serious observation, in cantering rhyme.
It is only towards the end of the collection that the title poem, Seeing Better Now, shocks one into realizing that not only is the author a doting father, but one who once feared his daughter was going blind. The whole collection then takes on a more serious hue.
Roc Thomas has a Kiplingesque sensitivity to the pleasures and frustrations of living in the tropics and we are reminded of the old colonial expats of India or Malaya who were also enamoured of the wonderful beasts of the tropics, from mosquitoes to elephants, and sought to convey that love in verse.
It is a lucky child who’s father reads to them these wonderful poems at bedtime. Luckier still, if the father wrote them himself.
Tommy Candler – London –
A Flamingo Called Liz who becomes a movie star, gorillas and orang-utans in danger, Mum’s superior plumbing skills, life as an only child… just a few of the subjects of Michael Roc Thomas’s 56 poems, collected in this beautifully produced large format volume Seeing Better Now.
The poems’ jaunty rhymes make them a joy to read. In fact, I felt I was having a conversation with a friend. They are perfect for reading aloud and older children and parents will enjoy reading them for themselves, as indeed I did. Some are particularly thought provoking – an attempt to kill a spider ends with the creature’s reprieve, and there’s a whole section about animals in danger. The vivid drawings on each page illustrate, enrich and complement the poems, so much that you immediately want to read them all again.
A wonderful book! I will treasure it always.
Joan De Saram – UK –
A huge thank you for the simply wonderful “Seeing better now” which has just arrived in the post. I love both the poems and the splendid illustrations and am thoroughly enjoying their simplicity, charm and great humour. And as for the illustrations, what a visual feast! Their colour, the animals, the birds, and the wonderful foliage provide the perfect accompaniment to the entertaining poems and perfectly enhance the verbal imagery.
This is a very precious book!
Irina T (Byron Bay, Australia) –
Well done, the book just arrived in Australia, thank you, I love it. Will be ordering another, well done again
Jacky R (Los Angeles, USA) –
Genius. The book is wonderful. I felt I was there. It must have brought a million memories for Steele. xx
Sheila S (UK) –
Michael your book is a wonderful gift to adults and children alike. Many Congratulations and wishing you Good Luck xx
Jacqui F (UK) –
The book arrived today, thank you. The poems are wonderful and tug at the heart strings…
Helga DSB (Kandy, Sri Lanka) –
A MUST read. VERY well done. Great book!
Charles TS (JHB, South Africa) –
Ursula read me one of your poems after reading about your little girl. Michael dearest man your poems are brilliant and hopefully your little angel will grow into someone of great beauty if she is not already.
Darshan WEERASINGHE –
I had the pleasure of meeting the Author when I got the book and it took me back to my childhood where one would dream wothout limits and where nothing was impossoble. This book has brought me many hoirs of pleasure …a truly deligjtful book!