John McPake and the Sea Beggars by Stuart Campbell

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John McPake and the Sea Beggars by Stuart Campbell

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Summary

Soon after John McPake's marriage falls apart he starts hearing voices. An obsession with the works of Breughel develops into a full blown delusion, and he assumes the personna of Johannes, a 16th century Dutch weaver who travels with his friends, Balthazar and Cornelius, in pursuit of his son who has been abducted by the Spanish mercenaries.

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John McPake and the Sea Beggars by Stuart Campbell

John McPake, a former teacher, has a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Soon after his marriage fell apart he started hearing voices and eventually moved into an Edinburgh hostel for men with enduring mental health problems. An earlier obsession with the works of Breughel develops into a full blown delusion, and he assumes the personna of Johannes, a 16th century Dutch weaver who travels with his friends, Balthazar and Cornelius, in pursuit of his son who has been abducted by the Spanish mercenaries. This is an echo of John's real life quest to be reunited with his brother. People with a diagnosis of psychosis often hear multiple voices. To the hearer the voices are as real as if they were listening to someone standing next to them. The voices, often unpleasant, can have completely different characters. John's voices jostle and bitch with each other for the right to tell his story.
'A dark, comical story of seeming no-hopers which moves seamlessly between modern day Edinburgh and 16th Century Holland and opens up the world of those who struggle through life labelled as mentally ill to comic and touching effectAn unexpected gem - John McPake and the Sea Beggars explores the potentially dark and despairing world of the chronically mentally ill. It is witty, erudite and completely absorbing, providing a huge rich canvas of historical detail and a touching array of human foibles. A real treasure and a truly great book. Jo Brand
Stuart Campbell previously worked as an English teacher and Advisor in the Lothians. He is now a part time manager with Health in Mind, an Edinburgh based charity, for whom he delivers training throughout Scotland and the Middle East. He has previously written for the BBC, the Guardian and the Scottish Book Collector. Stuart is married to Morag with four grown up children. John McPake and the Sea Beggars is his third book with Sandstone Press.
SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9781908737694
ISBN 10 1908737697
Title John McPake and the Sea Beggars
Author Stuart Campbell
Condition Unavailable
Binding type Paperback
Publisher Sandstone Press Ltd
Year published 2014-06-19
Number of pages 320
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note Unavailable