Book Description

The book is no mere narrative and it is not simply about the author. It is also an accurate eye-witness account of the way things were in 1930s London, in wartime Kent and Snowdonia, on a crowded troopship, in the Commonwealth Air Training Scheme, and in the Klondike goldfields and construction camps of British Columbia. With echoes of Dickens'' Pip, Wordsworth, and Mr. Chips, among other things it takes a glance at climbing, the occult, flying, gold-mining, teaching (in B.C. and in London), recurrent dreams and dissociation. It is a tale of perseverence in the face of repeated disappointment, bereavement and post traumatic stress disorder. And it is an affirmation of the supreme virtue of love.

Editorial Reviews

EDITORIAL REVIEWS

P. A. Condon's literary gem of a memoir...shares sensitive details of his hard-scrabble life with the deft story-telling of Frank McCourt and a healthy dose of Julian Barnes keen wit....The author's gifted writing and emotional honesty make this book a winner.

- Blue Ink Review

A deft, compelling autobiography of an Everyman. Thorough, organized and well-researched, Towards the Light...is powered as much by the storytelling and language as by the subject matter....Wise and entertaining, this book is hard to put down.

- Kirkus Review

Written by a self-described absent-minded introvert, this memoir wraps fascinating philosophy and observations into a well-written treat that speaks to the average human. RECOMMENDED.

- U.S. Review of Books

Category finalist in the 2014 Eric Hoffer Book Awards.