‘The History of Us’

‘The History of Us’, published in 2009 by Legend Press and shortlisted for East Anglian Book of the Year, has for its setting the Gorleston-on-Sea of the early 1980s and mid 1990s. It is divided into three main sections, each written in the voice of one of the main characters. In the present day, James is a major TV actor best known for his portrayal of an omniscient and randy police inspector. Back in the early 1980s he is a dreamy poet, hopelessly in love with his childhood friend Alison. Their intensely close relationship forms the heart of the story. Alison is precocious; intellectually bright but also rebellious and full of secrets. Coming between these two lower-middle-class friends is working-class art student Wilson, opinionated, skilful, now a Royal Academician and shameless opportunist. Their entanglement culminates in a tragedy that will colour the rest of their lives.

Gorleston is closely described. The main characters live off the southern end of Marine Parade, hang out on the sea front, walk along the beach and pier and drink in the Links Hotel, a landmark modernist building on Marine Parade demolished at the turn of the century; they visit Lowestoft, Covehithe and Southwold.

The author, Philip Leslie, knows this part of the world very well, having spent the first 19 years of his life here. He drank in the Links and was a student at the Great Yarmouth College of Art and Design Wilson attends. (Wryly, in an afterword, he comments that Wilson would have been a contemporary of his on the Foundation Course and that he wouldn’t have liked him.) These days he lives a handful of miles across the Norfolk border in Cambridgeshire. In addition to ‘The History of Us’ he has had short stories and poems published. Writing as Philip Hansell, he won a consolation prize in the 2001 Bridport Competition for his story ‘Brought to You by the Makers of Norriss Toothbrushes, the Unseen Power behind Britain’s Smile’. The following year this was adapted by the Peter Quince Theatre Company for thirteen performances at the Edinburgh Festival, Camden and Yeovil. Also writing as Philip Hansell, he composes music, mainly for amateur performers, and has around forty pieces in print, the majority with Phylloscopus Publications (Spartan Press). He has had music performed at the Bath Festival and at the London New Wind Festival.