I. L. Bondy

From Prague to Parham: a Memoir I. L. Bondy

The author left Prague after the Nazi invasion. His papers were stamped by the Gestapo for the most extraordinary of reasons. The book relates the story of the author's father as a cavalry officer in the Austro-Hungarian army in World War I, with some seemingly incredible stories illustrating the story. The flight to London, the establishment of the family in what was originally an alien environment, the integration of the author into English middle class life are all there. The years of National Service are amusingly related, with some incidents bordering on the hilarious. Success at work, the early experiences of the opposite sex in the 1950s, the founding of a large family, and eventual tranquillity are all there.