The Nurse & The Postmaster
This charming memoir the story of two lovers and their respective journeys to finding true happiness is a romantic and emotional tale told from two varying perspectives each as intriguing as the last.
Book One focuses on Zeni a Filipino from Manila who relates her childhood through memories of personal events such as when her brother Julio was taken by an alcoholic woman and the day the Beatles landed in the Philippines for a tour of neighboring Japan. Brief yet affecting stories relate her family history and her eventual move to England where she would inevitably meet her future husband and become a full-time nurse. Zeni’s story isn’t overly dramatic or astounding but offers a realistic portrayal of human existence that is hard to find in today’s memoirs.
Book Two centers on David and his life growing up in England. David paints a vivid portrait of life in 1950s’ Lancashire offering touching and humorous anecdotes such as the time a cow broke through to the family’s backyard and grazed on their flower garden. David relates his journeys across England as a youth and eventually his first marriage and career in the post office. His story is simple but a sense of profoundly realistic emotion abounds throughout his tales; some are funny some sad but all are honest and true. His story ends when he meets Zeni and from here the stories unite in a third book which relates their travels together and the growing love affair between the two.
Book Three is by far the most engaging of the work told from both perspectives with passion and care as the pair quickly become engaged and eventually venture to North America visiting places including Vancouver and the Grand Canyon. From there they journey around the world and eventually settle in a small stone house in Cyprus. The story is far from dramatic; in fact little happens in the way of adversity or complication save for the smaller things that affect everyday life. However this is a refreshing change as the story rings true to the last sentence: “The completion of our new apartment was of our uppermost concern now. When will it be completed and how long is the furniture likely to be in storage? Well that’s another story.”
Ultimately it is uplifting to read a work based on everyday people and their lives. David and Zeni have crafted an enjoyable memoir of their respective lives and their journey together and it is clear that the future abounds with new tales for this likeable pair.
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
