Abstract
Terry Waite’s name is enough to stir interest, and this little book captures a vulnerable, private person whose reflections and poems give insight to those dark times for which he is remembered, and which has led to ‘the rambling pathway I have taken through life’. We are invited to view the world through his eyes and through his commitment to various trusts and charities that benefit those marginalized or imprisoned today, such as Hostage UK, Y Care International and Emmaus UK. He writes from a particular location, on the whole; the house of friends in New Zealand, where the pace of life allows a slow and steady flow of short essays on 27 topics, with accompanying poems. Throughout the book are charming illustrations by his friend Jenny Coles. He recalls times of torture, of friendship and relationships, of home and family. He opens up to the anger and conflict he has experienced, and how he has reconciled himself to much of his past, including his relationship with his father. One has the sense that this is a book that looks backwards in order to look forwards to his own dying. It is poignant and hopeful, and would be a good read for anyone in hospital, facing an uncertain future or in prison, with time to review and reflect.
On the whole I found the prose passages more engaging than the poetry, which came from the heart, but could have benefited from tighter editing, a more intense use of words. But the honesty and clarity is there, and takes one to a gentle, reflective place as one reads. In an age when many are self-absorbed to a fault, his reticence is welcome.