On the Red Hill by Mike Parker

This is a biography, but after reading it, I feel it is so much more.  It not only covers the lives of Mike Parker and his partner Preds, but also the lives two older men who they were so similar that it was like seeing themselves forty years down the line.

The older men, George and Reg, had lived through a period of time when homosexuality was still illegal, but then survived to see state recognition of same sex relationships in 2005.  The new legislation allowed for Civil Partnerships that provided financial security for couples, (same sex marriage followed in 2014) and  George and Reg were the some of the first in their area of Wales to have the ceremony after living together for almost sixty years.

Between the two couples, the book covers the history of British attitudes towards homosexual men from the time of the second world war through to present day. Before the laws changed, men lived in constant fear of being 'found out' and imprisoned, and casual use of an endearment on the back of a postcard could be enough to spark the interest of the authorities.  It was difficult to take a holiday together or rent rooms, and even by the time of their Civil Partnership, George and Reg were reluctant to draw attention to the true nature of the relationship.

Mike Parker has written a sensitive and enjoyable book that explores love and long-term relationships in a way that could be true for any couple whatever their gender or sexuality.  He captures the feeling of stability and belonging that comes from living together in the same place over a long period, and how couples become part of the fabric of their villages.  He and Preds became so close to George and Reg that they inherited their property when they died, and I loved the way that they saw their own lives as a continuance of what had gone before.

The biographical elements are closely linked not only the old house and garden, but also to the surrounding land and weather conditions.  This is truly the whole organic mix that goes into our lives and a perfect demonstration that nothing can be seen in isolation as everything links somehow to everything else.  There is something big and solid about that feels very comforting.