New Year New Member New Author

happyhotspur · Sun Jan 01, 2012 8:10 am

Hi I am an avid book reader who has just achieved a long term ambition to have my own book published.
It's called 'A Turnkey or Not?' Published by Apex Publishers and it is receiving incredible review here in the United Kingdom, beyond my wildest expectations.
I wanted to write this book because I felt I had a story that needed to be told as my choosen profession has been the subject of many books and films both in the United Kingdom and the United States, and has been totally misrepresented in the need to sell books and box office attraction. But i had always been horriefied at the way real prison officers were portrayed so I wanted to put the record straight.
I am a 60 year-old man born in Tottenham England. I am a devoted family man and former prison officer. After spending 25 years in the UK’s prison service, and having become increasingly disillusioned with stifling modern prison service politics and practices, in 2008 I took my pension pot and ran, moving to Spain to spend my early retirement in the sun. My wife and I, however, have now moved back to the UK temporarily due to the current economic climate. This autobiography about my prison service life is my first book. A chance meeting on holiday in Majorca changed my life forever and launched me into a 25 year career in a job that I never would have considered previously: working in Her Majesty’s Prison Service. This book catalogues my personal experiences of working as a prison officer, from my early days at high security HMP Pentonville to my final years in therapy-based HMP Grendon. Filled with interesting observations and incidences, hilarious wind-ups and memorable characters, this autobiography is the story of a journey, from the happiest days in what will always be a potentially volatile environment to a complete state of disillusionment as an old dinosaur that no longer fitted into the modern prison service world. I give an honest account of my feelings, as someone who would never be a yes man and toe the party line, in the face of a constantly changing environment that had become increasingly controlled by political correctness gone mad and by budgetary needs rather than human needs. I am a man who cared, and even though my heart was sucked out of my job, I never lost my dignity or respect. Most importantly, I would never allow myself to be reduced to just a turnkey.

I hope any of you will be interested in reading my life story written from my heart. I would welcome any feedback positive or negative, as so far it has attracted very good reviews from readers on Amazon book.

jacton · Sat Jan 07, 2012 3:54 am

Having just retired from the British Prison Service i came across this book and could not put it down. It made me realise just how much the service has changed during my career, and what I now miss from it. An absolute fascinating insight to the world of the prison service through the eyes of a long serving prison officer. The story was well written and easy to follow. The light humour that ran throughout the whole book reflected the character Mr Levy must have been during his time in the prison service. For a first book his writing skills are spot on. Mr Levy should now consider maybe writing another book. Well done. Enjoyed reading this book and it is the sort of book you do not want to put down. A MUST BUY.
:lol:

happyhotspur · Sat Jan 07, 2012 3:59 am

Jacton
Many thanks for your kind words, if nothing else my book has already achieved what i wanted and more. To actually get it published and then receive comments like yours, what else could i really have hoped for.

Many thanks

Andrew_angusa · Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:07 pm

Thanks a lot of ....!!!

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