Left Field quotes
ABC
TALES: Through his involvement in the charity he began, War Child, he
met movers and world shakers such as Luciano Pavarotti and included a
walk-on cameo of meeting Nelson Mandela. The latter asking for his
advice and support. You don’t get much bigger than Pavarotti, but
Mandela dwarves him. This is an autobiography worth reading not for
any of these reasons, but for its humanity. (Full review here:
https://www.abctales.com/blog/celticman/david-wilson-2016-left-field
)
MUNDHER
ADHAMI: A brilliant achievement. The cover, the quotes, the
dedication, the arrangement and titles of chapters. The language of
novels. Really impressive.
AMIR
AMIRANI, Director of We are Many: This book is a testament to a life
well lived, a life about ideals and principles. This memoir of a very
colourful life in activism is both entertaining and illuminating, the
pages filled with a great variety of characters from the worlds of
music, politics and the arts, and in many places very emotional. It
shows that a person with a passionate belief can create great change
and inspire others to share a vision for a better society. It's a
personal, often humorous account, of personal tragedies, losses as
well as triumphs such as co-founding the charity War Child and
directing the Pavarotti Music Centre. Highly recommended.
ANON
on AMAZON:
1)
Best to start this book when you have a clear day, as you probably
won't want to put it down. A touching and inspiring life story with a
narrative that restores faith in humanity while simultaneously being
utterly destroyed by it. A very enjoyable read with the additional
bonus of some very funny moments as well.
2)
This is a wonderful memoir, wide ranging, dramatic, amusing, and a
must read for anyone who cares about the state of the world and wants
to be involved at any level in action that makes a difference. Most
of all, it is a very personal account of an amazing life, and an
insider perspective on the big political issues of the modern era.
Enjoyed it very much indeed.
3)
A really compelling read ... I could not put it down ... David Wilson
is a superb story teller.
4)
This is a beautifully written and constructed book. I am actually
reviewing when only half way through, but am fully confident that my
words will hold true right the way through. The author has great
descriptive powers and I have certainly been moved both to laughter
and to tears. His life is certainly one worth writing about and he is
more than able to do so. I highly recommend this book to almost
anyone it is so easy to read even when the subject is tough.
SEBASTIAN
BALFOUR: A vivid account of a life fought for justice, full of
indignation and tenderness.
MANUELA
BESTE: This is surely going to be your core readership - the 1960's
generation who grew up with you, agitated like you, still hold true
to these struggles like you and today's new generation of angry,
frustrated, hopeful young people who are organising for a better and
fairer world ...I found the book interesting, moving,
thought-provoking, instructive. It thoroughly held my attention .. I
wish I could think in visual metaphors like you.
BECCA
BLAND: I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. It tells the
story of the life of a man who seems so dedicated to helping others
who are less well off than those in the west. This guy has a no
bulls*** approach to life and has the strength to live by his
beliefs! It's really tender too - a nice account of cross cultural
romance and relationships. The writing is great and the anecdotes
made me giggle more than once. If you're into political activism, I
would read this book!
NORMAN
BOYER: You write very sensitively and lovingly about your parents. It
must have been very hard for you and your Dad to cope with your
mother’s accident. And secondly to cope with his slow death for
your father and for you with - pardon the cliché - the long goodbye.
SUE
BROCK: There are parts of these unique memoirs that are akin to
opening the door to episodes and aspects of history that society
chooses to forget. The book is a must read and 'unputable' down.
DOROTHY
BYRNE, Head of Channel 4 News and Documentaries: What a life this man
has led.
KIERAN
CONLON: This is a wonderful memoir, wide ranging,
dramatic, amusing, and a must read for anyone who cares about the
state of the world and wants to be involved at any level in action
that makes a difference. Most of all, it is a very personal account
of an amazing life, and an insider perspective on the big political
issues of the modern era. Enjoyed it very much indeed.
EILEEN
DAVIES: Wilson's exhilarating memoir takes us on adventures through
the decades and across borders. We share his sadnessess and
happinesses, successes and disillusionments....all expressed with an
admirable directness and honesty.
STEVE
DAY: Whatever your political currency or preferred methodology toward
life, we can all agree on the absolute necessity for honesty,
humanity and love, wherever possible, and on all fronts. Wilson's
lively and challenging memoir keeps the reader in the grip of this,
his frontline message. You weave through the rough and tumble of a
life being shaped by events, then of a man intent on reshaping
events, and helping rebuild the lives of others - particularly
children - who were less fortunate. He held his line even when his
own much beloved charity War Child was found to contain corrupt
elements - whistleblowing on those he knew were threatening what had
been built, and suffering the isolation that comes with this sort of
honesty. History, celebrity, scandal, war and humour - Left Field is
a personal report worth reading.
TIFFANY
DRAKE, music therapist: David's courage and passion enabled those
moments of reconciliation through music which was incredibly powerful
to be a part of and a very real privilege for us to witness ...
David's book can show us what can be hopeful and healing.
HATTIE
EDMONDS, author: Finished your book on a train back from Dorset.
Utterly inspiring and so well written. Yours is most definitely a
life (thus far) well lived. The book really made me feel that
anything is possible - with passion and drive and a bit of anarchy.
BRIAN
ENO: This is an excellent and inspiring book. David is an adventurer
and a freethinker, who, despite the best efforts of an education
designed to equip him for obedient anonymity, somehow did something
truly useful with his life. His stubborn and yet self-effacing
commitment to his ideals carried him through many daunting
situations, and his sense of humour kept him able to see the funny
side.
IMOGEN
EVANS: Moving and at times hilarious, this account is well written
and utterly compelling. Highly recommended.
ALAISTAIR
FRASER: A fascinating life journey account - warts and all - of an
amazing person who has enriched all our lives with his dedication and
commitment. Easy reading with a pleasant, humble, and often
self-deprecating style. The author has a fine sense of humour as well
as the ability to handle tragedy with a positive outlook. I really
enjoyed the chapters describing how he founded the Pavaroti Music
Centre and the ways it helped war-damaged children. Strongly
recommended reading that conveys encouragement to us all to
contribute in whatever ways we can to create a better world.
MELANIE
FRIESEN. former VP for Martin Scorsese. I enjoyed the read and
suffered the total despair of your myriad attempts to get the show on
the road with War Child in spite of so many battles ... The childhood
in an autobiographyinterests me the most because it’s watching how
the seedling grew and seeing what might have influenced it … The
horror and fascination of you staring at your dad’s concentration
camp photos. … Love that you arrived in Rosario where Che was
born … Yoruba having the highest rate of twin in the world –
Wilmette, Illinois has the highest rate of multiple births in the US
– that's where my identical twin nephews were born. Love it –
Yoruba and Wilmette. The Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb …
I think it must be very comforting for those who are sad about a
break-up to go there and be comforted by many others who have done
same. Best line in the book (re: Ivo): “When he played his
accordion, he looked as though he was telling himself a joke … I
love the quotations that open some of the chapters … Also how many
books have notes at the back that are just as interesting as the
text?
GOOD
READS (Jack O'Donnell): David
Wilson has done a very great thing. He has given daily bread to the
Bosniacs, fed tens of thousands in Mostar, bread to the poor, the cut
off and the suffering. He has given the children music. Left Field it
may be, but with the right heart he has made the world a better
place. (Full
review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1737867724?utm_campaign=reviews&utm_medium=widget&utm_source=google
)
HARRY
HARRIS: I am the man who sat
next to you on the tube at Old Street
a couple of weeks ago and asked you what you were reading. I couldn’t
help myself from asking as I was only on for a couple of stops and
couldn’t see the cover. I was engrossed in Cafe
Slavia, “We are surrounded by fakes.” You told me you were the
author and gave me your card. We had a brief chat about Corbyn. (Like
you I joined the Labour party because of Corbyn. He is our only
hope.) Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I love the book.
Thank you. You are an inspiring man.
ALAISTAIR
HATCHETT: I enjoyed Left Field very much. It tells a wonderful story
of one person's engagement with so many aspects of the movements of
the 1960s through to today. Wilson's formative years are important
for a whole generation of anti-racists who were against apartheid in
South Africa, witnessed the civil rights movement in the USA and were
part of the student movement in 1968. David Wilson is obviously a
lifelong incorrigible optimist.
DAVID
HENCKE, former Guardian Westminster correspondent: This is the work
of a determined guy who is prepared to expose fraud and injustice
wherever he finds it.
RICHARD
HORTON, Editor of The Lancet: You write absolutely beautifully. Thank
you for your wonderful book.
KIRKUS
REVIEW: "His
shared heartwrenching observations are clearly a highlight of this
richly textured, moving work … Raw and compelling; a story well
told of a vital and varied life in a war-torn region.”
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/david-wilson/left-field/
MANDLA
LANGA, author of The Lost Colours of the Chameleon and winner of the
2009 Commonwealth Writers' Prize: David Wilson is a national
treasure.
MAUREEN
LARKIN: Interlaced
with humour, anecdotes and with a sense of irony, even in the most
destructive of situations, the book is intelligently and engagingly
written and gives a vivid and honest, blow by blow account of an
exceptional life at both a personal and a political level. (Full
review here:
http://www.davidwilson.org.uk/2016/06/wired-from-earl-age.html
SHADE
MAKEKODUNMI: Have finally started reading THE book. It's fantastic.
Love it. The early childhood stories remind me so much of my own
childhood. Despite the fact that I was brought up in Lagos. Shows you
the reach and influence of the British Empire. My parents also gave
sherry parties!! And of course I too became an activist, perhaps not
as young as you but by age 18, at uni, I had joined a Maoist type
group and was marching against the Vietnam war.
ORHAN
MASLO (OHA): One of the key people of my life has finished his book.
There is a chapter that describes the times we spent together. What
good times we had while giving spirit to the Pavarotti Music Centre.
This was after my orphanage times and steered me to who I am and what
I do today. Thank you David.
RUSSELL
MILLS: You’ve done so much, achieved so much, that is for the good,
the right, the just, that to be asked to undertake the cover design
for you, which may be considered a minor thing in the great scheme of
things, is for me a bloody major thing.
CRAIG
MURRAY, ex-Ambassador and whistleblower, David's entire life has been
dedicated to trying to make the world a better place ... He was at
War Child where he did a tremendous job and then he had the
soul-destroying experience of finding the institution he had started
being perverted and having to become himself a whistleblower and tell
the truth ... As is always the case the whistleblower ends up being
the person suffering damage. It is very much to David's credit he was
willing to take that on.
ELVEDIN
NEZIROVIC, Director Pavarotti Music Centre: I have to say I'm
impressed by your book. I'm still reading it, but after I finished
the chapter associated with Mostar and Pavarotti Center, I feel
deeply touched. I don't know why. I don't know if it is because of
hard times of war I passed through or it is because of the local
significance of your humanitarian engagement in my city or it is
maybe because of sincerity of the book. Thank you for everything
you've done for my city and for my generation of people here.
GRAINNE
PALMER: A fascinating and authentic account of political activism
from someone who has walked the talk. This book is a 'must read' for
anyone concerned with fighting injustice and violence in our world.
It's an illuminating window into the social history of political
activism over the last few decades. I couldn't put it down. It's also
a page-turner peppered with passion, wit and human interest.
Elegantly written too.
HEKATE
PAPADAKI: They say life is stranger than fiction and when it comes to
David Wilson's life, that's definitely the case. Left Field is an
inspiring account of a man who never gave up on his principles and
refused to settle, even when turning a blind eye would've saved him
much hardship. I picked up the book for its insight into the Bosnian
war, in which I was very emotionally involved in as a Greek sixteen
year old, influenced by my country's biased coverage of events. The
book exposes both the realities of war and the often unpleasant truth
in the dealings of international NGOs operating at a time of
humanitarian disasters. It is full of incredible anecdotes about the
lives of bigger-than-life personalities such as Pavarotti and Mandela
and it is in equal terms insightful, philosophical and funny. Left
Field, however, is more than the political account of a lifelong
activist; it is also a deeply moving and personal account of a man's
struggles, loves and losses. Highly recommended.
DEBBI
READ: I write this as I sit in the Pavarotti Music Centre in Mostar.
It's obvious that David's tireless work before, during and after his
time as Director of War Child still sits deep within those whose
hearts have been touched by him in Bosnia Herzegovina. My time here
confirms all that Left Field records, and only increases my
admiration for the writer, his courage, wit, determination and
politics. This memoir is a compelling read: the history of one man,
lost battles and one war. If this doesn't inspire you nothing will.
REALTA
FILMS: War Child was the biggest music charity since Live Aid. It
raised millions of pounds to support children and families in
conflict zones across the world. David Wilson, the co-founder has
just published his memoir Left Field in conjunction with Unbound
Publishing and Penguin Books. This is a wonderful account of the life
of a man who has dedicated himself to the causes of peace and social
justice, and been very active in using the power of art and music to
restore societies after warfare. A very inspiring read.
EUGENE
SKEEF: I am so elated to have read Left Field. I feel like a child at
the fountain of narratives. David Wilson is truly one of the greatest
storytellers I have ever met or read. For me he is right up there
with Alice Walker, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Mandla Langa and Ariel
Dorfman (Writing The Deep South) in his ability to enchant the reader
while telling about harrowing and politically charged life
experiences. Well done, my main man!
SOCIALIST
REVIEW: Left Field is a thoughtful and gentle memoir. David’s
obvious good nature and ability to connect with people is
demonstrated over and over, from the influential individuals whose
support he enlisted in the early days of War Child to the character
sketches that he draws regularly throughout the book… I enjoyed his
relaxed writing style and the chapters that veered from the
chronology to reflect or add narrative detail... His is an enjoyable
memoir, reflecting on a compassionate and varied life, and an
important reminder of how destructive war is both on individuals and
communities, and the important role we can all play in fighting for a
better world. (Full
review here: http://socialistreview.org.uk/415/left-field
)
SIR
TOM STOPPARD: David Wilson has lived a life and a half. I was proud
to play a minor role in War Child, an organisation in which David was
inspirational. The broken world needed people like David then; it
still does and it always will.
CLAIRE
THOMAS: Thank you David Wilson. My mum has almost finished the book
and she said it's amazing! I'm having it next and looking forward to
it.
KATIE
TRENT: I really found David's book engaging, amusing and tragic at
times. Definitely worth a read
TABITHA
TROUGHTON: I loved Left Field! What a
book - I could have put it down, I suppose, but I didn't want to.
Fascinating, heart-breaking, inspirational and memorably warm and
kind. Thank you.
UNBOUND'S
FIRST READER of Left
Field:
There’s a fascinating range of subject matter in this writing
sample. As the author confronts the prospect of his elderly father’s
immanent death, he reflects on his father’s successful career as
editor of The Lancet and how that influenced his own career choices
and life. This blend of childhood anecdote and adult memory makes
powerful reading – not least because of the author’s ability to
distil character and dramatise moments from his own past. In addition
to this, he also gives us clear explanations of social, political,
psychological and neurological theories that directly inform the
anecdotes he tells. These two elements combine to create a personal
and philosophical study of humanity – taking both the microcosm of
family relationships and the bigger picture of wars between nations.
ED
VICTOR LITERARY AGENCY: Your relationship with your elderly father is
described in such beautiful style that it would not be out of place
from a literary novel by an established and seasoned author. The same
goes for your childhood years at boarding school ... The 'Balkan
years', including the bits where you fall in love with a Croat and
the adventures of the mobile bakery could be from a historical
thriller. The whole 'War Child' section could be an expose about the
problems and hidden lives of charities, especially when they become
powerful.
MICHAEL
WALLING, Artistic Director, Border Crossings: Left Field is
fantastic. So much I don’t know about someone I know well and so
much vivid colour around the bits I did know well. The Mostar
sections are incredible - and salutary.This is a born raconteur's
account of a remarkable life. And it's not over yet… you can only
speculate what David Wilson will get up to in old age. The most
substantial and extraordinary section of the book deals with David's
time in Mostar as the first director of the Pavarotti Centre. It's
incredibly moving to read about the way in which music was able to
bring solace and healing into the physical and spiritual devastation
of a war-torn city. There's also an hilarious, picaresque section
about his time as a gaucho and his journey home on a meat ship. Can
all this be the same person?
ALEXANDER
WATT: David Wilson's memoirs are out of the ordinary, to say the
least. As a passionate political activist and co-founder of War Child
- to name but a few - his endeavours are at once inspiring and
fantastic whilst all together seeming almost impossible to have been
achieved, or endured, by just one person! Having been put in the
unfortunate position of having to whistleblow on HIS very charity War
Child, this dreadful situation exemplifies the absolute integrity and
fundamental 'decentness' of this remarkable man. Furthermore - it's a
WONDERFUL read!!
PETER
WILSON (no relation!) An excellent read. It is well written and
entertaining as well as inspiring. Highly recommended.
HAIFA
ZANGANA: Left Field is a memoir where the personal is entwined with
activism and woven into a poetic multi-coloured tapestry.
