All That Is Forever Lost (Paperback or Softback)

A man and a woman share a journey of life mainly through the eyes of the woman's own private thoughts about him and his life, and the events of her own life; the death of a young friend signals the beginning of a poetic autobiographical journey that is a descent into the darkest heart of life itself; these two separate yet conjoined stories help us see into that darkness surrounding us all, and from the questions asked of us, we somehow find salvation in the light that is the true meaning of why we are here.

NORTHAW After the death of their friend and neighbour, life begins to disintegrate around them, their relationship begins to fragment, gradually, then in pieces, as they are separated by financial disaster, followed by bankruptcy and criminal proceedings leading to jail and physical separation. The effect on each is examined internally and individually, but mainly through the eyes and words of the female partner in the equation. The narrative moves through the individual lives as they try to make sense of their existence in a frighteningly different world

EDMONTON They suffer a fall from grace, the angels have deserted them.

BRIXTON Into that dark place, illusion colliding with reality. She reflects on the outside about the changes in him and on her own life as he deals as best he can with a nightmare existence far away from the happiness of his life with her.

WANDSWORTH: His experience inside collides with dramatic events within the prison system itself. The friends and enemies encountered on the journey must be dealt with, in both positive and negative terms. He meets brutality, filth, violence, riots, and sadistic warders and struggles with the meaning of it all.

ARUNDEL Moved to an open prison, it seems that things will be calmer, but he meets a new kind of enemy, loneliness and desolation in this wilderness of a place. He meets his wife for a brief physical encounter, like animals in the jungle. He makes two friendships that are supposed to last a lifetime, but appearances can be deceptive.

HILLFIELD He finally emerges from the other side, but what life awaits him? And what of the love of his life? Where has this left her? Observations are made, but the answer is not easily forthcoming, to the two people, or the readers, who have to draw their own conclusions.