SILENT HEROES PB

`It is from stories such as those recorded by John Miller that we realise the true emotions and poignancy of war which transcend everything - the effect on people who found themselves caught up in something over which they had absolutely no control... There is a continuous golden thread of solid Christian conviction. The stories are told with simple honesty and without the faintest trace of rancour... I found myself unable to put the manuscript down.` AC Herdman, Commander Royal Navy and Chief Executive of The Earl Haig Fund, Scotland. `Heroes are not supermen or superwomen but ordinary people who have the courage and resolve to do extraordinary things. John Miller has done us all a favour by recording for posterity these stories of quiet courage and grace under pressure.` Trevor Royle, military historian and Associate Editor of the Sunday Herald. `In today`s troubled world it is important to be reminded of the human cost in the battle for freedom - and to ponder on the evil, poverty and disregard for the sanctity of human life, that are at the root of so much conflict.` Rt Rev. Nigel McCulloch, Bishop of Manchester and National Chaplain of The Royal British Legion. These stories from ordinary people - silent heroes - who lived through the World Wars burst in on us with an electrifying freshness. They make us consider the many lessons that we might learn from their experiences. Their war experiences lead them to reflect on good and evil, poverty and wealth, faith and doubt. Through these interviews, we encounter a tiny fragement of that dialogue which continues without pause today. The matter-of-fact, word-for-word tales say more to us than any debate ever could. We might expect such tales to be bitter or harrowing. Instead, they are inspiring and uplifting. Acts of Human kindness amdist an unspeakable mass of cruelty abound.We marvel at their bravery, tolerance and stamina but we also see that there are many more parallels with today than we might have realised, and that perhaps the biggest lesson of all is to never forget. John Miller has been parish minister in Castlemilk East Parish, Glasgow, since 1971 and was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 2001. His bestselling Reflections on the Beatitudes was published by Saint Andrew Press in 2002.