Leslie Thomas: Arrivals & Departures

Reviewed by Showhost
I fancied lighting the mood so decided to read what I thought would be a humorous book after so many heavy books. So, off to the charity shop where i found a Leslie Thomas book (he of 'Virgin Soldiers' fame). The book was published in 1992.
This book is based around Heathrow and a little village near Heathrow, its residents and those who work at the airport. It highlights the way in which the airport itself is a town within a town. An elderly American lady and her daughter who should have been staying a few weeks in London to see the sights, end up in the little village of Bedmansworth. At first the elderly lady seemed ill but her daughter soon realised it was all a scam, her mother had actually wanted to stay in the little quaint village, over the top of the local pub. Pearl, the elderley lady became a valued member of the village and her daughter Rhona eventually struck up a relationship with a married man, Edward Richardson, who worked for the airlines. The story fluctuates between Edwards job, and incidents that happen, his unhappy wife, the residents and their narrow lives and the Americans.
'It was Edwards lot as public/company liaison, to listen patiently to customer complaints about in-flight movies, the accents of the cabin staff, the engines were too loud, that none of the windows would open & that children should be sent to play outside.
"Do you like being old?" Pearl asked a resident of an old peoples home
"Me, like it", retorted Sargeant Morris "no, I dont madam, I can think of better ways of spending the rest of my life than being old!"
Its a really lighthearted book, with light humour some amusing observations like a street sign advertising: The 'Impact Driving School'.
Thomas's characters are always well written and almost recognisable in real life, like parts of people you know. You get feelings for the people, like the busybody who wants to oppose everything, that this is a person you could like or dislike.
He creates believable situations and researches his subject matter well. You feel for the characters,