Letters To Penweth Exemplifies Cornish Life In The 19th Century

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best book magazine in the UK“, Neal Moss’s new book, Letters to Penweth, exemplifies 19th-century Cornish life by focusing on a mother’s love and goals for her children.

Cornish Historical Fiction

Letters to Penweth, which was released on February 21, 2023, is a captivating look back at the Cornwall of yesteryear.

This captivating tale of life on the farm, which is set at least fifty years after the adventures of Cornwall’s most famous son, Poldark, Letters to Penweth tells the story of a mother’s hopes and dreams for her children and is set in rural Cornwall in the middle of the 1800s. Mary, her daughter, envisions a future on the farm; however, as he transitions from boyhood to manhood, her son is torn between his love for his family and his passion for the sea.

Neal Moss weaves a compelling and character-driven narrative in a historical version of Cornwall that is very much his own, writing with depth and an appreciation of the intricacies that embody family life.

Letters To Penweth

Letters to Penweth is a great book for a book club to read and discuss because it is a must-read for anyone who enjoys family sagas, historical or not.

Penweth is not just another farm to many people; it is a family home to those who live and work there. It is hunkered down on a Cornish headland, surrounded on three sides by the mesmerizing sea. It and the people who live there belong there.

However, things are shifting for the Penweth family. Thomas, who is neither a man nor a boy, is tormented by his family and the sea, whereas Mary, his sister, envisions a bright future for herself on the farm.

Will the family’s unconditional love for one another, which has been tested and stretched to its limits, continue to be given without hesitation despite Thomas’s threat to disrupt his sister’s plans and wider changes that run the risk of permanently altering their peaceful lives?

Neal Moss

Neal Moss and his younger sister were raised by their mother alone when they were born in the 1950s in the mining regions of Yorkshire. They had a difficult childhood like many others, but were fortunate that their mother had a huge imagination. He vividly recalls many mornings when the three of them were enthralled, entertained, and exhilarated by her tales and the “magic carpet” that took us everywhere. His own attempts at poetry and writing were sped up by these fascinating tales.

The family attended the nearby Methodist church where, if you attended regularly throughout the year, you were given an award and a book. His interest in reading began as a result of these fascinating books, which are still on his bookshelves. He never lost his interest in reading, writing, or books.

After completing a standard comprehensive education at age 17, he left my home and traveled as his successful career and further education in the RAF Fire Services developed. After nearly 30 years in the RAF, Neal Moss moved to Devon with his wife and daughter, worked in the Support Services department of a social housing provider, and finally retired, allowing his passion for writing to flourish.

Find more from Neal Moss now:

Published by Cranthorpe Millner Publishers, Letters to Penweth  (ISBN: 978-1-80378-090-0) is published on 21st February 2023 and is available in paperback (£10.99) and Kindle format.

Waterstones | Amazon | Cranthorpe Millner

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