Pig In The Middle

By: Eric Malpass

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

When young Gaylord hears that a Bengal Tiger has escaped from the local circus, he and his young friend Henry immediately set about digging a trap. This public-spirited activity unwittingly causes serious injury to Grandpa, who spends an unhappy few weeks in hospital. His convalescence draws uninvited guests to Cypresses Farm; not least the winsome Miss Nightingale. She completely delights all the men folk but her girlish charm is just a little too much for Momma. And all the while, poor Poppa feels responsible for the drama that ensues and is utterly miserable in his role of pig in the middle… The Author: Eric Malpass was born in Derby in 1910 and worked in a bank after leaving school, but his firm ambition was to become a novelist and he wrote in his spare time for many years. His first book, Morning’s at Seven, was published to wide acclaim. With an intuitive eye for the quirkiness of family life, his novels are full of wry comments and perceptive observations. This exquisite sense of detail has led to the filming of three of his books. His most engaging character is Gaylord Pentecost – a charming seven-year-old who observes the strange adult world with utter incredulity. Eric Malpass also wrote biographical novels, carefully researched and highly evocative of the period. Among these is Beyond Human Fraility, the moving story of Thomas Cranmer. With his amusing and lovingly drawn details of life in rural England, Malpass’ books typify a certain whimsical Englishness – a fact which undoubtedly contributes to his popularity in Europe. Married with a family, Eric Malpass lived in Long Eaton, near Nottingham, until his death in 1996.