Recently I received a delightful email from a reader of this column, and while it said positive and constructive things, more importantly it contained the bonus of a recommendation for a book.
The book is The Tiger Has Many Lives: The Story of Rod Wells, POW Survivor, and was compiled by Rod’s wife, Pamela Wells, who hails from Tatura.
It was Pam who wrote to me, saying she thought I might be interested in the story of Rod, who served in Malaya and Singapore, built a wireless radio and transmitter almost from scratch, and later became a world expert in electronics and neuclonics.
It sounded like a fantastic plot for a Hollywood movie, and I was drawn in straight away.
The Tiger Has Many Lives is engaging from the first word to the last, because you feel like you are sitting with Rod as he relates his life story.
Among the most wonderful aspects of this book are the early chapters, in which you are introduced to Rod’s parents, the circumstances of them getting together — including a hilarious marriage proposal, which has a special link to Rod later on — and their trip from England to settle in Tatura, of all places.
Rod’s childhood is full of the most entertaining tales of growing up on a farm, and how tight money was. Yet through the example and discipline of his parents, especially his father, Rod thrived, as did his fascination with electronics.
He built crystal radio sets, just like two of my older brothers did, and listened to the BBC.
When the local hardware store owner was infuriated by a stray dog continually urinating on his resplendent store front, Rod rigged up a machine to give it an electric shock to ensure, while doing no permanent damage, that that problem went away for good.
The childhood yarns and adventures are absolute gold and made all the more appealing because they happened in an area I know well.
The book is mostly conversational in style because it’s drawn from Rod’s own recollections and recorded reflections.
I haven’t even touched on his wartime experiences because I don’t want to give the entire storyline away.
I highly recommend this book to you.
The Tiger Has Many Lives: The Story Of Rod Wells, POW Survivor, compiled by Pamela Wells.
Published by Seven Pens.
Available at Goulburn Valley Libraries.