This is a difficult book to review - indeed it could be said that it is difficult to read. It is not a typical biography - in part because the sources were so few and so difficult for the author to bring together. It is certainly not the type of biography that is dense with facts. This is mirrored in the sub-title. Julia Blackburn uses the term 'delicate life' in my opinion to suggest that since she doesn't or isn't writing a biography packed with facts - the biographical aspects are very suggestive. As well of course John Craske's life was dogged by illness and his health was delicate.

In addition this book is semi-autobiographical telling us a lot about her own life particularly her relationship with her husband Herman. There is an underlying theme or strand of couples: John Craske and Laura, the author and her husband Herman, Herman's friend Hans, whose husband Denis died during the writing of the biography. Apart from their individual relationships, work is the thing that each couple seems to have in common as they cope with their loss.

To other readers I recommend that before you dive into this book, explore it thoroughly. Note for example that the illustrations are listed at the back of the book not under each illustration. I did find this rather frustrating although there may have been economic reasons for this. It does have an index which is great but when I wanted to go back and check who Jacynth was - she is not in the index.

Julia Blackburn has a fascination with Einstein who had indeed been in the area where John Craske and his wife Laura lived in Norfolk. I failed to see the importance of this link when we are never told about the current condition of the Craske's major embroidered work 'The Evacuation of Dunkirk'. Can the man in the street see the embroidery? or is it locked away and only to be seen by appointment? What condition is it in now?

There is a section Chapter 39 entitled 'Embroidering Men' which is very interesting and focuses on the use of embroidery by men in prisons. It is here that Jacynth features - she is in fact Lady Jacynth Fitzalan Howard. In her acknowledgements the author thanks Ronald Blythe with whom she has talked about men embroidering after WW I.

Chapter 4 gives the reader a good idea of the thinness of the sources and the way in which various threads are present but come to nothing. I thought that Chapter 32 entitled Uncatalogued Boxes was a pivotal point - it is here that the 'story' seems to take a turn with the location of more material in archives.

A very interesting subject and book. It was a serendipitous find at the Library and I am so pleased I found it. ( )