Cruelty In Paradise, A Memoir of Nassau Bahamas

Cruelty in Paradise, A Memoir of Nassau Bahamas is my new book just published. It chronicles my adventures and tribulations in Nassau Bahamas in the 1970s during my stint as chief inspector of the Bahamas Humane Society. I was totally unaware and unprepared for the frustrations, dangers and horrors I was about to confront.

Bahamas Humane Society ambulance patrolling the island of New providence.

Could not believe the scale of animal cruelty.

Initially I could not believe the scale of animal cruelty on the island, involving the suffering of the iconic surrey horses which were often involved in road accidents or dropped dead through exhaustion; the wanton attacks on the roaming dogs locally known as potcakes and the shocking cruelty at the local Hobby Horse Race Track just to name a few of the issues. I faced death threats and brushes with voodoo sacrifice, and the work became relentless and overwhelming causing great emotional strain which began to take its toll on my mental health, but luckily the good times just about compensated for the bad.

I could not have survived without the welcome help and support of both the local and expat community and my small motley crew of staff and volunteers, not to forget my faithful dog Condor who became my soulmate and protector. The book describes the work of the humane society in its attempts to combat cruelty on the island and my harrowing day to day work.

A nostalgic look at 1970s Nassau, Bahamas

It is also a nostalgic look at what life was like in 1970s Nassau, my introduction into the Bahamian way of life, my exploration of the island and how I de-stressed from the relentless work by relaxing on Paradise Island which was then still an oasis of calm.

The book contains 80 of my previously unpublished photographs of Nassau, the people I met and my work. Available in paperback ISBN: 979-8376431179 from Amazon and Barnes & Noble and eBook ISBN: 979-8223708070 from most online retailers including Kindle, Apple, Nook and Kobo. Quick link to find the book at your favourite supplier.

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There From the Start. A book on the war horses and their carers.

Read about the incredible emotional bond between the war horses and the men and how they survived the hardships on the front line.

Available from Amazon books or Special Offer direct from publisher bitzabooks.com. Buy Now £11.00 incl. p&p using PayPal button below. UK orders only. For North American orders contact bitzabooks@gmail.com or order from Amazon books.

War horses. There From the Start book cover

ISBN: 978-1094956763 RRP. £9.99 150 pages 40 b&w photographs.

Exploring the emotional bond between the war horses and soldiers in World War One.

My book There From the Start follows the exploits of my grandfather Edwin Clark who spent four Novembers during his 42 months on the western front with the Field artillery war horses. The book explores the extraordinary relationship between the men and the war horses and how they were trained and cared for under horrendous conditions.

The men were devoted to them, spending most of their working hours with them, and they helped sustain the men’s physical and mental well-being by being their confidants, friends and comrades.

Impossible to imagine the carnage.

They were in it together and just as the horses and mules did their utmost to help the troops the men reciprocated by doing all they could to ease their hardships. They fought and suffered together, faced the same dangers, often rested, slept and ate together and ultimately died together.

Edwin received serious injuries in early November 1918 when a bomb was dropped on him and his colleagues while they were feeding and grooming the horses a mile behind the front line. It caused carnage, killing and maiming many of the horses and men. I find it impossible to imagine the awful sounds, sights and smells he had to endure, made worse I’m sure by witnessing the suffering of his harmless equine comrades.

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