Anya Nielsen

Ship of The Week by Johan Luidens Published by Dorrance publishing Company Pittsburgh published in 2020. ISBN 978-1-64610-853-4 Johan served for two years in the Dutch Royal Navy before signing up for the merchant navy. He is a fellow member of the Fellowship of Australian Writers and Wyong Writers. He has published four books previously. This novella is his fifth book. In 1972 having migrated to Australia, he worked at Sydney’s domestic airport. However, the sea runs through his veins and he soon took the typewriter to tell many a lofty tale of his experiences. This book is one such tale, set in the days before mobile phones and easy communication. Seafarers often spent long periods away from family and friends, as indeed they do today. To lighten the burden of homesickness an innovative method to put them in touch with their loved ones was devised by an enterprising radio broadcast, called ‘Ship of the Week’. Family and friends of sailors assembled at the recording studio where in turn they relayed family news to those at sea. This story is about the preparations for the interview and the anticipation of the recipients from the Captain, First Mate and so on down the line. The story is intertwined with ordinary and extraordinary events that happen to both those on land and those at sea as they go about their everyday lives preparing for the radio broadcast. There are tense moments and some comic relief as we meet and get to know the characters, their fears and foibles while we anticipate the main event. As with all good stories, there are twists and unexpected turns that tear at our emotions. How Johan manages to weave all this into 87 pages, is the mark of a good author. I recommend this short read to you..