Flow Project

The Poet Laurie Ate expertly lifts the lid on the prevalent, but little appreciated, cacophony of competing interests amongst the allies of World War I. A creative historical fiction, predominantly set in wartime Cairo, sheds light on the increasing chaos of Britain's Egyptian protectorate. Ash James' entertaining work is a collision of narratives as corrupt officials, ingenuous traders and integrous heroes interact upon the complexity of the Mediterranean context. The novel follows the policeman Thomas Laurie, based on the grandfather of Ash James, who was posted to the streets of Cairo. A military deployment, beyond his Worcestershire village experience, to the Arab Bureau; an intelligence environment, in which he grows in confidence and reputation as his undercover work begins to bear fruit. An undertaking which interfaces with wider geopolitical forces at work as Laurie uncovers a web of smuggling across the Mediterranean. This thrilling story is filled with insightful religious, social and political comment, as well as poignant reminders to the realities of war and plenty of descriptive hilarity reminiscent of Dad's Army. The Poet Laurie Ate is simply a must read!