I loved Sheila Hancock's book, The Two
of Us, about her life with John Thaw, so I could hardly wait to get
my hands on Just Me, the follow up relating her adventures (and I
don't use that word lightly) following her beloved husband's death.
Hancock is a Quaker and so, finding
herself alone and afraid, she decided to follow Quaker advice and
“live adventurously”. She was particularly wary of travelling
alone and so this is exactly what she sets out to do: first on a
group trip for solo travellers to Budapest and then to Thailand
totally alone. The book also covers trips to Venice and Berlin to,
respectively, relive a happy holiday with her husband and to find out
more about her family.
I really loved this book. Hancock
writes beautifully and with insight and honesty. She's never afraid
to address her own foibles or admit she may be wrong. She's also an
inspiration, quite literally choosing to live rather than drown in
her grief. Currently, at the age of 76, she's appearing in the West
End, singing and dancing in a production of Sister Act. Amazing.
