Ever since I discovered Michael Morpurgo, I have been borrowing his books from the library. BUT, til now, I have still yet to find his award-winning book “War Horse”. I shall endeavour in my search for it! Meanwhile, I am reading any of his books that I can get my hands on, from the National library.

There are just some books, that once you have read them, they stay in your mind for a long time. “Half a Man” is one of them. It’s short and thin (which makes it a short read, and therefore it’s very ideal for a busy day), but it packs a punch. It’s thought-provoking and invokes feelings that I seldom feel in my busy, everyday life. I admit that I wasn’t particularly impressed with the book cover, which showed a man in a fishing boat. Ok, I admit, I’m a shallow book reader. I sometimes borrow a book if I like the book cover. Hehe. But, it was a Michael Morpurgo book. So, ya, I borrowed it. And that was one of the best book decisions I have made.

Michael’s grandfather was a man scarred physically and mentally during the war. Whenever he visited, everyone would not dare to look at him in the face. It was only when Michael spent a summer with him that he was truly able to see the man behind the burns. Grandfather told the whole story to someone for the first time.

“It was years before I discovered why he never smiled. It was because he couldn’t. It was too painful. The skin simply wouldn’t stretch. When he laughed, which wasn’t often, it was always with a straight face. And when he smiled, it was with his eyes only.”

“No one wants half a man, and that’s what I was, Michael, half a man. That’s what I still am.”