Book Review : Types And Faces - Roy Tinsley's Autobiography**** Who is Roy Tinsley ? You may well ask. Roy Tinsley is an ordinary bloke, born into poverty in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, he served in the Royal Navy during WW2, worked his whole life in the printing industry, married once and with his wife Shirley brought up their 3 children. What is so interesting then ? Well, this was another book floating around at last month's Leeds Bookcrossers, nobody had heard of Roy Tinsley, the book appeared to be vanity published and no-one really seemed interested in it. Every night, millions of people turn on their tv's and watch the dreary lives of groups of fictional people in various soap operas, so if fictional ordinary people are interesting, what about the life of a real ordinary person ? Roy Tinsley has lived a life, as a young by his family were so poor that he only ever received a Christmas present once, they had to wait until their father came back from work before they were allowed to light candles to light the house. Roy was called up to the Navy midway through the war and served as a stoker on a variety of ships around India, Ceylon and Singapore. He lost his virginity in a whorehouse, was stoned by Indian seperatists and saw a good friend die in a tragic accident after the war had ended. He comes across as a bit of a lad, cocky and sure of himself, to be sure, only a cocky and arrogant bugger would write his own autobiography if he hadn't led a remarkable life, but who is say what is remarkable ? I'd much rather be reading about Roy's up and down business life and his dealings with shady men in Irish pubs (who turned out to be the IRA) than watching make believe Yorkshire folk in Emmerdale. After training as a printer, Roy constantly moved himself on and up through the ranks, always seeking to do better for himself and his family, he describes events in his work life with forthright Yorkshire bluntness, detailing both his successes and the disastrous decision which led to him being declared bankrupt. Nothing is left out, and if someone did Roy wrong he doesn't omit it, and he has had the misfortune to come across some bad sods. In an addenda to the autobiography he writes this...."I received....one letter informing me to remove the book immediately from all book shelves and libraries and be prepared to receive a solicitor's letter for costs and damages for defamation of character....in this country you can print whatever you like but it must be true and you must have documentary evidence to support it." Good for Roy, he kept records of the good guys and the bad ones. Roy's autobiography closes with the death of his beloved wife, the manner of her passing seemed so similar to my Mum's death that it brought tears to my eyes, I know exactly how Roy felt. In the aftermath of his loss, Roy was lost for a while, until he refound his faith and became a lay preacher at the local Methodist church. Roy isn't the greatest writer in the world, and I wish some of the events had been described in more detail, but saying that, he doesn't flinch from describing his failures and doesn't make too much of his successes. He's a self made man, coming from nothing to make his way in the world, he's an ordinary bloke doing ordinary stuff and just trying to do the best he can, well done Roy Tinsley. The next time you consider picking up the autobiography of some teenage rock star or footballer, think again, try this, because Roy has lived a life worth reading.