Highlife

& my Other Lives

Richard Walker, OBE

$81.95 $69.34

Hardback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

QTY:

English

Amaurea Press
22 May 2025

Autobiography: business & industry; Memoirs; True stories; Coping with death & bereavement

As a boy, Richard went to live in Ghana where he danced with his parents and their friends to Highlife music, the foundation of Afrobeat. This experience set the tone and tenor for the rest of his life. A life in which music, poetry, literature, theatre, art, travel, nature and love entwine. Performing at the Edinburgh Festival, he met Lauren, who became his soulmate. His story weaves their enduring romance through a life that brought them adventures in many parts of the world: Thailand, Nigeria, India, Brazil, Cyprus, Greece. On the Peloponnese coast by a turtle beach, they create the perfect place to live out the rest of their lives together. But their dream is prematurely cut short, as Lauren is diagnosed with Stage 4 terminal cancer. Despite the loss of the love of his life, Richard continues to live in the moment. Lauren’s presence continues with him as he revisits the memories of their intriguing odyssey. Both irreverent and moving, this is a story that will inspire the reader to value each day as a unique adventure and experience.

By: Richard Walker OBE
Imprint: Amaurea Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 153mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 800g
ISBN: 9781914278761
ISBN 10: 1914278763
Pages: 290
Publication Date: 22 May 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Richard Walker OBE spent part of his childhood in Ghana, read English at Oxford, and worked in Canada, Spain and Kuwait, before joining the British Council. Much of his subsequent professional life was spent travelling the world as a senior Director for the British Council. This brought him postings in Bangkok, New Delhi, Sao Paolo, Lagos, Cyprus, Athens, Brussels and Hong Kong. Now he divides his time between his home in Oxford, and the house and garden he and Lauren created by a Venetian town in the Peloponnese. Several of his stories and plays have been broadcast by the BBC, and in 1989 he published his first novel, A Curious Child. Innovative for being written from the perspective of a transgender person, this is also due to be republished by Amaurea Press in 2025. He was awarded an OBE in 1998 for Indo-British cultural relations.

Reviews for Highlife: & my Other Lives

""From its tragic, heartfelt lows to hilarious highs, Walker's personal odyssey lingers long in the mind."" (Mark Townsend, The Guardian) ""Dice-rolling adventure with twists and surprises. Snakes, dad's double. Mr Auden's slippers."" (John Hegley, poet) ""A joyful, intelligent celebration of music, literature and friendship."" (Charlie Lee-Potter, writer & broadcaster) ""Empathetic and thoughtful, sometimes humorous, sometimes incredibly moving."" (James Bluemel, film director) ""Highlife hits the high notes and holds them with an amazing kaleidoscope of memories."" (Lisa St Aubin de Terán, writer)