Book: The Long Road Out Of Town

The Long Road Out of Town by Greg Watts, published by Milestone Books

Greg Watts is a Catholic journalist and writer, with more than 15 books under his belt including the best seller 'From Gangland to Promised Land', which he co-wrote with former gangster John Pridmore, and 'Don't Drop the Coffin', written with undertaker Barry Albin Dyer which was turned into a TV series. He's written biographies of Pope Benedict, Rembrandt and Mother Teresa, which have been translated into a dozen languages. He's also travelled extensively and written from Russia, Iraq and Rome.

When I heard that Watts written an autobiography I imagined it would an account of his professional life with a string of anecdotes about the VIPs he's met, or historic events he's covered - but in fact this is much more a coming-of-age story - a frank and personal account of his early life, before he went into journalism.

Greg grew up in Wirksworth, a small market town in Derbyshire. After a slightly bleak childhood, he left school at the age of 16 in 1977, drifted through a variety of jobs before he felt drawn to the priesthood and went to Campion House in Osterley, west London where he studied for two years. That was a major turning point in his life.

Greg paints an interesting, sometimes comical but often rather gloomy picture of church life in the 70s and early 80s. The spirit of Vatican II may have influenced some people, but it hadn't reached Greg and most of his fellow students yet. Campion House was run on quite strict lines and had its share of disciplinarians on the staff - but in a true Jesuit style, it also offered students new horizons and encouraged them to fulfil their potential.

One of the most influential teachers there was Fr John Hughes, who, Greg said: "placed questions in my mind that set me thinking about the Church in a new way."

After a summer volunteer job in a Sue Ryder home, Greg began to realise that the life of a priest was not for him, but he expresses his gratitude to the seminary which helped him find his direction in life.

There's many unanswered questions here, but The Long Road Out of Town is an interesting read. As a snapshot of Catholic life in late 70s England, from the perspective of a working class lad - its very revealing. I wonder whether Greg Watts will be bringing out a further memoir soon. It would be good to know what happened next.

The Long Road Out of Town is published by Milestone Books and can be purchased online here: www.amazon.co.uk/The-Long-Road-Out-Town/dp/0993188508