Written by Hank Williams
Thought
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| Published by | Chiselbury Publishing 1st Mar, 2026 |
| Genre | Literary Fiction, Jewish Fiction |
| Pages | 150 |
| ISBN-10 | 1917837453 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1917837453 |
I am delighted today to be taking part in the blog tour for Hank William's short novel What Fools We Have Been organised by Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources.
As always, I begin by thanking Rachel for the invitation to join the blog tour and author Hank Williams for a free digital copy of What Fools We Have Been to review.
The blurb:
What Fools We Have BeenMorecambe Bay, Lancashire: After his father’s death, a son clears out his parents’ house. When he finds a series of haunting photographs of Morecambe Bay, taken by his father towards the end of his life, it sparks a journey through the scattered memories and broken connections of five generations of family history.
Flowing from the vibrant post-war Jewish community of London's east end, to the quiet suburban streets of Stanmore, and back to the Lancashire coast, the story cascades down through each generation’s shifting perspective. A wife appeases her charismatic yet destructive husband; a son reimagines the jigsaw of his mother’s life; a granddaughter tries to heal the traumas of the past.
What Fools We Have Been is an exploration of memory, identity, and the trail of damage left in the wake of wartime trauma. It asks: What is it that makes us who we are? Is it possible to repair the wreckage of the past?
I was immediately taken with the blurb for this novel. Researching my own family tree I have uncovered several hitherto undisclosed stories and was interested to learn what secret history Jess and Simon might reveal as they delved deeper into their roots.
What Fools We Have Been is set out in 4 parts: The Walk; An Imagined Life; End of Life Care and Inheritance. The story is told from the viewpoint of each of the main characters, teenaged Jess, her father Simon, Simon's father David and David's mother Ruth, giving the reader insight into the family dynamic.
Inspired to draw her family tree following the death of her grandfather, Jess puts names on paper, discovering an aunt, Irene, she was unaware existed. This leads to questions about who Irene is or was and why is this the first time Jess has heard about her.
I would say nothing much happens in this story. There was no drama or plot twist. The story is more about the lives lived by Ruth and David and felt more like a memoir than a piece of fiction.
This was a very emotional story to read. Ruth's story in particular had me in tears. She comes across as a warm, family-oriented, caring individual and I felt she deserved so much better than the life she found herself living with her husband, Charlie.
Days after finishing the book I find I am still thinking about Ruth and her father Morris and I feel this particular story will stay with me for some time to come.
| Author Bio – Hank Williams |
|---|
 Hank Williams started his career as a stage director in the mid '70s. He then worked as a community artist and community development worker before becoming a management development consultant. For the past fifteen years he has worked in the Higher Education sector, mentoring senior leaders in UK universities as well as leading change programmes in Afghanistan and Bangladesh. He retired in 2026. Hank wrote a screenplay in the 80s that won a commendation in a Sunday Times/BFI national competition. He has published three books relating to management development. His first novel - WHAT FOOLS WE HAVE BEEN - was published by Chiselbury Press in March 2026, just before his 70th birthday. Hank lives on the edge of Morecambe Bay. He has two step-sons and three granddaughters. |
| Social Media Links – | |
| @chiselbury | |
| Facebook Author Page | @chiselbury |
| X | @chiselbury |
| Hank Williams | |
| Threads | @chiselbury |
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