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I started 'Dadland' shortly before the lockdown, then put it aside as I thought it would be depressing to read about a beloved father suffering from dementia. I picked it up again because leaving books part-read bugs me and was pleasantly surprised not to find it upsetting. Keggie Carew manages to sustain a tone that cheerfully celebrates her Dad's life, despite very difficult times, rather than mourning. Tom Carew certainly lived a fascinating life. Of particular interest are his exploits during the Second World War, when he was part of the Special Operations Executive. He parachuted into France shortly after the Normandy invasion to train and co-ordinate the maquis, with the aim of supporting the Allied armies from behind enemy lines. After France was liberated, he was parachuted into Burma to support resistance to the Japanese and remained there for years after the end of the war.

While his adventures in occupied France are thrilling, the chapters on Burma were even more interesting. I knew very little about WWII in Burma and was struck by the tensions created by colonialism. Carew supported Burmese independence, while the colonial authority-in-exile assumed they could pick up where the Japanese left off. Conflict between the SOE and other UK government bodies ended up requiring adjudication by the Supreme Allied Commander, Mountbatten. Keggie Carew explains the complex Burmese political situation clearly and juggles events in the 1940s, 1970s, and 2000s deftly in a single chapter. The juxtapositions of letters sent by her father in the 40s and notes he wrote to himself 60 years later are striking. I enjoyed the scrapbook-ish feeling of the narrative sprinkled with telegrams, photographs, and diary entries.

More uncomfortable to read are sections about Keggie's later family life, as her father struggled to find work and her mother's mental health deteriorated. She is very open about the flaws of both her parents. The book seeks to try and explain without excusing the times when their children suffered badly from their behaviour. While this is a considered and thoughtful book, it is also distinctly emotional. This makes for a compelling read and one that inspires reflection upon family history and old age more generally. While it isn't exclusively a biography of Tom Carew, that is by far its strongest thread. As long as you aren't currently consumed with worry about elderly relatives, I think 'Dadland' qualifies as a suitable lockdown read. As all my grandparents have sadly already passed away and my parents are only in their 60s, I have less to worry about on that front than many.