It is the 1940s. The world is at war. Here is the period viewed by a small child growing up in the very heart of England. Through his eyes, we see how the conflict affects the working family, how external events shape the domestic clutter of daily life. We are presented with vignettes - drawn with a childhood sense of wonder - of both high comedy and tragedy that reflects his increasing awareness. Void of sentimentality, Forties? Child is not lacking in sentiment. In its unique, autobiographical way, it indicates how - given that the wounds of war are not received solely on the battlefield - ordinary people can triumph over extreme adversity.