re janeainsworth: it is hard to sum up a book in a short featuretter, yes you are right the book does have a different feel and i love both my parents. infact the book is a way of honouring them because they havent ever been recognised for everything they did, and if I didnt sell a single copy, it would be worth the two years slog for the joy they have had out of it.
re maryxyx: good for you. exactly. and not everyone is aware of the possibilities. the book might be naiive but it is an attempt to put good deeds on the map and get people doing more than they might otherwise have done.
re gillyboy,baggs,jeni,movedalot,glassortwo: the media narrative focussed on me but the book is as much about the things everybody else does(check out my blog for Jean's story for instance) and the whole concept of goodness. I do have stuff to say and I am willing to stick my head above the parapet to say it. As indeed are you guys - more power to those of us with opinions.
re stansgran:the jam jar army was a huge amount of work for me. yes i encouraged others to give but rest assured it took a massive amount of work on my part and I am still working on it. the sunday times made their own choice of extracts, I'd have liked them to go for different stuff but their selection is down to them.
I would really like anyone who is interested to nip across to my blog www.wifeinthenorth.com. I have a few extracts up and that might give u a sense of what else is in the book.