Chris Manby and Simon Robinson speak about ‘War Babies’ – the extraordinary stories of the forgotten children of World War Two.

Each November we remember the sacrifice of the servicemen and women who fought, in both world wars. But there’s another group of men and women who struggled alongside them. They may not have borne arms or worn uniforms, but they too faced war’s horrors – as children – and many still bear their own battle scars. ‘War Babies’ gives a voice to the ‘Silent Generation’ those born between 1928-1945, who share the brutality of the Second World War. Although moving this is ultimately a very uplifting book that will make us all reflect on the sacrifices made and count ourselves lucky to be living in this century.

Chris Manby and Simon Robinson have interviewed dozens of those still alive and will offer a unique insights to what this intense period was really like. Simon Robinson is one the country’s leading social historians and specialises in WW2. Chris Manby is one of our greatest fiction writers (often under the name Chrissie Manby or CJ Wray) and was at the top of the ‘Chick lit’ boom, in fiction, in the 1990s. Having written more than 40 books, we are also likely to touch on the writing process in general, and as someone who for years has taught on creative writing courses, do feel free to send in questions about how to improve your own writing. Her romantic comedy novel ‘A Fairytale Christmas’ drew heavily on real life people she met when researching the amateur dramatic scene at The Little Theatre, Torquay.

Both Chris and Simon will be signing copies of their books after the event. You can e-mail them questions in advance to: [email protected]

More information at www.torbayliteraryfestival.co.uk

£15.00 (£7.50 Early bird if booked by 1 July 2026)

09:15-10:15 Friday 14 August 2026