I had never heard of George Melly until I looked him up after purchasing his memoir.
He was a jazz singer, critic and a expert on surrealism.
He was also a sailor and what a gay young sailor he was.
This memoir relates his years during and after the Second World War when he was in the Royal Navy as a Matelot.
During his service he spent a lot of time drunk and not doing much but he relates all this in a very funny way.
His trouble was he was just too intelligent to be a sailor. When not getting very drunk he introduces himself to the world of surreal art,seduces other young men and then goes out for a drink, as you do when you are 20 years old. Again this is related in a very humorous way.
What is apparent that at this time people must have been physically very dirty,the way its written you can almost smell the unwashed bodies and dirty feet.
This memoir is short (182 pages) and covers a three year time period but its well worth the effort. Its very personal and rings truthfully throughout. Good fun
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