About the book: 1957 / The dilogy about Robert Shannon, written by the famous English writer A. J. Cronin, is largely autobiographical. It sincerely, truthfully, psychologically honestly and artistically expressively shows the story of the formation of a young man whose life path began in the gray, wretched environment of the small provincial town of Leavenford. The first part of the dilogy tells about Robert's youth, his boyish joys and sorrows, first hobbies, dreams and everyday troubles..