How Well Can We Ever Know the People Who Came Before Us?

A photograph. A passing conversation. A forgotten letter tucked away in a drawer.

Sometimes it takes just one small discovery to send us searching through generations of family history, uncovering stories we never imagined were there.

That is exactly what unfolds in Alec: The Father I Barely Knew, Malcolm Alexander’s moving blend of memoir, biography and social history.

From 6th–8th July, Love Books Tours is delighted to be hosting this thoughtful Bookstagram tour, celebrating a book that explores not only one man’s life, but the legacy every family leaves behind.

Malcolm Alexander lost his father when he was only eight years old, leaving behind unanswered questions that remained with him throughout his life. Decades later, a chance remark from his mother sparked an extraordinary investigation into the man he barely knew.

The result is a remarkable portrait of Frederick Percival Jarrett Alexander—known as Alec—a man whose life spanned remarkable personal achievements, devastating setbacks, hidden relationships and changing social expectations across twentieth-century Britain.

As Malcolm pieces together long-forgotten records, family secrets and historical events, he discovers that understanding the past is rarely straightforward. Every revelation brings new questions, offering insight not only into his father, but into the wider story of Britain itself.

Rich in historical detail and deeply personal reflection, Alec: The Father I Barely Knew is a powerful reminder that every family has untold stories waiting to be discovered, and that understanding those who came before us can help us better understand ourselves.

Blurb

Alec: The Father I Barely Knew by Malcolm Alexander is a moving, meticulously researched memoir and biography tracing the life of a remarkable but enigmatic figure—Frederick Percival Jarrett Alexander, known as “Alec”—as viewed through the eyes of a son seeking connection, understanding and closure.

Beginning with the loss of his father at the age of eight, Malcolm embarks on a decades-long journey through family secrets, forgotten relationships and Britain’s changing social history. From Edwardian London and the aftermath of the First World War to the upheavals of the twentieth century, the story weaves together personal discovery with a fascinating portrait of a nation in transition.

Combining memoir, biography and social history, this is a moving exploration of identity, family and the enduring impact of those we barely had the chance to know.

Tour Schedule

6th July

@_lozzieloves
@tiffanystales

7th July

@Sue.wallace1974
@ink.readsalot

8th July

@joellereadsbooks
@daisyhollands

Buy the Book

📖 Buy your copy: https://mybook.to/wNuQnAC

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Follow along throughout the tour as our reviewers share their honest thoughts on this moving memoir. If you enjoy biographies, family history and stories that explore how the past continues to shape the present, Alec: The Father I Barely Knew is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Authors / Publishers

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