Author’s new memoir has a ‘socially helpful message about addiction woven into a peripatetic life’

ANTHONY Fitzgerald, who has lived in Chilton Foliat for the last 16 years, has published a new memoir, which, he says “has a socially helpful message about addiction woven into a rather peripatetic life”.

In Travels with a Dangerous Friend, Searching the world for a message in the bottle Anthony tells of circumstances leading to him emigrate to the US aged 18. Working in lowly jobs in New York he falls in love with an older woman, moves to Chicago and lives in the African-American quarter of South Chicago.

In London he enters the advertising industry and then joins an expedition driving to Australia.

In Australia, the ‘lucky country’, life teaches him drinking ‘Australia style’. Then he joins an Aussie and two Americans to drive through Africa.

Back in London, now an advertising copywriter, he earns reasonable money and unreasonable drinking habits.

He fathers a child and, once again, moves on.

In Kenya he starts a company, gets married and has two children. He gets his hunting licence and goes on safaris.

He travels extensively in East Africa enjoying the hedonistic lifestyle of the European in Africa. His wife parts from him and back in England he joins Time Magazine.

Time Magazine sends him back to South Africa with his new wife and then to Holland and Scandinavia with “a lifestyle of conspicuous entertainment”.

Although successful he becomes more dependent on alcohol. The low points are frequent and disaster looms.

This is the story of his journey and final redemption.

Anthony now works intermittently as a qualified executive coach dealing with careers and lifestyle.

Travels with a Dangerous Friend, Searching the world for a message in the bottle is published by YouCaxton Publications, price £9.99.

ISBN: 978-1-915972-17-0

Available on Amazon