Taproom Tales

About the Book

Taproom Tales is a collection of short stories based upon the real life experiences of the author. The subjects of the tales vary from events he has been directly involved in, both at home and abroad, some of which are hilarious. The team, as the group of friends are known, meet regularly in the Shire pub.

Tale 1: "Finest in the city": introduces the team members.

Tale 2: "African Sojourn": recalls the trials and tribulations of working in tropical Africa and his torrid affair with a young local girl.

Tale 3: "Alright in the End": is a darkly funny tale about the funeral of Alf "the Aldermans" uncle.

Tale 4: "Tough in the Gulf": describes how he first became hooked on foreign travel, and had to flee Iran in the 1978 uprising.

Tale 5: "My Grandad and Bradman": from his childhood, a trip to Headlingley to see the famous Don Bradman.

Tale 6: "Monkey Business": John's mate in Pakistan buys a monkey, hilarious goings on when they both get drunk at the bar.

Tale 7: "Tales of Zorro": The Zorro window cleaning company. Georgie Auld drunk in charge of the hand cart.

Tale 8: "Beach at Shoiba": an encounter with the "biggest, blackest, most evil camel I've ever seen in my life."

Tale 9: "The Wedding Day": Jenny forces Terry into a no-win situation.

Tale 10: "The Shake of Araby": dirty dealings in the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia.

Tale 11: "Paradise Point": turtles on the beach, a nude Dave is attacked by a hungry sea bird.

Tale 12: "Dhorfar Delights": kidnapped, drugged, and forced to have sex can't be bad for a pair of mid east workers.

Tale 13: "That's Show Biz": John's star-struck mate enters a talent competition, but has too much to drink, with hilarious consequences.

Tale 14: "Northern Frights": Georgie has a trip back home to Aberdeen.

Tale 15: "Saudi Arabia, The Dry Country?" Living and working in Saudi, what are the conditions like for an Expat?

About the Author

John Leeds was born in Leeds West Yorkshire in 1936. He left school at the age of 15, his first employment was as an apprentice to a woodcarver and cabinet maker. He worked at his job for a very enjoyable 9 years until newly married he realised that the financial grass was much greener in the construction industry. So began a turning point in his life which brought to fruition the latent seeds of his future wanderlust.

Now, 40 years, and 3 marriages later John is living once again in his native city, happily settled with Pat his partner, just a mile up the road from his birthplace. Far from putting his feet up and sinking leisurely into a submissive old age he is a keen golfer, much better he assures himself than his 18 handicap would suggest. He still enjoys fell walking in his beloved Dales, keeps his hand in at woodcarving, and enjoys nothing better than a pint of best Yorkshire bitter in any one of that counties fine rural hostelries. John Leeds remains optimistic of the future, and looks forward to his new career!! (best selling author). He sums up his life paraphrasing the words of a far better writer than himself: " I have been quite lucky in my life in as much as I have been able to do the things I wanted to do. I am blessed with the strength of mind to be able to resist anything- but temptation".

Tales of the Taproom is a collection of short stories based on the real life experiences of the author. The subject of the stories vary from the events that John has been involved in, both at home amongst his group of friends (who are known collectively as "The Team" who meet regularly in their local pub "The Shire" to get away from their womenfolk and to share memories, anecdotes and general gossip. These tales are interwoven with reminicences of his time spent working overseas on a variety of construction projects.