The Last Saturday

About the Book

The Last Saturday tells the story of what might happen if a man appeared in Britain and performed what could be described as a series of 'miracles'. When a speculative story about who the man might be, a second Jesus or a charlatan, is written by a newspaper journalist there is an explosion of reactions, both highly critical and supportive and the country becomes quickly divided.

The book describes how the appearance of the man and his activities develop and the drama caused by his revolutionary views on religion and other aspects of human life. The man himself is never quoted but his views are revealed by his spokesman, a person affected by one of the first his 'miracles'. His views are controversial and challenge many of the beliefs of the past two thousand years. There is a strong reaction by all sections of the church

The story is told through the lives of people who are directly or indirectly associated with him or who are affected by his words.

The story has a dramatic ending.

About the Author

Although he has written three books this is Michael Gunton's first novel, at the age of 80 years.

After serving in the Royal Navy during the Second World War Michael began a 40-odd year career in journalism which including working as a political and industrial correspondent for British and American newspapers and radio stations. He covered a wide range of stories including the Paris riots, the Northern Ireland troubles, the building and maiden voyage of the Queen Elizabeth II and the building of Concorde.

He then worked for 10 years as Chief Industrial Correspondent for the Government's Central Office of Information writing features about Britain for a large number of newspapers throughout the world. He then moved to Parliament as the Conservative Party's representative in the Parliamentary Press Gallery. During this period he worked for the Prime Ministers, Thatcher and Major and was. for three years, press officer to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nigel Lawson.

After the 1992 General Election he worked for three years in Eastern Europe, following the fall of the Iron Curtain, teaching parliamentarians and journalists how to operate in a democratic climate. He made 80 visits to the 13 former communist countries and advised several future Presidents and Prime Ministers. This was followed by a six month period as Press Adviser to Sir James Goldsmith and the Referendum Party during the 1997 general election campaign.

In the last few years he has written and published a small book Do you want Rendezvous? describing his work in Eastern Europe.

He then researched, compiled and published A Hundred Years in the Life of Britain, a detailed chronicle of the period. It differs from the usual chronicle in that it details the passing years on a subject, rather than calendar basis. He then wrote Dive, Dive, Dive: A History of Submarine Warfare which was published by Constable and Robinson in 2003. It sold in both Britain and the United States.

He has another book A Fight to the Death (as yet unpublished) which tells the true story of an heroic Polish submarine during the first weeks of the Second World War.

His most recent achievement was to reach 80-years-old in August of this year.