Any Deric Longden fans?

[Mittens67]

I love his books but have never come across anybody else who has heard of him even though the first two were made into films.

That's a blast from the past. I think my grandfather knew him through his work in education.

Did his wife has a illness/disability and he used to write about it? And didn't he have a close female friend (whilst still married) and married her? I seem to remember a cat???

Yes! He was a local radio football commentator on Radio Derby when I was a child.

His books are lovely, The cat who came in from the cold etc.

He seemed a lovely man. His first wife, subject of Wild Eyed and Legless, was ill and his second wife was blind.

Lovely, gentle books.

Too many lovely's there!

I loved his books! I haven't read them for years but still have them somewhere. Maybe time for a re-read, thanks for reminding me about him, OP.

I love the Deric Longden books and have read them all. I thought he seemed to run out of ideas towards the end but the first two, Diana's Story and Lost for Words I can read over and over again.

His first book was Diana’s story (the film was titled Wide Eyed and Legless after Diana’s favourite song) about his first wife and her chronic illness which back in the 80s went undiagnosed and Diana was constantly gaslighted by medics. She sadly died. It was later thought she had a very severe form of what is now called CFS.
His second book was Lost for Words about his eccentric and hugely entertaining mother. This was made into a film starring Thora Hird with Pete Postlethwaite playing Deric.
Deric married Aileen Armitage (who writes historical fiction and who is blind) after Diana died.
Subsequent books are about their life together in Huddersfield and their lovely cats.
I find them a mix of hilarity and sadness. Excellent books.
Deric is now sadly passed away.

Yes, love them and actually have just been re reading Lost for Words

Diana's Story was the one about his wife who had ME/CFS. First DL book I ever read, a day teenager recently diagnosed with ME myself. A film was made of it called Wife Eyed and Legless, starring Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent, with Thora Hird playing Detic's very eccentric and lovable mother.

The Cat Who Came In From The Cold was the one about the cat.

Not heard of him before but just watched Lost For Words with Thora Hird as his mother and Pete Postlethwaite as DL on Talking Pictures channel the other day which I came across by chance. It was excellent; I totally believed that they were mother and son and had that relationship for years. Funny and real and avoided being mawkish.

Also love Jim Broadbent so be interested to see the other film.