Hugo Manning was born and brought up in the East End of London, pursued an amazing career across the world, and had a private and intense dedication to poetry and philosophy, having his work published in nationally-read magazines and papers; indeed, for many years he was Poetry Editor on the old New Statesman. His extraordinary character made him a man admired by many, and his life on the literary scene held friendships with Jorge Luis Borges, Henry Miller, Dame Muriel Spark, Kathleen Raine, and many others.

During the fourties he returned to Britain from Argentina, enlisted and sent to North Africa/ He was severly injured and sent home on a troopship. His Poem Troopship quoted in this book as well as a detailed description of his injury and return home.