This vivid and engaging memoir traces Dirk Bogarde’s childhood amidst the enchanting beauty of rural Sussex, as well as his first steps as a young actor. He recounts the delightful harmony of summer days spent fishing and foraging with his young sister, the plays they staged in their barn, and his forays into the theater with the local amateur dramatic society. Finally, just as war broke out, came an audition for a scholarship to the Old Vic—a prelude to his growing desire to join the world of the theater.