The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse

In a series of vignettes, McCall Smith describes life in rural England during World War II and then contrasts life in postwar Germany and England. English girl Val, her aunt Annie, cousin Willy, and employer Archie are coping with wartime shortages. Willy brings home a mistreated dog, Peter Woodhouse, who soon is adopted by Val's American lover Mike and his comrades to be the base mascot. Near the end of the war, Mike crash-lands in Holland, and he and his crew (including Peter Woodhouse) are hidden by the Dutch and later saved from death by Ubi, a young German soldier. The focus shifts to Ubi as he seeks work, a home, and family in devastated postwar Germany. Ubi and Mike meet again during the Berlin Airlift, and Mike is able to assist Ubi in rescuing his small nephew. Peter Woodhouse connects the characters and serves as a barometer for their worthiness, but this really isn't a dog story. Instead the author offers understated, evocative glimpses of how good people—British, American, and German—handle hardship and tragedy. David Rintoul's reading adds to the charm. He varies accents, inflection, and rhythm to bring individuality to each character.