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Moved by the Boy in Baby House 10

How we learned that books, and everyday heroes, really can change lives

Inspiration can be hard to find at the best of times; on a cold February evening it’s a rare thing indeed—so huge thanks to Alan Philps for providing us with so much of it during his reading from ‘The Boy From Baby House 10’ recently.

Living in Russia as the Daily Telegraph’s Moscow correspondent, Philps first became aware of the dreadful conditions in the country’s ‘baby houses’—basically, pitifully inadequate homes for any child either missing parents and family or diagnosed with anything less than full health—when his translator wife Sarah visited one and became acquainted with Vanya, the engaging little child of the book’s title.

As Philps recounted the quite incredible circumstances of Vanya’s existence, it would have been easy for the evening to have become depressing—but there was none of that because we also learned of his and Sarah’s resilience, determination and bravery and if there were any tears they were simply from those of us moved by this extraordinary story of everyday heroics.

Joining her husband for the Q&A session, Sarah Philps provided a warm and spirited counterbalance to Alan’s measured and poised delivery and both were generous in answering all questions in a session that stretched long into the evening and ended with almost a party atmosphere.

It was yet another author event at West End Lane Books from which this writer, at least, returned home feeling privileged to have met the writer of such a moving book and to have encountered such a lovely couple of human beings.