‘In the Shadow of the Finishing Post
John Keeman was, in some ways, a typical, elderly, ‘waste of Scotland’ male;. However, in some important ways he was quite unlike others, considering the fact that he was not a chauvinist, as well as his great deal of empathy and care for other people.
His passions lay in horse racing and boxing. Above is a picture of John from a trip to Ayr, watching down the field to see where his horses were, far down the track; he wasn’t very good at betting.
However, one thing he did bet correctly on was his writing. John’s two books - In the Shadow of the Crane and The Italian Connection -have touched the hearts and minds of many and are seen as unique, thought-provoking pieces of literature.
Unfortunately, John never reached the full finishing post of his own life, having passed away in 2025 after a long illness. His early life was not an easy one, with him born into Finnieston, one of the most severely deprived areas of Glasgow, He grew up in the shadow of the carne, However he still managed to defy the odds and after many years of gruelling jobs he became a mature student and graduated with an honours degree from Glasgow University. He than made a career in giving advice and assistance to others.
Sadly, his three sons also passed away within his lifetime, creating even more turmoil.. He is survived by his wife, Janet.
Hoodstone Press is continuing to make the books John worked so hard on, available to purchase. We hope that his memory can live on through these marvellous books.
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