Caution to the Wind A Memoir by Terry Prone
3rd September 2023
The Autumn breakout book is Caution to the Wind, the story of a woman who has been a household name since the sixties.
Terry Prone got her break on a TV show at thirteen. The reputation she earned as a fearless teenage panellist willing to take on anybody led to her becoming a regular on Gay Byrne’s Late, Late show. At fifteen, she lied about her age to get into the Abbey Theatre School of Acting, became an actor with the Abbey and starred in a West End production. Later, as Ireland’s Outstanding Teenager, she was interviewed by Barbara Walters on US television.
Now, she’s written what broadcaster Matt Cooper has described as “a searingly honest memoir” of her life as one of the most successful businesswomen in Ireland from the 1970s, training people from Canada to Cambodia in communications while publishing thirty books, thousands of newspaper columns, editing magazines, producing radio programmes, presenting TV shows – and advising several Taoisigh and Government Ministers.
Cathy Kelly, global bestselling author, said: “If I ever can remember enough to write a memoir, I hope it’s half as good as this one. Terry’s wit, wisdom and utter brilliance at setting a scene makes you a part of her life, as if you were in the offices with the mad marijuana plant given as a joke or having a meeting the day after giving birth to Anton. Her sheer joie de vivre, utter honesty and the pure drive of a woman whose bone marrow is one hundred per cent decency shines through.
Terry is always deep, always thoughtful and has the incredible and rare gift of being able to see humour in all of life.”
At the heart of the book is the love story that forced Terry to throw caution to the wind. Because she fell in love with Tom Savage. Father Tom Savage. All hell broke loose. He was fired. She was fired. They weren’t allowed to marry.
The two of them fought back. Tom became the first producer of RTE’s Morning Ireland and Terry became the first scriptwriter for the Gay Byrne Hour. They set up a business helping captains of industry and politicians become better communicators.
Filled with laughter and love, with triumph and disaster, Caution to the Wind is thoughtful, evocative and engaging.
Caution to the Wind is published by Red Stripe Press on the 6th October 2023.
