SPUD, a new book by Brian Griffin, inspired by aresidency in Béthune-Bruay in Northern France, marksthe centenary of the end of World War I. Last year,Griffin spent three weeks in the French town, near thesite of the Battle of the Somme and, also a large McCainpotato factory – one of the largest potato productionplants in Europe, producing around 1700 tons of frozenchips each day. With the coincidence of `SPUD’, theinformal British word for potato also being slang for lowranking British soldiers in World War I, Griffinexplores the relationship between the potatoes grown inthe soil and the soldiers who were killed in the very sameplace, over 100 years ago.
