Having spent the past seven years sharing his thoughts and feelings on all aspects of life, Pullyman has collected together many of his favourite columns and released them as a book.

Michael Cowin, who writes under the pen-name Pullyman, has gathered together 100 of his favourite columns, which appear weekly in the Island Life pages of the Manx Independent, and released them under the title ’Pullyman Columns: Words of Wisdom Volume 1’.

Illustrated by artist and friend Des Clague, edited by Hazel Teare and dedicated to his wife Irene, who he refers loving to as ’Brown Eyes’, the book features Pullyman’s ruminations on many subjects, from the changes to the town centre of Douglas to various Manx institutions, international politics to the number 23 bus and life in general on the Isle of Man.

Many of these columns are mixed with funny, charming and poignant stories about growing up in the Isle of Man during the 1950s and he often takes great delight in remembering the buildings and businesses that used to line the streets and lanes of Douglas, and some of the colourful characters that lived and worked there.

He is always open about his family life, and how he copes with the everyday trials and troubles with Parkinson’s Disease, which he was diagnosed with more than 10 years ago.

Michael said that he takes great pleasure in writing the weekly columns, and that he gets a lot of pleasure frm the feedback he receives from his many fans.

’I have just finished writing my 312th column for the Manx Independent and, after all these years, I can honestly say I like them,’ said Michael.

’There are some that make me laugh, and there are some that make me wonder will I get away with it this time, as there are so many restrictions on what you can and can’t write these days, but I do like writing them still.

’They gives me the discipline of meeting a deadline every week and I still enjoy looking at life and poking fun at it.

’What I like the most about them is the feedback I get, and the people that come up to me in the street with ideas. I always have people stopping me and saying "have you done one on this or that?".

’One of my most recent columns was about how I managed to put a pair of socks onto one foot.

’That struck a chord with a few people and it seemed to go down very well.

’But whether the stories are happy or sad, or funny or serious, whether I look at current events or indulge in a bit of nostalgia, I just write about life.

’What else is there to talk about?’

Pullyman Columns: Words of Wisdom Volume ’ is available from all Shoprite stores across the island, along with the Bridge Bookshop, Onchan Post Office, Riley’s Garden Centre, Greens in Peel and many others, priced £9.95.

All proceeds raised form the book will go to the Parkinson’s Disease Society Isle of Man.