The Sum of Two Squares is a work mainly of fiction, but with a very generous sprinkling of fact, presenting a fairly light-hearted impression of life in a typical County Durham pit community in the first half of the twentieth century. The inhabitants of the fictitious village, The Brockwell, are merely examples of the diversity to be found in the warm-hearted people of all pit villages... My Ain Folk.

Cecil Johnson took early retirement after serving as headmaster of a comprehensive school for 25 years. He was also co-author of four French school books and served as a Member of the District Council for nine years. He lives on his farm in Co. Durham within two miles of his native village.