|
Browse categories
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Three Cups of Tea
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
|
*Amazon: £4.18
|
|
 Customer Reviews
FROM A RASH PROMISE............................, 17 Nov 2008
I never read fictional books as I prefer to know about 'true life' and this book has to be one of the most humbling and amazing books I've ever read.
From the rash promise Greg Mortenson made, grew a remarkable humanitarian campaign, in which he has dedicated his life to promote education, especially for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
As of 2008, Mortenson has established over 78 schools in rural and often volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, which provide education to over 28,000 children, including 18,000 girls, where few education opportunities existed before and even more surprising is that these regions are often conversative Muslim.
He has forged formidable relationships with highly respected leaders in both Pakistan and Afghanistan and this just proves what a special man Mortenson must be.
He has inspired me to do what I can to help these regions not just because I believe education is fundamental to every society but, even more importantly, he believes that education is the only way to combat the Taliban and extremism - and he's right!
He's opened my eyes to the Muslim religion and different cultures in Pakistan and Afghanistan in a way that no television programme has ever achieved [or tried to achieve. To learn more visit: www.threecupsoftea.com
If you only read one more book in your life - make sure it's Three Cups of Tea and I promise, it will change your perspective completely.
Can't stop thinking about this book, 12 Nov 2008
All this and the Obama election, in one week! Suddenly it's possible to feel more hopeful about the USA and the world in general. As so many others have said, this is an utterly inspiring and humbling book and restores faith in human nature and the gift of human friendship. It also makes utterly clear - if it was not abundantly clear already - the utterly bankrupt and corrupt nature of the notion of US 'security' as any priority for running the world.
As well as the enormous respect one feels for Greg Mortenson, I 'd like to pay tribute to David Oliver Relin who wrote the book. It's a very compelling read, brilliantly conveyed and with loving attention to detail.I hope it continues to sell in shedloads, and I shall certainly be buying multiple copies to give away.
Awesome book!, 09 Nov 2008
I was recommended this book while volunteering in Ghana (West Africa). It is truly the most inspiring book I have read so far. Greg Mortenson is simply a hero. I know what I am getting my family and friends for Christmas this year...Three Cups of Tea!
Humbling., 06 Nov 2008
A very well told story about a selfless, dedicated, passionate and obsessive man who has immersed himself in a culture initially alien but ultimately with more depth and based on reality than his own. The book tells the story of his unwillingness to stay uninvolved in assisting others who are in need.
Brilliant, 06 Nov 2008
see one person can change the world.
Read this book, to both humble and inspire
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Customer Reviews
FROM A RASH PROMISE............................, 17 Nov 2008
I never read fictional books as I prefer to know about 'true life' and this book has to be one of the most humbling and amazing books I've ever read.
From the rash promise Greg Mortenson made, grew a remarkable humanitarian campaign, in which he has dedicated his life to promote education, especially for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
As of 2008, Mortenson has established over 78 schools in rural and often volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, which provide education to over 28,000 children, including 18,000 girls, where few education opportunities existed before and even more surprising is that these regions are often conversative Muslim.
He has forged formidable relationships with highly respected leaders in both Pakistan and Afghanistan and this just proves what a special man Mortenson must be.
He has inspired me to do what I can to help these regions not just because I believe education is fundamental to every society but, even more importantly, he believes that education is the only way to combat the Taliban and extremism - and he's right!
He's opened my eyes to the Muslim religion and different cultures in Pakistan and Afghanistan in a way that no television programme has ever achieved [or tried to achieve. To learn more visit: www.threecupsoftea.com
If you only read one more book in your life - make sure it's Three Cups of Tea and I promise, it will change your perspective completely.
Can't stop thinking about this book, 12 Nov 2008
All this and the Obama election, in one week! Suddenly it's possible to feel more hopeful about the USA and the world in general. As so many others have said, this is an utterly inspiring and humbling book and restores faith in human nature and the gift of human friendship. It also makes utterly clear - if it was not abundantly clear already - the utterly bankrupt and corrupt nature of the notion of US 'security' as any priority for running the world.
As well as the enormous respect one feels for Greg Mortenson, I 'd like to pay tribute to David Oliver Relin who wrote the book. It's a very compelling read, brilliantly conveyed and with loving attention to detail.I hope it continues to sell in shedloads, and I shall certainly be buying multiple copies to give away.
Awesome book!, 09 Nov 2008
I was recommended this book while volunteering in Ghana (West Africa). It is truly the most inspiring book I have read so far. Greg Mortenson is simply a hero. I know what I am getting my family and friends for Christmas this year...Three Cups of Tea!
Humbling., 06 Nov 2008
A very well told story about a selfless, dedicated, passionate and obsessive man who has immersed himself in a culture initially alien but ultimately with more depth and based on reality than his own. The book tells the story of his unwillingness to stay uninvolved in assisting others who are in need.
Brilliant, 06 Nov 2008
see one person can change the world.
Read this book, to both humble and inspire
What Mr Broughton should have thought about earlier?, 15 Oct 2008
I believe that this is an interesting read for anybody who is considering an MBA at Harvard Business School and where Mr Broughton describes the teaching and details of the MBA the book is informative and useful.
The main problem I had with the book is the complete lack of Mr Broughton's understanding of his own situation. If you are a journalist and work at the Paris office of a UK newspaper you are definitely on the right career track and the decision to try out something else might be understandable but if you choose Harvard Business School you must be very naive to wait for the professor or tutor to tell you that the most important thing in the world should be your family and a reasonable work-life balance. That is comparable to a legal trainee to go to one of the City law firms and expect a nine to five working day or to a yogi to wait for somebody to say after the class "Who is a up for a quick one then?".
If Mr Broughton wanted to know more about business administration a course at any uni should have done the trick. I believe that he chose to go to Harvard because he was flattered to be accepted. However, it seems clear to me that he was accepted because of his journalistic background which gave Harvard the opportunity to boast about the variety of people who are interested in attending. It is really sad when Mr Broughton describes how he cannot find a job or is not willing to go all the way. It seems to be some sort of midlife crisis and I pity his wife a bit to have wasted well in excess of USD 100,000 for the 2 years of "finding himself" but at least they were able to spend some time with their kids together.
The editor of the book must have been fast asleep or maybe Mr Broughton was not listening but for the last 50 pages one is waiting for the happy end which never comes. It is not really an achievement to get an MBA from Harvard Business School and then to be unable to get a job.
The pinnacle of ignorance is when Mr Broughton decides to right a novel during his 10 weeks vacation between year 1 and year 2. At this stage it should have been clear to him that we was just wasting his time.
Obviously this book is very topical given that Hank Paulson and George W. Bush both went to Harvard Business School. The book is also quite chilling when it talks about people applying to Lehman Brothers.
Maybe Mr Broughton should edit the book and re-publish with the hindsight of the credit crunch minus his personal waterloo.
A Journalist's Take on Harvard Business School's MBA Program, 22 Sep 2008
Philip Delves Broughton was on top of the journalism world as the Paris bureau chief for The Daily Telegraph of London when he got itchy feet and decided he wanted to go to business school. Setting his sights on Harvard, he was pleased to get in.
I attended Harvard Business School while in law school many years ago. I was surprised to find out how many things are similar to when I attended. The student complaints were similar, too.
I thought that Mr. Broughton did an excellent job of explaining what the case system is all about and what occurs in preparing for and during a class. If you've always wanted to go to HBS, here's a chance to take a peek.
The book's strength is in exposing the values behind HBS, people seeking the highest-paying jobs despite the personal cost to family life and one's own soul. Mr. Broughton made some half-hearted attempts to seek out such opportunities, but ended his two years at Harvard with a large loan to show for the experience . . . and no job.
The book's weakness comes in Mr. Broughton's desire to teach you some of the basic concepts about business management. I doubt if you are interested. He doesn't always get it right, either.
I found myself comparing What They Teach You at Harvard Business School to One L, Scott Turow's brilliant description of the bad old days of being a first-year law student at Harvard. One L is a better book. But both are powerful in explaining what it feels like to be a student in the middle of the gigantic forces moving to shape you like a vise into a new form that will be attractive to employers.
A fly-on-the-wall view of American's most prestigious business school, 11 Sep 2008
Speaking as someone who is moving from academia to business, and from the UK to Boston, Philip Broughton's book about his experience as an English journalist also moving out to Boston for the MBA resonated very strongly with me. A cultural outsider by virtue of his background, culture, and has he suggests several times, his age (32 vs average of 27 at HBS), this book gives the kind of insight that a prospectus never could. Compressing two years of education into a paperback is quite a tall order, so Broughton gives a flavour of each of the modules he took there, from financial models to ethics and corporate strategy, as well as touching briefly upon the typical case studies he encountered there.
Where this book was at its most interesting for me were in some of the the narrow-minded, self-serving, and even dangerous beliefs of his fellow peers, who have little time for ethical considerations and firmly believe that a free-market business rationale should be applied to all spheres of life, regardless of little externalities like corporate responsibility. I also particularly enjoyed Broughton's almost comical experiences with the "milk round" recruitment circuit, with students all repeating the same rote-learnt mantras to get through rounds of interview. The author, being typically British about it, tries to be honest and open, and doesn't get invited back.
Where I do reserve some judgement, though, is the fact that if I had been in his class, I'd feel a little like the author hadn't fully committed to the process. He came to HBS ostensibly to get away from journalism, and two years later here he is publishing books, hardly a massive change in direction for two years and some £90k in forgone earnings and fees. Of course, this seems to be quite typical for HBS grads; all the bankers, consultants, and hedge-fund managers who came for a career-changing experience all obediently trotted right back to where they'd come from once the mortgage needed paying.
All in all this is an entertaining and engaging read if you have even a remote interest in business, the MBA, or Harvard Business School. Maybe it'll teach you that HBS isn't for you, maybe it'll have you submitting an application when you didn't think you were interested at all. Maybe now I should read "What they DON'T teach you at HBS" just to be thorough!
Doesn't know what it want's to be, 05 Sep 2008
[This review is actually for the US version of the book Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School, but since this is the main UK version I thought I'd post here instead.
Firstly, I'm a recent HBS graduate, and like Mr Delves-Broughton, I was also from the UK, though I had more of a traditional business background before attending. This book has been gaining quite a lot of interest from the HBS community with various debates as to how fair a representation it is.
My major criticism is that the book really doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a description of the day-to-day experience of HBS?, Is it a commentary on American Capitalism and the HBS adminstration? Is it the author's own introspective look at his own life and what he ultimately wants to be? It is in fact of all of these things, but due to lack of consistency in the writing style it ends up feeling quite disjointed and a difficult read as it switches at random from excruciating detail about particular classes to broad ruminations about the author's overall view.
As for the content, everything that's mentioned in the book are fair criticisms of the school. Every single point that is raised is based solidly in fact and the HBS administration would do well to pay heed to many of the observations. In fact the back cover of the US edition, highlights a particular bug-bear of mine, the gaming of the financial aid system by many HBS students who benefit despite having huge financial resources - and these are the same students who debate from the moral high ground in a class about ethics! However, in his haste to highlight these failings of the school I feel that the author is really missing the big picture. As you read you can't help but feel that he decided that he would never fit in before he went to HBS and has written a book that picks out all the bad elements of the school to justify his position.
During my time at HBS I found all the things that the author mentions equally frustrating but they were far out-weighted by the school's positives. The outstanding quality of its faculty, the supberb facilties, my fellow students who were not only academically bright but incredibly active in a huge range of activities (setting up businesses, running charity campaigns etc..) all made it a very rewarding place to spend two years. Sure, there was plenty of idiots who get caught up in the rush to banking or consulting or are ultra-competitive and lacking in social skills, but nobody's perfect and if you let other people ruin your day then you're the idiot.
Overall I'm wavering between 3 and 4 stars. 3 stars because its not that well written and the author seems to never want to be part of it (you can't help the feeling that he always intended to write a book), 4 stars because if you've ever wondered what its like to go HBS its a reasonable expose. Just read it with a pinch of salt.
Takes you inside a top MBA, 01 Sep 2008
Having just finished an MBA myself from London Business School, I saw this book at Heathrow on my way out of the UK and bought it with curiosity. I wanted to see whether my experience at London Business School would have been significantly different from that at a top American school; Harvard, of course, as far as MBA brands go, being number one in my opinion regardless of what competitors or any rankings say.
This book can be recommended to those interested in applying to Harvard or a comparable top MBA program to see if they have the right expectations of an MBA program; as well as to graduates of other programs to see how the experience at their schools compare against the holy grail of MBAs. It really goes inside what the MBA culture is about in general, especially at elitist schools, and at Harvard in particular. Broughton is not the only MBA who feels like this. The unreal world, the pressures, the tendency to go with the herd... despite having studied at a school across the atlantic, I continuously kept on smiling at the commonalities.
I disagree with the notion that this book disses the school, or the MBA in general. It just points out very well some of the absurdities of the program for all those who are not financial crackheads.
|
|
|
 |
|
The Other Side of the Dale
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
|
*Amazon: £3.45
|
|
Product Description
Amusing and serendipitous memories of Gervase Phinn's first year as County Inspector of Schools in North Yorkshire. The children he meets seem to be little adults, full of the language and prudence of their mostly land-worker parents; able to hold their own on the finer points of animal husbandry and farm management. "Don't yer know yer sheep then?" asks a serious little boy, aged six, whose reading aloud is perfect but whose interest is more in identifying the breed of sheep in the accompanying illustration, which leads to a serious classroom discussion. Gervase Phinn meets head teachers, checks school curriculums, selects an unpopular winner in a poetry competition, and gains confidence of the shyest and the most stubborn with innate diplomacy. He graciously accepts endless inaccuracies in the spelling and pronunciation of his name--"he's called Mr Grim and he's a spectre"--becomes much sought-after and admired by the county's matrons, and his heart is set a'flutter by a pretty, unmarried headmistress with whom he longs to be more intimately acquainted. A good-natured, entertaining storyteller obviously committed to his calling, Mr Phinn's occasional inaccuracy in rendition in no way detracts from his warm and enjoyable reading. --Running time approx 3 hours --Lynn Took
Customer Reviews
FROM A RASH PROMISE............................, 17 Nov 2008
I never read fictional books as I prefer to know about 'true life' and this book has to be one of the most humbling and amazing books I've ever read.
From the rash promise Greg Mortenson made, grew a remarkable humanitarian campaign, in which he has dedicated his life to promote education, especially for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
As of 2008, Mortenson has established over 78 schools in rural and often volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, which provide education to over 28,000 children, including 18,000 girls, where few education opportunities existed before and even more surprising is that these regions are often conversative Muslim.
He has forged formidable relationships with highly respected leaders in both Pakistan and Afghanistan and this just proves what a special man Mortenson must be.
He has inspired me to do what I can to help these regions not just because I believe education is fundamental to every society but, even more importantly, he believes that education is the only way to combat the Taliban and extremism - and he's right!
He's opened my eyes to the Muslim religion and different cultures in Pakistan and Afghanistan in a way that no television programme has ever achieved [or tried to achieve. To learn more visit: www.threecupsoftea.com
If you only read one more book in your life - make sure it's Three Cups of Tea and I promise, it will change your perspective completely.
Can't stop thinking about this book, 12 Nov 2008
All this and the Obama election, in one week! Suddenly it's possible to feel more hopeful about the USA and the world in general. As so many others have said, this is an utterly inspiring and humbling book and restores faith in human nature and the gift of human friendship. It also makes utterly clear - if it was not abundantly clear already - the utterly bankrupt and corrupt nature of the notion of US 'security' as any priority for running the world.
As well as the enormous respect one feels for Greg Mortenson, I 'd like to pay tribute to David Oliver Relin who wrote the book. It's a very compelling read, brilliantly conveyed and with loving attention to detail.I hope it continues to sell in shedloads, and I shall certainly be buying multiple copies to give away. Awesome book!, 09 Nov 2008
I was recommended this book while volunteering in Ghana (West Africa). It is truly the most inspiring book I have read so far. Greg Mortenson is simply a hero. I know what I am getting my family and friends for Christmas this year...Three Cups of Tea! Humbling., 06 Nov 2008
A very well told story about a selfless, dedicated, passionate and obsessive man who has immersed himself in a culture initially alien but ultimately with more depth and based on reality than his own. The book tells the story of his unwillingness to stay uninvolved in assisting others who are in need. Brilliant, 06 Nov 2008
see one person can change the world.
Read this book, to both humble and inspire What Mr Broughton should have thought about earlier?, 15 Oct 2008
I believe that this is an interesting read for anybody who is considering an MBA at Harvard Business School and where Mr Broughton describes the teaching and details of the MBA the book is informative and useful.
The main problem I had with the book is the complete lack of Mr Broughton's understanding of his own situation. If you are a journalist and work at the Paris office of a UK newspaper you are definitely on the right career track and the decision to try out something else might be understandable but if you choose Harvard Business School you must be very naive to wait for the professor or tutor to tell you that the most important thing in the world should be your family and a reasonable work-life balance. That is comparable to a legal trainee to go to one of the City law firms and expect a nine to five working day or to a yogi to wait for somebody to say after the class "Who is a up for a quick one then?".
If Mr Broughton wanted to know more about business administration a course at any uni should have done the trick. I believe that he chose to go to Harvard because he was flattered to be accepted. However, it seems clear to me that he was accepted because of his journalistic background which gave Harvard the opportunity to boast about the variety of people who are interested in attending. It is really sad when Mr Broughton describes how he cannot find a job or is not willing to go all the way. It seems to be some sort of midlife crisis and I pity his wife a bit to have wasted well in excess of USD 100,000 for the 2 years of "finding himself" but at least they were able to spend some time with their kids together.
The editor of the book must have been fast asleep or maybe Mr Broughton was not listening but for the last 50 pages one is waiting for the happy end which never comes. It is not really an achievement to get an MBA from Harvard Business School and then to be unable to get a job.
The pinnacle of ignorance is when Mr Broughton decides to right a novel during his 10 weeks vacation between year 1 and year 2. At this stage it should have been clear to him that we was just wasting his time.
Obviously this book is very topical given that Hank Paulson and George W. Bush both went to Harvard Business School. The book is also quite chilling when it talks about people applying to Lehman Brothers.
Maybe Mr Broughton should edit the book and re-publish with the hindsight of the credit crunch minus his personal waterloo. A Journalist's Take on Harvard Business School's MBA Program, 22 Sep 2008
Philip Delves Broughton was on top of the journalism world as the Paris bureau chief for The Daily Telegraph of London when he got itchy feet and decided he wanted to go to business school. Setting his sights on Harvard, he was pleased to get in.
I attended Harvard Business School while in law school many years ago. I was surprised to find out how many things are similar to when I attended. The student complaints were similar, too.
I thought that Mr. Broughton did an excellent job of explaining what the case system is all about and what occurs in preparing for and during a class. If you've always wanted to go to HBS, here's a chance to take a peek.
The book's strength is in exposing the values behind HBS, people seeking the highest-paying jobs despite the personal cost to family life and one's own soul. Mr. Broughton made some half-hearted attempts to seek out such opportunities, but ended his two years at Harvard with a large loan to show for the experience . . . and no job.
The book's weakness comes in Mr. Broughton's desire to teach you some of the basic concepts about business management. I doubt if you are interested. He doesn't always get it right, either.
I found myself comparing What They Teach You at Harvard Business School to One L, Scott Turow's brilliant description of the bad old days of being a first-year law student at Harvard. One L is a better book. But both are powerful in explaining what it feels like to be a student in the middle of the gigantic forces moving to shape you like a vise into a new form that will be attractive to employers.
A fly-on-the-wall view of American's most prestigious business school, 11 Sep 2008
Speaking as someone who is moving from academia to business, and from the UK to Boston, Philip Broughton's book about his experience as an English journalist also moving out to Boston for the MBA resonated very strongly with me. A cultural outsider by virtue of his background, culture, and has he suggests several times, his age (32 vs average of 27 at HBS), this book gives the kind of insight that a prospectus never could. Compressing two years of education into a paperback is quite a tall order, so Broughton gives a flavour of each of the modules he took there, from financial models to ethics and corporate strategy, as well as touching briefly upon the typical case studies he encountered there.
Where this book was at its most interesting for me were in some of the the narrow-minded, self-serving, and even dangerous beliefs of his fellow peers, who have little time for ethical considerations and firmly believe that a free-market business rationale should be applied to all spheres of life, regardless of little externalities like corporate responsibility. I also particularly enjoyed Broughton's almost comical experiences with the "milk round" recruitment circuit, with students all repeating the same rote-learnt mantras to get through rounds of interview. The author, being typically British about it, tries to be honest and open, and doesn't get invited back.
Where I do reserve some judgement, though, is the fact that if I had been in his class, I'd feel a little like the author hadn't fully committed to the process. He came to HBS ostensibly to get away from journalism, and two years later here he is publishing books, hardly a massive change in direction for two years and some £90k in forgone earnings and fees. Of course, this seems to be quite typical for HBS grads; all the bankers, consultants, and hedge-fund managers who came for a career-changing experience all obediently trotted right back to where they'd come from once the mortgage needed paying.
All in all this is an entertaining and engaging read if you have even a remote interest in business, the MBA, or Harvard Business School. Maybe it'll teach you that HBS isn't for you, maybe it'll have you submitting an application when you didn't think you were interested at all. Maybe now I should read "What they DON'T teach you at HBS" just to be thorough! Doesn't know what it want's to be, 05 Sep 2008
[This review is actually for the US version of the book Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School, but since this is the main UK version I thought I'd post here instead.
Firstly, I'm a recent HBS graduate, and like Mr Delves-Broughton, I was also from the UK, though I had more of a traditional business background before attending. This book has been gaining quite a lot of interest from the HBS community with various debates as to how fair a representation it is.
My major criticism is that the book really doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a description of the day-to-day experience of HBS?, Is it a commentary on American Capitalism and the HBS adminstration? Is it the author's own introspective look at his own life and what he ultimately wants to be? It is in fact of all of these things, but due to lack of consistency in the writing style it ends up feeling quite disjointed and a difficult read as it switches at random from excruciating detail about particular classes to broad ruminations about the author's overall view.
As for the content, everything that's mentioned in the book are fair criticisms of the school. Every single point that is raised is based solidly in fact and the HBS administration would do well to pay heed to many of the observations. In fact the back cover of the US edition, highlights a particular bug-bear of mine, the gaming of the financial aid system by many HBS students who benefit despite having huge financial resources - and these are the same students who debate from the moral high ground in a class about ethics! However, in his haste to highlight these failings of the school I feel that the author is really missing the big picture. As you read you can't help but feel that he decided that he would never fit in before he went to HBS and has written a book that picks out all the bad elements of the school to justify his position.
During my time at HBS I found all the things that the author mentions equally frustrating but they were far out-weighted by the school's positives. The outstanding quality of its faculty, the supberb facilties, my fellow students who were not only academically bright but incredibly active in a huge range of activities (setting up businesses, running charity campaigns etc..) all made it a very rewarding place to spend two years. Sure, there was plenty of idiots who get caught up in the rush to banking or consulting or are ultra-competitive and lacking in social skills, but nobody's perfect and if you let other people ruin your day then you're the idiot.
Overall I'm wavering between 3 and 4 stars. 3 stars because its not that well written and the author seems to never want to be part of it (you can't help the feeling that he always intended to write a book), 4 stars because if you've ever wondered what its like to go HBS its a reasonable expose. Just read it with a pinch of salt. Takes you inside a top MBA, 01 Sep 2008
Having just finished an MBA myself from London Business School, I saw this book at Heathrow on my way out of the UK and bought it with curiosity. I wanted to see whether my experience at London Business School would have been significantly different from that at a top American school; Harvard, of course, as far as MBA brands go, being number one in my opinion regardless of what competitors or any rankings say.
This book can be recommended to those interested in applying to Harvard or a comparable top MBA program to see if they have the right expectations of an MBA program; as well as to graduates of other programs to see how the experience at their schools compare against the holy grail of MBAs. It really goes inside what the MBA culture is about in general, especially at elitist schools, and at Harvard in particular. Broughton is not the only MBA who feels like this. The unreal world, the pressures, the tendency to go with the herd... despite having studied at a school across the atlantic, I continuously kept on smiling at the commonalities.
I disagree with the notion that this book disses the school, or the MBA in general. It just points out very well some of the absurdities of the program for all those who are not financial crackheads. I have come to Uk to see Yorkshir, 29 May 2008
I read the book while i was studying at law school at University of Peshawar. it is really a great book. it helps one learn to enjoy every samll bit of life. its a very lovely story of small school kids and people who are concerned about them. and some where when you don't even reallise it transforms in a small love story. I enjoy every sentence of it, and read it five times(no exageration, i enjoy it that much and it is still on my disk. i still remember a kids spelling corrections when Miss. dela be aware(Miss de la Mare) appreciated them as a good poem;
yesterday yesterday yesterday
sorrow sorrow sorrow
today today today
hope hope hope
tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow
Love love love
and dont forget to read the "big stick joke" that was the start of love story.... Out of the mouths of babes, 31 Mar 2008
I can wholeheartedly recommend all the five "Dales" books. I discovered Gervase Phinn after my mother who is a deputy head gave me the third book as a present. As a former teacher turned teaching assistant I relate to these situations that Gervase encountered on a daily basis in the primary school environment. I could even add some more tales for his next book if he needs any more material!!! I also enjoy the scenes of friendly banter between Gervase and his colleagues at County Hall. I bet all of us know a Mrs Savage character somewhere in our lives! As other reviewers state, I too could not put the book down until I had completed it. Gervase Phinn is a born storyteller on the page and on the stage. (I saw his show live a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the performance) He captivates audiences with his humorous anecdotes and experiences. More of the same please, Gervase! Timeless Classic, 15 Nov 2007
To paraphrase a well known saying, some writers have to work hard to find good writing material, others have good writing material thrust upon them.
The story begins, as it should, at the beginning of Phinn's career as a school inspector, as he feels his way into the role of Schools English Inspector. One suspects that, if he had chosen a role anywhere else, this would not have been quite the same. The characters are all there, the battleaxe, the love interest, the comedy sidekicks, but really the book is all about the kids.
I'm so pleased that Phinn continues to write these books, as they make such enjoyable reading. A really good read, 01 Jul 2007
I usually have about three books on the go at once but this one kind of took over. I read in in three evenings - it really is such a lovely book, I'd recommend it to anyone. It will make you smile, laugh out loud (so be careful not to read it in a public place, people might think you are a bit strange). I have a little knowledge of the area so it was fun trying to workout the real names of the places mentioned - I think I spotted Chapel-le-Dale and the Old Hill Inn at the start of the book and a few other places. Looking forward to starting Over Hill and Dale next. Not a patch on James Herriot, 30 Jan 2006
An easy read and quite enjoyable, but I won't be reading any more books in the series, I much prefer James Herriot. Gervase Phinn has pinched James Herriot’s plot: new to the job but very enthusiastic; has to get used to the quirky way of his colleagues and ‘clients’; gauche attempts at courting future wife etc. If you like Alfred Wight’s James Herriot, you’ll be very disappointed. ‘The Other Side of the Dale’ is a very second rate version of the same idea, but not so well done. Gervase Phinn doesn't do justice to his Yorkshire characters, his Yorkshire scenery or the content of his Yorkshire tales. James Herriot’s prose is far superior and he conveys his love of the beautiful but harsh Yorkshire dales so much better.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Customer Reviews
FROM A RASH PROMISE............................, 17 Nov 2008
I never read fictional books as I prefer to know about 'true life' and this book has to be one of the most humbling and amazing books I've ever read.
From the rash promise Greg Mortenson made, grew a remarkable humanitarian campaign, in which he has dedicated his life to promote education, especially for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
As of 2008, Mortenson has established over 78 schools in rural and often volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, which provide education to over 28,000 children, including 18,000 girls, where few education opportunities existed before and even more surprising is that these regions are often conversative Muslim.
He has forged formidable relationships with highly respected leaders in both Pakistan and Afghanistan and this just proves what a special man Mortenson must be.
He has inspired me to do what I can to help these regions not just because I believe education is fundamental to every society but, even more importantly, he believes that education is the only way to combat the Taliban and extremism - and he's right!
He's opened my eyes to the Muslim religion and different cultures in Pakistan and Afghanistan in a way that no television programme has ever achieved [or tried to achieve. To learn more visit: www.threecupsoftea.com
If you only read one more book in your life - make sure it's Three Cups of Tea and I promise, it will change your perspective completely.
Can't stop thinking about this book, 12 Nov 2008
All this and the Obama election, in one week! Suddenly it's possible to feel more hopeful about the USA and the world in general. As so many others have said, this is an utterly inspiring and humbling book and restores faith in human nature and the gift of human friendship. It also makes utterly clear - if it was not abundantly clear already - the utterly bankrupt and corrupt nature of the notion of US 'security' as any priority for running the world.
As well as the enormous respect one feels for Greg Mortenson, I 'd like to pay tribute to David Oliver Relin who wrote the book. It's a very compelling read, brilliantly conveyed and with loving attention to detail.I hope it continues to sell in shedloads, and I shall certainly be buying multiple copies to give away. Awesome book!, 09 Nov 2008
I was recommended this book while volunteering in Ghana (West Africa). It is truly the most inspiring book I have read so far. Greg Mortenson is simply a hero. I know what I am getting my family and friends for Christmas this year...Three Cups of Tea! Humbling., 06 Nov 2008
A very well told story about a selfless, dedicated, passionate and obsessive man who has immersed himself in a culture initially alien but ultimately with more depth and based on reality than his own. The book tells the story of his unwillingness to stay uninvolved in assisting others who are in need. Brilliant, 06 Nov 2008
see one person can change the world.
Read this book, to both humble and inspire What Mr Broughton should have thought about earlier?, 15 Oct 2008
I believe that this is an interesting read for anybody who is considering an MBA at Harvard Business School and where Mr Broughton describes the teaching and details of the MBA the book is informative and useful.
The main problem I had with the book is the complete lack of Mr Broughton's understanding of his own situation. If you are a journalist and work at the Paris office of a UK newspaper you are definitely on the right career track and the decision to try out something else might be understandable but if you choose Harvard Business School you must be very naive to wait for the professor or tutor to tell you that the most important thing in the world should be your family and a reasonable work-life balance. That is comparable to a legal trainee to go to one of the City law firms and expect a nine to five working day or to a yogi to wait for somebody to say after the class "Who is a up for a quick one then?".
If Mr Broughton wanted to know more about business administration a course at any uni should have done the trick. I believe that he chose to go to Harvard because he was flattered to be accepted. However, it seems clear to me that he was accepted because of his journalistic background which gave Harvard the opportunity to boast about the variety of people who are interested in attending. It is really sad when Mr Broughton describes how he cannot find a job or is not willing to go all the way. It seems to be some sort of midlife crisis and I pity his wife a bit to have wasted well in excess of USD 100,000 for the 2 years of "finding himself" but at least they were able to spend some time with their kids together.
The editor of the book must have been fast asleep or maybe Mr Broughton was not listening but for the last 50 pages one is waiting for the happy end which never comes. It is not really an achievement to get an MBA from Harvard Business School and then to be unable to get a job.
The pinnacle of ignorance is when Mr Broughton decides to right a novel during his 10 weeks vacation between year 1 and year 2. At this stage it should have been clear to him that we was just wasting his time.
Obviously this book is very topical given that Hank Paulson and George W. Bush both went to Harvard Business School. The book is also quite chilling when it talks about people applying to Lehman Brothers.
Maybe Mr Broughton should edit the book and re-publish with the hindsight of the credit crunch minus his personal waterloo. A Journalist's Take on Harvard Business School's MBA Program, 22 Sep 2008
Philip Delves Broughton was on top of the journalism world as the Paris bureau chief for The Daily Telegraph of London when he got itchy feet and decided he wanted to go to business school. Setting his sights on Harvard, he was pleased to get in.
I attended Harvard Business School while in law school many years ago. I was surprised to find out how many things are similar to when I attended. The student complaints were similar, too.
I thought that Mr. Broughton did an excellent job of explaining what the case system is all about and what occurs in preparing for and during a class. If you've always wanted to go to HBS, here's a chance to take a peek.
The book's strength is in exposing the values behind HBS, people seeking the highest-paying jobs despite the personal cost to family life and one's own soul. Mr. Broughton made some half-hearted attempts to seek out such opportunities, but ended his two years at Harvard with a large loan to show for the experience . . . and no job.
The book's weakness comes in Mr. Broughton's desire to teach you some of the basic concepts about business management. I doubt if you are interested. He doesn't always get it right, either.
I found myself comparing What They Teach You at Harvard Business School to One L, Scott Turow's brilliant description of the bad old days of being a first-year law student at Harvard. One L is a better book. But both are powerful in explaining what it feels like to be a student in the middle of the gigantic forces moving to shape you like a vise into a new form that will be attractive to employers.
A fly-on-the-wall view of American's most prestigious business school, 11 Sep 2008
Speaking as someone who is moving from academia to business, and from the UK to Boston, Philip Broughton's book about his experience as an English journalist also moving out to Boston for the MBA resonated very strongly with me. A cultural outsider by virtue of his background, culture, and has he suggests several times, his age (32 vs average of 27 at HBS), this book gives the kind of insight that a prospectus never could. Compressing two years of education into a paperback is quite a tall order, so Broughton gives a flavour of each of the modules he took there, from financial models to ethics and corporate strategy, as well as touching briefly upon the typical case studies he encountered there.
Where this book was at its most interesting for me were in some of the the narrow-minded, self-serving, and even dangerous beliefs of his fellow peers, who have little time for ethical considerations and firmly believe that a free-market business rationale should be applied to all spheres of life, regardless of little externalities like corporate responsibility. I also particularly enjoyed Broughton's almost comical experiences with the "milk round" recruitment circuit, with students all repeating the same rote-learnt mantras to get through rounds of interview. The author, being typically British about it, tries to be honest and open, and doesn't get invited back.
Where I do reserve some judgement, though, is the fact that if I had been in his class, I'd feel a little like the author hadn't fully committed to the process. He came to HBS ostensibly to get away from journalism, and two years later here he is publishing books, hardly a massive change in direction for two years and some £90k in forgone earnings and fees. Of course, this seems to be quite typical for HBS grads; all the bankers, consultants, and hedge-fund managers who came for a career-changing experience all obediently trotted right back to where they'd come from once the mortgage needed paying.
All in all this is an entertaining and engaging read if you have even a remote interest in business, the MBA, or Harvard Business School. Maybe it'll teach you that HBS isn't for you, maybe it'll have you submitting an application when you didn't think you were interested at all. Maybe now I should read "What they DON'T teach you at HBS" just to be thorough! Doesn't know what it want's to be, 05 Sep 2008
[This review is actually for the US version of the book Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School, but since this is the main UK version I thought I'd post here instead.
Firstly, I'm a recent HBS graduate, and like Mr Delves-Broughton, I was also from the UK, though I had more of a traditional business background before attending. This book has been gaining quite a lot of interest from the HBS community with various debates as to how fair a representation it is.
My major criticism is that the book really doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a description of the day-to-day experience of HBS?, Is it a commentary on American Capitalism and the HBS adminstration? Is it the author's own introspective look at his own life and what he ultimately wants to be? It is in fact of all of these things, but due to lack of consistency in the writing style it ends up feeling quite disjointed and a difficult read as it switches at random from excruciating detail about particular classes to broad ruminations about the author's overall view.
As for the content, everything that's mentioned in the book are fair criticisms of the school. Every single point that is raised is based solidly in fact and the HBS administration would do well to pay heed to many of the observations. In fact the back cover of the US edition, highlights a particular bug-bear of mine, the gaming of the financial aid system by many HBS students who benefit despite having huge financial resources - and these are the same students who debate from the moral high ground in a class about ethics! However, in his haste to highlight these failings of the school I feel that the author is really missing the big picture. As you read you can't help but feel that he decided that he would never fit in before he went to HBS and has written a book that picks out all the bad elements of the school to justify his position.
During my time at HBS I found all the things that the author mentions equally frustrating but they were far out-weighted by the school's positives. The outstanding quality of its faculty, the supberb facilties, my fellow students who were not only academically bright but incredibly active in a huge range of activities (setting up businesses, running charity campaigns etc..) all made it a very rewarding place to spend two years. Sure, there was plenty of idiots who get caught up in the rush to banking or consulting or are ultra-competitive and lacking in social skills, but nobody's perfect and if you let other people ruin your day then you're the idiot.
Overall I'm wavering between 3 and 4 stars. 3 stars because its not that well written and the author seems to never want to be part of it (you can't help the feeling that he always intended to write a book), 4 stars because if you've ever wondered what its like to go HBS its a reasonable expose. Just read it with a pinch of salt. Takes you inside a top MBA, 01 Sep 2008
Having just finished an MBA myself from London Business School, I saw this book at Heathrow on my way out of the UK and bought it with curiosity. I wanted to see whether my experience at London Business School would have been significantly different from that at a top American school; Harvard, of course, as far as MBA brands go, being number one in my opinion regardless of what competitors or any rankings say.
This book can be recommended to those interested in applying to Harvard or a comparable top MBA program to see if they have the right expectations of an MBA program; as well as to graduates of other programs to see how the experience at their schools compare against the holy grail of MBAs. It really goes inside what the MBA culture is about in general, especially at elitist schools, and at Harvard in particular. Broughton is not the only MBA who feels like this. The unreal world, the pressures, the tendency to go with the herd... despite having studied at a school across the atlantic, I continuously kept on smiling at the commonalities.
I disagree with the notion that this book disses the school, or the MBA in general. It just points out very well some of the absurdities of the program for all those who are not financial crackheads. I have come to Uk to see Yorkshir, 29 May 2008
I read the book while i was studying at law school at University of Peshawar. it is really a great book. it helps one learn to enjoy every samll bit of life. its a very lovely story of small school kids and people who are concerned about them. and some where when you don't even reallise it transforms in a small love story. I enjoy every sentence of it, and read it five times(no exageration, i enjoy it that much and it is still on my disk. i still remember a kids spelling corrections when Miss. dela be aware(Miss de la Mare) appreciated them as a good poem;
yesterday yesterday yesterday
sorrow sorrow sorrow
today today today
hope hope hope
tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow
Love love love
and dont forget to read the "big stick joke" that was the start of love story.... Out of the mouths of babes, 31 Mar 2008
I can wholeheartedly recommend all the five "Dales" books. I discovered Gervase Phinn after my mother who is a deputy head gave me the third book as a present. As a former teacher turned teaching assistant I relate to these situations that Gervase encountered on a daily basis in the primary school environment. I could even add some more tales for his next book if he needs any more material!!! I also enjoy the scenes of friendly banter between Gervase and his colleagues at County Hall. I bet all of us know a Mrs Savage character somewhere in our lives! As other reviewers state, I too could not put the book down until I had completed it. Gervase Phinn is a born storyteller on the page and on the stage. (I saw his show live a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the performance) He captivates audiences with his humorous anecdotes and experiences. More of the same please, Gervase! Timeless Classic, 15 Nov 2007
To paraphrase a well known saying, some writers have to work hard to find good writing material, others have good writing material thrust upon them.
The story begins, as it should, at the beginning of Phinn's career as a school inspector, as he feels his way into the role of Schools English Inspector. One suspects that, if he had chosen a role anywhere else, this would not have been quite the same. The characters are all there, the battleaxe, the love interest, the comedy sidekicks, but really the book is all about the kids.
I'm so pleased that Phinn continues to write these books, as they make such enjoyable reading. A really good read, 01 Jul 2007
I usually have about three books on the go at once but this one kind of took over. I read in in three evenings - it really is such a lovely book, I'd recommend it to anyone. It will make you smile, laugh out loud (so be careful not to read it in a public place, people might think you are a bit strange). I have a little knowledge of the area so it was fun trying to workout the real names of the places mentioned - I think I spotted Chapel-le-Dale and the Old Hill Inn at the start of the book and a few other places. Looking forward to starting Over Hill and Dale next. Not a patch on James Herriot, 30 Jan 2006
An easy read and quite enjoyable, but I won't be reading any more books in the series, I much prefer James Herriot. Gervase Phinn has pinched James Herriot’s plot: new to the job but very enthusiastic; has to get used to the quirky way of his colleagues and ‘clients’; gauche attempts at courting future wife etc. If you like Alfred Wight’s James Herriot, you’ll be very disappointed. ‘The Other Side of the Dale’ is a very second rate version of the same idea, but not so well done. Gervase Phinn doesn't do justice to his Yorkshire characters, his Yorkshire scenery or the content of his Yorkshire tales. James Herriot’s prose is far superior and he conveys his love of the beautiful but harsh Yorkshire dales so much better.
What happened next, 13 Feb 2007
This book is definately makes you think.
After reading One Child, you can't help feeling completely saddened by whas has happened to Sheila but also there is a sense of a happy ending to this book.
Tiger's Child totally opens your eyes to the reality. Its easy to think that Sheila's life will naturally improve just because she has seen happier times, but this book shows how in some ways, the help she had was not necessarily all that was needed. I am glad however that Sheila has managed to become her own person and lead a contented life.
If only we had more people that were able to help the way Torey Hayden can!
Tiger's Child, 03 Dec 2006
WOW!! It's 2am and i've literally just finished this amazing book and had to write my review whilst my thoughts are fresh in my head.... This is an absolute 'must read'! But to fully appriciate the emotional journey that both Sheila and Torey make you must read 'One Child' first. The true story of a very troubled little girl- sheila, saved by a truely amazing woman, Torey Hayden. They begin as teacher and student, but as the story unfolds it is clear that they have a very srong bond together. Torey is a remarkable person and a very talented writer. Both books are truely inspiring, and I urge just about anybody to pick up there copies.
Read 'One Child' First, 07 Feb 2006
This book is brilliant. However, for it to be brilliant you must read Torey Hayden's prequel 'One Child'.
The book is very touching and emotional. If you cant handle your emotions, dont read it.
The ending could have been better by making everyone happy and Torey adopting her but its not a story book and theres never going to be the perfect ending.
Tiger's Child is a "must read", 24 Aug 2005
I have recently read Tiger's Child and was completely absorbed with Torey and Sheila's story. I hadn't realised until I began to read the book that it was a sequel to One Child, which I am now reading. I urge everyone to read these beautiful and inspiring books. Torey teaches patience and love can overcome hardship and sadness. This is something we all need to remember at times. First class.
Utterly Brilliant, 26 Jul 2005
THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING. Not only is Torey Hayden an inspirational, devoted woman, she is an articulate, witty and talented writer. I really enjoyed 'One Child', her heartbreaking, yet brilliant story of the emotionally disturbed shiela, and this follow-up is truly amazing; it's insightful, honest, emotive, and well written. I could not put it down. Torey Hayden deserves the utmost respect from us all, she really is a wonderful woman. If your deliberating buying this book, do not hesitate, purchase both of these amazing stories and you will NOT be disappointed, they show us the true strength of love and determination of both Torey and Shiela. Torey emotively and successfully recalls her involvement with shiela as a child, and as she blossomed into an intelligent, amazing young woman.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Customer Reviews
FROM A RASH PROMISE............................, 17 Nov 2008
I never read fictional books as I prefer to know about 'true life' and this book has to be one of the most humbling and amazing books I've ever read.
From the rash promise Greg Mortenson made, grew a remarkable humanitarian campaign, in which he has dedicated his life to promote education, especially for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
As of 2008, Mortenson has established over 78 schools in rural and often volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, which provide education to over 28,000 children, including 18,000 girls, where few education opportunities existed before and even more surprising is that these regions are often conversative Muslim.
He has forged formidable relationships with highly respected leaders in both Pakistan and Afghanistan and this just proves what a special man Mortenson must be.
He has inspired me to do what I can to help these regions not just because I believe education is fundamental to every society but, even more importantly, he believes that education is the only way to combat the Taliban and extremism - and he's right!
He's opened my eyes to the Muslim religion and different cultures in Pakistan and Afghanistan in a way that no television programme has ever achieved [or tried to achieve. To learn more visit: www.threecupsoftea.com
If you only read one more book in your life - make sure it's Three Cups of Tea and I promise, it will change your perspective completely.
Can't stop thinking about this book, 12 Nov 2008
All this and the Obama election, in one week! Suddenly it's possible to feel more hopeful about the USA and the world in general. As so many others have said, this is an utterly inspiring and humbling book and restores faith in human nature and the gift of human friendship. It also makes utterly clear - if it was not abundantly clear already - the utterly bankrupt and corrupt nature of the notion of US 'security' as any priority for running the world.
As well as the enormous respect one feels for Greg Mortenson, I 'd like to pay tribute to David Oliver Relin who wrote the book. It's a very compelling read, brilliantly conveyed and with loving attention to detail.I hope it continues to sell in shedloads, and I shall certainly be buying multiple copies to give away. Awesome book!, 09 Nov 2008
I was recommended this book while volunteering in Ghana (West Africa). It is truly the most inspiring book I have read so far. Greg Mortenson is simply a hero. I know what I am getting my family and friends for Christmas this year...Three Cups of Tea! Humbling., 06 Nov 2008
A very well told story about a selfless, dedicated, passionate and obsessive man who has immersed himself in a culture initially alien but ultimately with more depth and based on reality than his own. The book tells the story of his unwillingness to stay uninvolved in assisting others who are in need. Brilliant, 06 Nov 2008
see one person can change the world.
Read this book, to both humble and inspire What Mr Broughton should have thought about earlier?, 15 Oct 2008
I believe that this is an interesting read for anybody who is considering an MBA at Harvard Business School and where Mr Broughton describes the teaching and details of the MBA the book is informative and useful.
The main problem I had with the book is the complete lack of Mr Broughton's understanding of his own situation. If you are a journalist and work at the Paris office of a UK newspaper you are definitely on the right career track and the decision to try out something else might be understandable but if you choose Harvard Business School you must be very naive to wait for the professor or tutor to tell you that the most important thing in the world should be your family and a reasonable work-life balance. That is comparable to a legal trainee to go to one of the City law firms and expect a nine to five working day or to a yogi to wait for somebody to say after the class "Who is a up for a quick one then?".
If Mr Broughton wanted to know more about business administration a course at any uni should have done the trick. I believe that he chose to go to Harvard because he was flattered to be accepted. However, it seems clear to me that he was accepted because of his journalistic background which gave Harvard the opportunity to boast about the variety of people who are interested in attending. It is really sad when Mr Broughton describes how he cannot find a job or is not willing to go all the way. It seems to be some sort of midlife crisis and I pity his wife a bit to have wasted well in excess of USD 100,000 for the 2 years of "finding himself" but at least they were able to spend some time with their kids together.
The editor of the book must have been fast asleep or maybe Mr Broughton was not listening but for the last 50 pages one is waiting for the happy end which never comes. It is not really an achievement to get an MBA from Harvard Business School and then to be unable to get a job.
The pinnacle of ignorance is when Mr Broughton decides to right a novel during his 10 weeks vacation between year 1 and year 2. At this stage it should have been clear to him that we was just wasting his time.
Obviously this book is very topical given that Hank Paulson and George W. Bush both went to Harvard Business School. The book is also quite chilling when it talks about people applying to Lehman Brothers.
Maybe Mr Broughton should edit the book and re-publish with the hindsight of the credit crunch minus his personal waterloo. A Journalist's Take on Harvard Business School's MBA Program, 22 Sep 2008
Philip Delves Broughton was on top of the journalism world as the Paris bureau chief for The Daily Telegraph of London when he got itchy feet and decided he wanted to go to business school. Setting his sights on Harvard, he was pleased to get in.
I attended Harvard Business School while in law school many years ago. I was surprised to find out how many things are similar to when I attended. The student complaints were similar, too.
I thought that Mr. Broughton did an excellent job of explaining what the case system is all about and what occurs in preparing for and during a class. If you've always wanted to go to HBS, here's a chance to take a peek.
The book's strength is in exposing the values behind HBS, people seeking the highest-paying jobs despite the personal cost to family life and one's own soul. Mr. Broughton made some half-hearted attempts to seek out such opportunities, but ended his two years at Harvard with a large loan to show for the experience . . . and no job.
The book's weakness comes in Mr. Broughton's desire to teach you some of the basic concepts about business management. I doubt if you are interested. He doesn't always get it right, either.
I found myself comparing What They Teach You at Harvard Business School to One L, Scott Turow's brilliant description of the bad old days of being a first-year law student at Harvard. One L is a better book. But both are powerful in explaining what it feels like to be a student in the middle of the gigantic forces moving to shape you like a vise into a new form that will be attractive to employers.
A fly-on-the-wall view of American's most prestigious business school, 11 Sep 2008
Speaking as someone who is moving from academia to business, and from the UK to Boston, Philip Broughton's book about his experience as an English journalist also moving out to Boston for the MBA resonated very strongly with me. A cultural outsider by virtue of his background, culture, and has he suggests several times, his age (32 vs average of 27 at HBS), this book gives the kind of insight that a prospectus never could. Compressing two years of education into a paperback is quite a tall order, so Broughton gives a flavour of each of the modules he took there, from financial models to ethics and corporate strategy, as well as touching briefly upon the typical case studies he encountered there.
Where this book was at its most interesting for me were in some of the the narrow-minded, self-serving, and even dangerous beliefs of his fellow peers, who have little time for ethical considerations and firmly believe that a free-market business rationale should be applied to all spheres of life, regardless of little externalities like corporate responsibility. I also particularly enjoyed Broughton's almost comical experiences with the "milk round" recruitment circuit, with students all repeating the same rote-learnt mantras to get through rounds of interview. The author, being typically British about it, tries to be honest and open, and doesn't get invited back.
Where I do reserve some judgement, though, is the fact that if I had been in his class, I'd feel a little like the author hadn't fully committed to the process. He came to HBS ostensibly to get away from journalism, and two years later here he is publishing books, hardly a massive change in direction for two years and some £90k in forgone earnings and fees. Of course, this seems to be quite typical for HBS grads; all the bankers, consultants, and hedge-fund managers who came for a career-changing experience all obediently trotted right back to where they'd come from once the mortgage needed paying.
All in all this is an entertaining and engaging read if you have even a remote interest in business, the MBA, or Harvard Business School. Maybe it'll teach you that HBS isn't for you, maybe it'll have you submitting an application when you didn't think you were interested at all. Maybe now I should read "What they DON'T teach you at HBS" just to be thorough! Doesn't know what it want's to be, 05 Sep 2008
[This review is actually for the US version of the book Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School, but since this is the main UK version I thought I'd post here instead.
Firstly, I'm a recent HBS graduate, and like Mr Delves-Broughton, I was also from the UK, though I had more of a traditional business background before attending. This book has been gaining quite a lot of interest from the HBS community with various debates as to how fair a representation it is.
My major criticism is that the book really doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a description of the day-to-day experience of HBS?, Is it a commentary on American Capitalism and the HBS adminstration? Is it the author's own introspective look at his own life and what he ultimately wants to be? It is in fact of all of these things, but due to lack of consistency in the writing style it ends up feeling quite disjointed and a difficult read as it switches at random from excruciating detail about particular classes to broad ruminations about the author's overall view.
As for the content, everything that's mentioned in the book are fair criticisms of the school. Every single point that is raised is based solidly in fact and the HBS administration would do well to pay heed to many of the observations. In fact the back cover of the US edition, highlights a particular bug-bear of mine, the gaming of the financial aid system by many HBS students who benefit despite having huge financial resources - and these are the same students who debate from the moral high ground in a class about ethics! However, in his haste to highlight these failings of the school I feel that the author is really missing the big picture. As you read you can't help but feel that he decided that he would never fit in before he went to HBS and has written a book that picks out all the bad elements of the school to justify his position.
During my time at HBS I found all the things that the author mentions equally frustrating but they were far out-weighted by the school's positives. The outstanding quality of its faculty, the supberb facilties, my fellow students who were not only academically bright but incredibly active in a huge range of activities (setting up businesses, running charity campaigns etc..) all made it a very rewarding place to spend two years. Sure, there was plenty of idiots who get caught up in the rush to banking or consulting or are ultra-competitive and lacking in social skills, but nobody's perfect and if you let other people ruin your day then you're the idiot.
Overall I'm wavering between 3 and 4 stars. 3 stars because its not that well written and the author seems to never want to be part of it (you can't help the feeling that he always intended to write a book), 4 stars because if you've ever wondered what its like to go HBS its a reasonable expose. Just read it with a pinch of salt. Takes you inside a top MBA, 01 Sep 2008
Having just finished an MBA myself from London Business School, I saw this book at Heathrow on my way out of the UK and bought it with curiosity. I wanted to see whether my experience at London Business School would have been significantly different from that at a top American school; Harvard, of course, as far as MBA brands go, being number one in my opinion regardless of what competitors or any rankings say.
This book can be recommended to those interested in applying to Harvard or a comparable top MBA program to see if they have the right expectations of an MBA program; as well as to graduates of other programs to see how the experience at their schools compare against the holy grail of MBAs. It really goes inside what the MBA culture is about in general, especially at elitist schools, and at Harvard in particular. Broughton is not the only MBA who feels like this. The unreal world, the pressures, the tendency to go with the herd... despite having studied at a school across the atlantic, I continuously kept on smiling at the commonalities.
I disagree with the notion that this book disses the school, or the MBA in general. It just points out very well some of the absurdities of the program for all those who are not financial crackheads. I have come to Uk to see Yorkshir, 29 May 2008
I read the book while i was studying at law school at University of Peshawar. it is really a great book. it helps one learn to enjoy every samll bit of life. its a very lovely story of small school kids and people who are concerned about them. and some where when you don't even reallise it transforms in a small love story. I enjoy every sentence of it, and read it five times(no exageration, i enjoy it that much and it is still on my disk. i still remember a kids spelling corrections when Miss. dela be aware(Miss de la Mare) appreciated them as a good poem;
yesterday yesterday yesterday
sorrow sorrow sorrow
today today today
hope hope hope
tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow
Love love love
and dont forget to read the "big stick joke" that was the start of love story.... Out of the mouths of babes, 31 Mar 2008
I can wholeheartedly recommend all the five "Dales" books. I discovered Gervase Phinn after my mother who is a deputy head gave me the third book as a present. As a former teacher turned teaching assistant I relate to these situations that Gervase encountered on a daily basis in the primary school environment. I could even add some more tales for his next book if he needs any more material!!! I also enjoy the scenes of friendly banter between Gervase and his colleagues at County Hall. I bet all of us know a Mrs Savage character somewhere in our lives! As other reviewers state, I too could not put the book down until I had completed it. Gervase Phinn is a born storyteller on the page and on the stage. (I saw his show live a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the performance) He captivates audiences with his humorous anecdotes and experiences. More of the same please, Gervase! Timeless Classic, 15 Nov 2007
To paraphrase a well known saying, some writers have to work hard to find good writing material, others have good writing material thrust upon them.
The story begins, as it should, at the beginning of Phinn's career as a school inspector, as he feels his way into the role of Schools English Inspector. One suspects that, if he had chosen a role anywhere else, this would not have been quite the same. The characters are all there, the battleaxe, the love interest, the comedy sidekicks, but really the book is all about the kids.
I'm so pleased that Phinn continues to write these books, as they make such enjoyable reading. A really good read, 01 Jul 2007
I usually have about three books on the go at once but this one kind of took over. I read in in three evenings - it really is such a lovely book, I'd recommend it to anyone. It will make you smile, laugh out loud (so be careful not to read it in a public place, people might think you are a bit strange). I have a little knowledge of the area so it was fun trying to workout the real names of the places mentioned - I think I spotted Chapel-le-Dale and the Old Hill Inn at the start of the book and a few other places. Looking forward to starting Over Hill and Dale next. Not a patch on James Herriot, 30 Jan 2006
An easy read and quite enjoyable, but I won't be reading any more books in the series, I much prefer James Herriot. Gervase Phinn has pinched James Herriot’s plot: new to the job but very enthusiastic; has to get used to the quirky way of his colleagues and ‘clients’; gauche attempts at courting future wife etc. If you like Alfred Wight’s James Herriot, you’ll be very disappointed. ‘The Other Side of the Dale’ is a very second rate version of the same idea, but not so well done. Gervase Phinn doesn't do justice to his Yorkshire characters, his Yorkshire scenery or the content of his Yorkshire tales. James Herriot’s prose is far superior and he conveys his love of the beautiful but harsh Yorkshire dales so much better.
What happened next, 13 Feb 2007
This book is definately makes you think.
After reading One Child, you can't help feeling completely saddened by whas has happened to Sheila but also there is a sense of a happy ending to this book.
Tiger's Child totally opens your eyes to the reality. Its easy to think that Sheila's life will naturally improve just because she has seen happier times, but this book shows how in some ways, the help she had was not necessarily all that was needed. I am glad however that Sheila has managed to become her own person and lead a contented life.
If only we had more people that were able to help the way Torey Hayden can!
Tiger's Child, 03 Dec 2006
WOW!! It's 2am and i've literally just finished this amazing book and had to write my review whilst my thoughts are fresh in my head.... This is an absolute 'must read'! But to fully appriciate the emotional journey that both Sheila and Torey make you must read 'One Child' first. The true story of a very troubled little girl- sheila, saved by a truely amazing woman, Torey Hayden. They begin as teacher and student, but as the story unfolds it is clear that they have a very srong bond together. Torey is a remarkable person and a very talented writer. Both books are truely inspiring, and I urge just about anybody to pick up there copies.
Read 'One Child' First, 07 Feb 2006
This book is brilliant. However, for it to be brilliant you must read Torey Hayden's prequel 'One Child'.
The book is very touching and emotional. If you cant handle your emotions, dont read it.
The ending could have been better by making everyone happy and Torey adopting her but its not a story book and theres never going to be the perfect ending.
Tiger's Child is a "must read", 24 Aug 2005
I have recently read Tiger's Child and was completely absorbed with Torey and Sheila's story. I hadn't realised until I began to read the book that it was a sequel to One Child, which I am now reading. I urge everyone to read these beautiful and inspiring books. Torey teaches patience and love can overcome hardship and sadness. This is something we all need to remember at times. First class.
Utterly Brilliant, 26 Jul 2005
THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING. Not only is Torey Hayden an inspirational, devoted woman, she is an articulate, witty and talented writer. I really enjoyed 'One Child', her heartbreaking, yet brilliant story of the emotionally disturbed shiela, and this follow-up is truly amazing; it's insightful, honest, emotive, and well written. I could not put it down. Torey Hayden deserves the utmost respect from us all, she really is a wonderful woman. If your deliberating buying this book, do not hesitate, purchase both of these amazing stories and you will NOT be disappointed, they show us the true strength of love and determination of both Torey and Shiela. Torey emotively and successfully recalls her involvement with shiela as a child, and as she blossomed into an intelligent, amazing young woman.
Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide to Adolesence, 28 Aug 2008
I first came across this book when I was at secondary school, and since leaving back in 2005, I have been searching for this particular title. I must say how highly impressed I was with this book and to read about the experiences of someone who has Aspergers Syndrome as it was a pleasure to read. This book is a real must for anyone who has Aspergers Syndrome or anytime of autism or for those who know nothing about this condition.
Thank You Luke, 11 May 2008
Im 15 years old and I was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome (AS) last year and reading this book has changed my life. Before I was told I had AS, I was always picked on for being different and sometimes I was so depressed and felt so alone, I wouldn't get out of bed for days. When I was diagnosed, I was told to read this book by a family friend and in doing so, my life changed. Luke Jackson, the author of the book writes about the everyday struggles that AS sufferers have to deal with, and after I finished the book, i thought 'Im not alone, there are other people who know what im going through'. Now I have turned my life around and I am looking foward to my future. Luke Jackson, i just want to say 'Thank You' for making me realise that im not a freak.
Such a good read, 29 Apr 2008
This is a fantastic book regardless of why you are reading it. I have worked in the past, and still do, with children who have AS and this was my main reason for reading it. It has such a different feel from other books as he is only 13 and this comes across so much in the book. I have read other books by teenagers and young adults with the same condition and they are equally just as good. I liked the fact that it all seemed to be Luke coming through rather than an adult's influence (apart from the obvious guidance and tidying up a book would need before it gets published).
The topics he covers are very relevant to those who have AS and those who come in contact with AS. Aspects such as bullying, fixations, sleeping, sports, friendships, dating, difficulties at school and language are dealt with brilliantly. However the most pertinent chapter for me was the one about when to tell a child they have AS.
Luke used his immediate sources - mother and siblings to help him with some of the content so that others with the condition can understand how people see them and this was such a good part of the book. I loved the idioms he uses and laughed out loud in many places. Not only will it give people an insight there is also practical information in there with websites, books and dietary information (also discussed in his other book). A fabulous read that is both inspirational and refreshing.
Read this book now|, 18 Sep 2007
I bought this book more out of curiousity rather than a need to know about AS/ Autism; I know/'work' with people on the autistic spectrum and this book was fantastic.
I'd recommend it to anyone whether autistic, family or friends of someone who is autistic or just someone who is interested.
Very well done to Luke Jackson , 09 Jan 2007
As an individual with Asperger's syndrome, I thought that it portrayed Asperger's syndrome perfectly, I could relate to almost all of it. The humour worked really well, because AS is normally portrayed really negatively. So, in summary, it made me laugh, cry, and realise that having AS isn't such a bad thing after all.
So, if Luke Jackson ever reads this, then very well done! I thoroughly enjoyed every page of it!!!
Jennifer Jackson
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Customer Reviews
FROM A RASH PROMISE............................, 17 Nov 2008
I never read fictional books as I prefer to know about 'true life' and this book has to be one of the most humbling and amazing books I've ever read.
From the rash promise Greg Mortenson made, grew a remarkable humanitarian campaign, in which he has dedicated his life to promote education, especially for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
As of 2008, Mortenson has established over 78 schools in rural and often volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, which provide education to over 28,000 children, including 18,000 girls, where few education opportunities existed before and even more surprising is that these regions are often conversative Muslim.
He has forged formidable relationships with highly respected leaders in both Pakistan and Afghanistan and this just proves what a special man Mortenson must be.
He has inspired me to do what I can to help these regions not just because I believe education is fundamental to every society but, even more importantly, he believes that education is the only way to combat the Taliban and extremism - and he's right!
He's opened my eyes to the Muslim religion and different cultures in Pakistan and Afghanistan in a way that no television programme has ever achieved [or tried to achieve. To learn more visit: www.threecupsoftea.com
If you only read one more book in your life - make sure it's Three Cups of Tea and I promise, it will change your perspective completely.
Can't stop thinking about this book, 12 Nov 2008
All this and the Obama election, in one week! Suddenly it's possible to feel more hopeful about the USA and the world in general. As so many others have said, this is an utterly inspiring and humbling book and restores faith in human nature and the gift of human friendship. It also makes utterly clear - if it was not abundantly clear already - the utterly bankrupt and corrupt nature of the notion of US 'security' as any priority for running the world.
As well as the enormous respect one feels for Greg Mortenson, I 'd like to pay tribute to David Oliver Relin who wrote the book. It's a very compelling read, brilliantly conveyed and with loving attention to detail.I hope it continues to sell in shedloads, and I shall certainly be buying multiple copies to give away.
Awesome book!, 09 Nov 2008
I was recommended this book while volunteering in Ghana (West Africa). It is truly the most inspiring book I have read so far. Greg Mortenson is simply a hero. I know what I am getting my family and friends for Christmas this year...Three Cups of Tea!
Humbling., 06 Nov 2008
A very well told story about a selfless, dedicated, passionate and obsessive man who has immersed himself in a culture initially alien but ultimately with more depth and based on reality than his own. The book tells the story of his unwillingness to stay uninvolved in assisting others who are in need.
Brilliant, 06 Nov 2008
see one person can change the world.
Read this book, to both humble and inspire
What Mr Broughton should have thought about earlier?, 15 Oct 2008
I believe that this is an interesting read for anybody who is considering an MBA at Harvard Business School and where Mr Broughton describes the teaching and details of the MBA the book is informative and useful.
The main problem I had with the book is the complete lack of Mr Broughton's understanding of his own situation. If you are a journalist and work at the Paris office of a UK newspaper you are definitely on the right career track and the decision to try out something else might be understandable but if you choose Harvard Business School you must be very naive to wait for the professor or tutor to tell you that the most important thing in the world should be your family and a reasonable work-life balance. That is comparable to a legal trainee to go to one of the City law firms and expect a nine to five working day or to a yogi to wait for somebody to say after the class "Who is a up for a quick one then?".
If Mr Broughton wanted to know more about business administration a course at any uni should have done the trick. I believe that he chose to go to Harvard because he was flattered to be accepted. However, it seems clear to me that he was accepted because of his journalistic background which gave Harvard the opportunity to boast about the variety of people who are interested in attending. It is really sad when Mr Broughton describes how he cannot find a job or is not willing to go all the way. It seems to be some sort of midlife crisis and I pity his wife a bit to have wasted well in excess of USD 100,000 for the 2 years of "finding himself" but at least they were able to spend some time with their kids together.
The editor of the book must have been fast asleep or maybe Mr Broughton was not listening but for the last 50 pages one is waiting for the happy end which never comes. It is not really an achievement to get an MBA from Harvard Business School and then to be unable to get a job.
The pinnacle of ignorance is when Mr Broughton decides to right a novel during his 10 weeks vacation between year 1 and year 2. At this stage it should have been clear to him that we was just wasting his time.
Obviously this book is very topical given that Hank Paulson and George W. Bush both went to Harvard Business School. The book is also quite chilling when it talks about people applying to Lehman Brothers.
Maybe Mr Broughton should edit the book and re-publish with the hindsight of the credit crunch minus his personal waterloo.
A Journalist's Take on Harvard Business School's MBA Program, 22 Sep 2008
Philip Delves Broughton was on top of the journalism world as the Paris bureau chief for The Daily Telegraph of London when he got itchy feet and decided he wanted to go to business school. Setting his sights on Harvard, he was pleased to get in.
I attended Harvard Business School while in law school many years ago. I was surprised to find out how many things are similar to when I attended. The student complaints were similar, too.
I thought that Mr. Broughton did an excellent job of explaining what the case system is all about and what occurs in preparing for and during a class. If you've always wanted to go to HBS, here's a chance to take a peek.
The book's strength is in exposing the values behind HBS, people seeking the highest-paying jobs despite the personal cost to family life and one's own soul. Mr. Broughton made some half-hearted attempts to seek out such opportunities, but ended his two years at Harvard with a large loan to show for the experience . . . and no job.
The book's weakness comes in Mr. Broughton's desire to teach you some of the basic concepts about business management. I doubt if you are interested. He doesn't always get it right, either.
I found myself comparing What They Teach You at Harvard Business School to One L, Scott Turow's brilliant description of the bad old days of being a first-year law student at Harvard. One L is a better book. But both are powerful in explaining what it feels like to be a student in the middle of the gigantic forces moving to shape you like a vise into a new form that will be attractive to employers.
A fly-on-the-wall view of American's most prestigious business school, 11 Sep 2008
Speaking as someone who is moving from academia to business, and from the UK to Boston, Philip Broughton's book about his experience as an English journalist also moving out to Boston for the MBA resonated very strongly with me. A cultural outsider by virtue of his background, culture, and has he suggests several times, his age (32 vs average of 27 at HBS), this book gives the kind of insight that a prospectus never could. Compressing two years of education into a paperback is quite a tall order, so Broughton gives a flavour of each of the modules he took there, from financial models to ethics and corporate strategy, as well as touching briefly upon the typical case studies he encountered there.
Where this book was at its most interesting for me were in some of the the narrow-minded, self-serving, and even dangerous beliefs of his fellow peers, who have little time for ethical considerations and firmly believe that a free-market business rationale should be applied to all spheres of life, regardless of little externalities like corporate responsibility. I also particularly enjoyed Broughton's almost comical experiences with the "milk round" recruitment circuit, with students all repeating the same rote-learnt mantras to get through rounds of interview. The author, being typically British about it, tries to be honest and open, and doesn't get invited back.
Where I do reserve some judgement, though, is the fact that if I had been in his class, I'd feel a little like the author hadn't fully committed to the process. He came to HBS ostensibly to get away from journalism, and two years later here he is publishing books, hardly a massive change in direction for two years and some £90k in forgone earnings and fees. Of course, this seems to be quite typical for HBS grads; all the bankers, consultants, and hedge-fund managers who came for a career-changing experience all obediently trotted right back to where they'd come from once the mortgage needed paying.
All in all this is an entertaining and engaging read if you have even a remote interest in business, the MBA, or Harvard Business School. Maybe it'll teach you that HBS isn't for you, maybe it'll have you submitting an application when you didn't think you were interested at all. Maybe now I should read "What they DON'T teach you at HBS" just to be thorough!
Doesn't know what it want's to be, 05 Sep 2008
[This review is actually for the US version of the book Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School, but since this is the main UK version I thought I'd post here instead.
Firstly, I'm a recent HBS graduate, and like Mr Delves-Broughton, I was also from the UK, though I had more of a traditional business background before attending. This book has been gaining quite a lot of interest from the HBS community with various debates as to how fair a representation it is.
My major criticism is that the book really doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a description of the day-to-day experience of HBS?, Is it a commentary on American Capitalism and the HBS adminstration? Is it the author's own introspective look at his own life and what he ultimately wants to be? It is in fact of all of these things, but due to lack of consistency in the writing style it ends up feeling quite disjointed and a difficult read as it switches at random from excruciating detail about particular classes to broad ruminations about the author's overall view.
As for the content, everything that's mentioned in the book are fair criticisms of the school. Every single point that is raised is based solidly in fact and the HBS administration would do well to pay heed to many of the observations. In fact the back cover of the US edition, highlights a particular bug-bear of mine, the gaming of the financial aid system by many HBS students who benefit despite having huge financial resources - and these are the same students who debate from the moral high ground in a class about ethics! However, in his haste to highlight these failings of the school I feel that the author is really missing the big picture. As you read you can't help but feel that he decided that he would never fit in before he went to HBS and has written a book that picks out all the bad elements of the school to justify his position.
During my time at HBS I found all the things that the author mentions equally frustrating but they were far out-weighted by the school's positives. The outstanding quality of its faculty, the supberb facilties, my fellow students who were not only academically bright but incredibly active in a huge range of activities (setting up businesses, running charity campaigns etc..) all made it a very rewarding place to spend two years. Sure, there was plenty of idiots who get caught up in the rush to banking or consulting or are ultra-competitive and lacking in social skills, but nobody's perfect and if you let other people ruin your day then you're the idiot.
Overall I'm wavering between 3 and 4 stars. 3 stars because its not that well written and the author seems to never want to be part of it (you can't help the feeling that he always intended to write a book), 4 stars because if you've ever wondered what its like to go HBS its a reasonable expose. Just read it with a pinch of salt.
Takes you inside a top MBA, 01 Sep 2008
Having just finished an MBA myself from London Business School, I saw this book at Heathrow on my way out of the UK and bought it with curiosity. I wanted to see whether my experience at London Business School would have been significantly different from that at a top American school; Harvard, of course, as far as MBA brands go, being number one in my opinion regardless of what competitors or any rankings say.
This book can be recommended to those interested in applying to Harvard or a comparable top MBA program to see if they have the right expectations of an MBA program; as well as to graduates of other programs to see how the experience at their schools compare against the holy grail of MBAs. It really goes inside what the MBA culture is about in general, especially at elitist schools, and at Harvard in particular. Broughton is not the only MBA who feels like this. The unreal world, the pressures, the tendency to go with the herd... despite having studied at a school across the atlantic, I continuously kept on smiling at the commonalities.
I disagree with the notion that this book disses the school, or the MBA in general. It just points out very well some of the absurdities of the program for all those who are not financial crackheads.
I have come to Uk to see Yorkshir, 29 May 2008
I read the book while i was studying at law school at University of Peshawar. it is really a great book. it helps one learn to enjoy every samll bit of life. its a very lovely story of small school kids and people who are concerned about them. and some where when you don't even reallise it transforms in a small love story. I enjoy every sentence of it, and read it five times(no exageration, i enjoy it that much and it is still on my disk. i still remember a kids spelling corrections when Miss. dela be aware(Miss de la Mare) appreciated them as a good poem;
yesterday yesterday yesterday
sorrow sorrow sorrow
today today today
hope hope hope
tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow
Love love love
and dont forget to read the "big stick joke" that was the start of love story....
Out of the mouths of babes, 31 Mar 2008
I can wholeheartedly recommend all the five "Dales" books. I discovered Gervase Phinn after my mother who is a deputy head gave me the third book as a present. As a former teacher turned teaching assistant I relate to these situations that Gervase encountered on a daily basis in the primary school environment. I could even add some more tales for his next book if he needs any more material!!! I also enjoy the scenes of friendly banter between Gervase and his colleagues at County Hall. I bet all of us know a Mrs Savage character somewhere in our lives! As other reviewers state, I too could not put the book down until I had completed it. Gervase Phinn is a born storyteller on the page and on the stage. (I saw his show live a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the performance) He captivates audiences with his humorous anecdotes and experiences. More of the same please, Gervase!
Timeless Classic, 15 Nov 2007
To paraphrase a well known saying, some writers have to work hard to find good writing material, others have good writing material thrust upon them.
The story begins, as it should, at the beginning of Phinn's career as a school inspector, as he feels his way into the role of Schools English Inspector. One suspects that, if he had chosen a role anywhere else, | | |