Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10344 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03-31
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Synopsis
Now in his fourth year as an Inspector for English in the Yorkshire Dales, Gervase Phinn still relishes visiting the schools - whether an inner city comprehensive fraught with difficulties or a small Dales primary school where the main danger is one of closure. With endless good humour, he copes with the little surprise that occur round every corner. Some things never change: Mrs Savage roars, Connie rants, and Gervase?s colleagues in the office play verbal ping-pong. But all this can be put behind him each day when he returns home to his lovely wife, Christine, who is expecting their first child. One day, their own son will surely take the limelight in the local primary school where the children?s contrived innocence never fails to win over even the hardest heart.

Customer Reviews

Never Tell Stories That Involve Sheep
This is the fourth in the series of books about life in the Dales, and the quality and turn of phrase is still there. In a world full of dark thrillers, gorey murder mystery and generally bad news, this is the ideal way to put a smile back on your face.

I haven't even finished this, and it already gets five stars. There are few passages of prose that can better Phinn's delight in enjoying school Nativity plays (always a winner), including the plaintive cry of a young boy dressed as a Wise Man, who enters the stage, pauses, breaks down, and cries "I don't know who I am, someone tell me who I am!!"

The writing style is effortless, the humour is endless, and you end each chapter feeling a little happier with life.

Cannot wait for the next book 'In the Heart of the Dales' out in 2007!!
I was introducted to this book by my step-grandmother - she is an avid book reader like me. Being deaf myself, I love books passionately the same way as people love their music. Once I had read the second book in the series, I went out and bought all the three remaining books and I have just finished reading 'Up and Down in the Dales' half an hour ago - Wanting more, I have done an internet search on Gervase Phinn to see if there are any more books to follow - and I am very excited to get my hands on the next one in the series - There are very few books that make you laugh out aloud!! Thank you Gervase for writing the enjoyable books!!

Discovery of the Year
I've heard Gervase Phinn on Radio 4 but had never read a word he'd written till I received this as a surprise birthday present. I read it in two days, laughing out loud for much of the time, and can't wait to catch up with the rest of the canon. It's a bit of a cliche to compare him with James Herriot but this particular cliche isn't too far wide of the mark. He writes with affection and humility and I marvel at how well he remembers events in such detail. Don't miss this!