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The Dales Series #4
Up and Down in the Dales
Escape to the country with Gervase Phinn's heartwarming tales of life as a school inspector in Yorkshire'Gervase Phinn's memoirs have made him a hero in school staff-rooms' Daily Telegraph______What's your name? I asked the child.'Tequila,' she replied. I'm named after a drink.''Tequila Sunrise,' I murmured.'No,' pouted the child. 'Tequila Braithwaite.'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 surprises that occur round every corner.Some things never Mrs Savage roars, Connie rants, and Gervase's colleague 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 baby.Up and Down in the Dales is charming montage of Gervase Phinn's experiences will keep you amused and will win a place in your heart.Gervase Phinn has an extraordinary talent to entertain, and the latest instalment to the Dale Series is heart-warming, wry and will make you laugh out loud.
396 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2004
44 people are currently reading
307 people want to read
About the author
Gervase Phinn
100 books169 followersGervase Phinn (born 27 December 1946, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England) is an English author and educator. After a career as a teacher he became a schools inspector.
He is now a freelance lecturer, broadcaster and writer, a consultant for the Open University, Honorary Fellow of St. John's College, York, Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) of the University of Leicester, Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) of The University of Hull and the Fellow and Visiting Professor of Education at The University of Teesside.
In 2005 the highest academic award of Sheffield Hallam University, Doctor of the University (D.Univ.) was conferred upon him by the Chancellor, Professor Lord Robert Winston. In 2006 he became President of The School Library Association.
He has published five volumes of memoir, collections of poetry and a number of books about education. He has a particular interest in children's literature and literacy.
He is married with four grown-up children.
He is now a freelance lecturer, broadcaster and writer, a consultant for the Open University, Honorary Fellow of St. John's College, York, Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) of the University of Leicester, Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) of The University of Hull and the Fellow and Visiting Professor of Education at The University of Teesside.
In 2005 the highest academic award of Sheffield Hallam University, Doctor of the University (D.Univ.) was conferred upon him by the Chancellor, Professor Lord Robert Winston. In 2006 he became President of The School Library Association.
He has published five volumes of memoir, collections of poetry and a number of books about education. He has a particular interest in children's literature and literacy.
He is married with four grown-up children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
November 20, 2013
There comes a book in everyone's life which is totally different from all the books s/he has ever read. And there comes a book which brings out a beautiful smile and at the same time a pang of nostalgia and memories of a time when all was so peachy, innocent, silly and yet beautiful. For me, this book was that.
There is no complex plot. There are no edge-of-the-seat dramatic moments. No tragic romantic moments, in fact nothing called a conventional plot. It is a fictional memoir of a school inspector (author himself) in rural countryside of Yorkshire.
What works for this book is the witty situations, the humorous one liners and most importantly, the belief it reinforces that every child should have a beautiful, innocent and happy childhood filled with love and laughter. The characters are pretty lovable, be it the old school Mr. Frobisher, the old school teacher who had to retire due to the author's scathing report, but eventually makes peace with him in a surprising way, or the kid who writes, amusingly, about his holiday trip when asked to write about the importance of prayer, or a nosy neighbor who gives author a big scare, or a snooty official aptly named Brenda Savage. The book is interspersed with brilliantly funny scenes, like the one where Savage is mistaken for a nude model, or the one with children screwing up Jesus in the manger.
The kids, though, steal the show. Utterly lovable, cute and different from each other, they will bring up the memories of the beautiful phase that was the childhood. And yes, you will fall in love with children.
There are some great insights on education and parenting and teaching, explored through a wide variety of them. You will find yourself nodding in agreement with the author throughout.
So ahead, and pick up this book for a change, be amused and enriched. Or gift it to a teacher as a big thank you for the impact s/he made on your life.
There is no complex plot. There are no edge-of-the-seat dramatic moments. No tragic romantic moments, in fact nothing called a conventional plot. It is a fictional memoir of a school inspector (author himself) in rural countryside of Yorkshire.
What works for this book is the witty situations, the humorous one liners and most importantly, the belief it reinforces that every child should have a beautiful, innocent and happy childhood filled with love and laughter. The characters are pretty lovable, be it the old school Mr. Frobisher, the old school teacher who had to retire due to the author's scathing report, but eventually makes peace with him in a surprising way, or the kid who writes, amusingly, about his holiday trip when asked to write about the importance of prayer, or a nosy neighbor who gives author a big scare, or a snooty official aptly named Brenda Savage. The book is interspersed with brilliantly funny scenes, like the one where Savage is mistaken for a nude model, or the one with children screwing up Jesus in the manger.
The kids, though, steal the show. Utterly lovable, cute and different from each other, they will bring up the memories of the beautiful phase that was the childhood. And yes, you will fall in love with children.
There are some great insights on education and parenting and teaching, explored through a wide variety of them. You will find yourself nodding in agreement with the author throughout.
So ahead, and pick up this book for a change, be amused and enriched. Or gift it to a teacher as a big thank you for the impact s/he made on your life.
February 11, 2022
Another gem by Gervase Phinn! E.L. and I have been reading his works for the past year. When we finish I’m going to have a huge gaping hole. I may have to reread them soon after.
July 16, 2010
For some reason, I found this book in the Dales series a little tougher-going than the previous three. It was still light-hearted, but seemed a lot more wrapped up in Phinn's personal life rather than tales of the schools he inspects, which is always the most joyful part of the books.
In this book, his wife gets up in arms about a school closure, Sidney Clamp plays a rather amusing joke concerning a Quaker meeting house, and Phinn welcomes his first child into the world.
In this book, his wife gets up in arms about a school closure, Sidney Clamp plays a rather amusing joke concerning a Quaker meeting house, and Phinn welcomes his first child into the world.
May 14, 2015
Little gem of a book covering Gervaise's 4 th year as a school inspector . His wife is expecting their baby, he has just tore down a listed historical building in his garden , and the usual anecdotes from the kids make this as always a cracking read !
February 11, 2022
Delightful and heartwarming!
October 10, 2016
In this autobiography, we see the same Phinn humor that is prevalent in his three former novels of school and village life in the Dales, along with some of the characters and occurrences upon which his novels are based, delightful reads all.
June 20, 2011
Loved the subtle comedy...
July 2, 2016
I read this book for book club as quickly as I possibly could fitting it around work so that I could put it down and watch some paint dry. Boring is not a sufficient description. Reading this book was like wading through mud. The prose is dry and forced and the author is doing his best except his anecdotes, on the whole, are not funny. His descriptions of the female characters portray a range of women however the only positive description of a womans physical appearance and personality was saved for his wife. I did not like this book and I certainly didn't find myself sympathetic to the author at all.
November 1, 2013
Recommended to me by my Grandpa Ken (through marriage) who is British and a delight in and of himself. This book was warm and funny and poignant. I struggled a little with the language barrier but understood most of what was going on. Many laugh out loud moments. The best parts are the comments by the children in the schools he visits. Phinn did delve into his personal life a bit but it made him endearing. Will look at reading his other books as well.
March 21, 2011
This is an amusing, compassionate insight into the work and life of a school inspector who lives and works in the Yorkshire Dales. Although there is much humour, the author is never patronising or judgemental about the folks he interacts with and writes about. I will be looking out for any other books by Gervase Phinn.
May 1, 2013
This delightful book is the first that I have read by Gervase Phinn but I can guarantee that it won't be the last. Mr. Phinn is a school inspector in the Yorkshire dales and the book is a chronicle of his adventures in daily life. Reminds me very much of James Herriot's veterinary chronicles in his All Creatures Great and Small series. A very pleasant read.
March 9, 2011
Really loved it.Continues the series (this is book 4) really well. Highly recommend it for those who love an "All Creatures Great and Small" style of book, but about a school inspector, instead of a vet.
January 6, 2012
Phinn has been compared to James Herriot, and these books are his stories of being appointed as a Schools Inspector in the Yorkshire Dales. Many chuckles about the funny things the children say or do, and likewise about life in the slower-paced world of Yorkshire.
January 4, 2022
I read this book a very long time back but I still remember it well. I loved the subtle comedy style of this book and it made me laugh throughout. The situations he faces as a school inspector are hilarious!
I plan on reading more books by Gervase Phinn
I plan on reading more books by Gervase Phinn
February 23, 2013
Another great book in Phinn's excellent series. This book talks more about Gervase's personal life. This is good as it is interesting reading. The saga of the ramshackle shed in his garden is very funny!
July 8, 2014
Simple and beautiful. I had read this book a few years ago but some scenes of the book will always remain with me as good memories and will always make me smile. If you are looking for a light, heartwarming read, this is your book.
January 19, 2016
These books are like James Herriot books. Feel good happy books where nothing too bad ever happens. Funny laugh out loud descriptions of real kids and the unexpected things they say. I also died laughing reading his descriptions of some of the 'difficult' people in his office.
January 8, 2019
I loved this book, it was like a little ray of sunshine. I have a friend who has been trying to teach me “Yorkshire”, so this gave me some real laugh out loud moments! This was the first I have read in the series, I picked it up at a book fair, I will certainly buy the others now.
May 29, 2019
Really nice book. Varied experiences of a school inspector in Yorkshire is presented in the book. Most of them I assume are anecdotes from the author's own life as the protagonist is author himself. Funny, refreshing and heartwarming.
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October 27, 2008Enjoyable but some of the anecdotes dragged on far too long. Shorter and snappier would have been more entertaining!
July 1, 2016
very good & funny
October 5, 2009
yorkshire is the best place on earth.
January 9, 2012
Lovely book. Enjoyed every minute. Beautiful combination of humor and wisdom.
June 10, 2012
Just finished reading this at Download festival. how very rock and roll of me :)
Gervaise Phinn. Fun as always.
Gervaise Phinn. Fun as always.
August 18, 2012
Continuation of the roles of a school inspector in yorkshire infant and junior schools. This is Gervase Phinn's 4th book still find them amusing.
January 30, 2013
More hilarious fun from the children and adults of the Dales schools.
February 26, 2013
Gervase Phinn's series are just MUST READS I loved them!
January 16, 2014
I keep coming back to this series. Heartwarming stories about schools set in the dales.
June 27, 2013
Again, up to his usual humorous style of writing, but without being full of double entendres.
I did laugh a lot. Only Gervase could manage to arrive at his son's birth in full Nazi regale.
I did laugh a lot. Only Gervase could manage to arrive at his son's birth in full Nazi regale.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2013
A delight. Am enjoying those immensely.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews