What do you think?
Rate this book
University Tales: A hilarious and nostalgic cosy campus novel
The delightful new novel from Jack Sheffield, author of the much-loved Teacher series.
York, 1988.
Dr Tom Frith is beginning his first term as a tutor at the University of Eboracum. After teaching primary school children for several years, he's sure shaping the minds of young adults will be a welcome change. But that's before considering the pressures he'll face outside the lecture hall, from helping three hapless students who've been surviving exclusively on porridge, to fielding inappropriate propositions from students chasing higher grades.
And then there's the particular challenge of Edna Wallop, the Acting Head of Faculty. Edna may have grand plans to overhaul the faculty's finances, but Tom can't help being suspicious of her methods...
Meanwhile, Tom meets Inger, an enigmatic Music tutor, and feels an instant spark. One thing's for it's going to be an eventful year on campus, for tutors and students alike!
A hilarious, nostalgic and heart-warming novel about the trials and tribulations of life at a fictional Yorkshire university, perfect for fans of James Herriot and Tom Sharpe.
_
Praise for Jack
'Wry observation and heartwarming humour in equal measure' - Alan Titchmarsh
'Jack Sheffield is certainly top of the class with this heart-warming and feel-good series' - Western Morning News
'Reliably entertaining' - Choice
York, 1988.
Dr Tom Frith is beginning his first term as a tutor at the University of Eboracum. After teaching primary school children for several years, he's sure shaping the minds of young adults will be a welcome change. But that's before considering the pressures he'll face outside the lecture hall, from helping three hapless students who've been surviving exclusively on porridge, to fielding inappropriate propositions from students chasing higher grades.
And then there's the particular challenge of Edna Wallop, the Acting Head of Faculty. Edna may have grand plans to overhaul the faculty's finances, but Tom can't help being suspicious of her methods...
Meanwhile, Tom meets Inger, an enigmatic Music tutor, and feels an instant spark. One thing's for it's going to be an eventful year on campus, for tutors and students alike!
A hilarious, nostalgic and heart-warming novel about the trials and tribulations of life at a fictional Yorkshire university, perfect for fans of James Herriot and Tom Sharpe.
_
Praise for Jack
'Wry observation and heartwarming humour in equal measure' - Alan Titchmarsh
'Jack Sheffield is certainly top of the class with this heart-warming and feel-good series' - Western Morning News
'Reliably entertaining' - Choice
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 7, 2023
15 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Jack Sheffield
39 books76 followersJack Sheffield (born Jack Linley, 1945) is a British author who wrote a series of books of fiction about the headmaster of a village school in a fictional Yorkshire village. The stories are set from the late 1970s to the early 1980s and attempt to portray life in Yorkshire as it was at that time.
He was trained as a teacher at St John's College, York and later became head teacher of two schools in North Yorkshire and then senior lecturer in primary education at Bretton Hall.
He took up writing after retirement, and his first novel "Teacher, Teacher!" sold 100,000 copies
He was trained as a teacher at St John's College, York and later became head teacher of two schools in North Yorkshire and then senior lecturer in primary education at Bretton Hall.
He took up writing after retirement, and his first novel "Teacher, Teacher!" sold 100,000 copies
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 20, 2023
A really comforting read set in a city that I love
October 22, 2023
Oh dear. My first Jack Sheffield novel. And last.
No cliche spurned. Leaden dialogue. The subtlety of a 20lb hammer.
Cardboard cutout characters - the socially awkward scientist, the gorgeous but reserved scandiniavian blonde with a secret in her past, the feisty flame-hiared maneating drama tutor, the outgoing rugby playing welshman, and worst of all the most absurd baddie - the evil scheming Edna Wallop(!) 'she will be dealt with" "She must be stopped of course. .... Never fear, I have my ways" - she just needed a white cat to stroke.
And Tom, the tousle headed untidy yet handsome protoganist, is a total wet wipe. Leads on the mature student who fancies him, lets events wash over him without the least initiative, gets the lovely Inger to repair his leather patch Sweetheart- you should have done a swerve. Oh and he's an long standing English teacher who has never read the Lord of the Rings and seems to consider this an abstruse unusual book? in 1989! Come on. It was on everyone's bookshelf in the 70s.
"So youve decided on the Merchant of Venice ....a great play". Well good toi know!
Gave it 2 stars rather than 1 as I did finish it, curious to see how the author would resolve the plot. And yes it was Deus ex machina
No cliche spurned. Leaden dialogue. The subtlety of a 20lb hammer.
Cardboard cutout characters - the socially awkward scientist, the gorgeous but reserved scandiniavian blonde with a secret in her past, the feisty flame-hiared maneating drama tutor, the outgoing rugby playing welshman, and worst of all the most absurd baddie - the evil scheming Edna Wallop(!) 'she will be dealt with" "She must be stopped of course. .... Never fear, I have my ways" - she just needed a white cat to stroke.
And Tom, the tousle headed untidy yet handsome protoganist, is a total wet wipe. Leads on the mature student who fancies him, lets events wash over him without the least initiative, gets the lovely Inger to repair his leather patch Sweetheart- you should have done a swerve. Oh and he's an long standing English teacher who has never read the Lord of the Rings and seems to consider this an abstruse unusual book? in 1989! Come on. It was on everyone's bookshelf in the 70s.
"So youve decided on the Merchant of Venice ....a great play". Well good toi know!
Gave it 2 stars rather than 1 as I did finish it, curious to see how the author would resolve the plot. And yes it was Deus ex machina
September 13, 2023
Having thoroughly enjoyed the entire Teacher series of books I was looking forward to the start of this new series and was not disappointed. It follows Dr Tom Frith as he takes a year’s sabbatical from being a primary school head in order to take a secondment as a lecturer and first year tutor at Eboracum University in York. As always with this author I was quickly drawn into the lives and interactions of a new group of characters and finished the book in a couple of days. Jack’s books are a form of comfort blanket for me as I have found them ideal for those times in my life where things were challenging and I love all the references to clothes, haircuts and music of the times, which inevitably take me back to that period of time. I am already looking forward to the second instalment of Tom’s story, which I was reliably informed at the launch of this book, by the author himself (who is every bit as warm and friendly as most of his characters) is September 5th 2024!
February 18, 2024
As you'd expect from Jack Sheffield's books on his days teaching school, this is a cosy and gentle tale set in the world of teacher training at a York university. Having worked in that environment, I was looking forward to the book and it was a pleasant read. I think some of the ideas belonged to an earlier time - by the 80s universities were beginning to be run more as businesses than philanthropic elitist academies, but I could identify with some issues.
The characters were easy to identify with and the story flowed along well. I'm never very keen on the author's insistence on bringing in any major political or news-worthy event into his stories - he does seem keen to 'teach' the reader and some of these just don't sit comfortably in the plot. But overall a fun read for a rainy afternoon.
The characters were easy to identify with and the story flowed along well. I'm never very keen on the author's insistence on bringing in any major political or news-worthy event into his stories - he does seem keen to 'teach' the reader and some of these just don't sit comfortably in the plot. But overall a fun read for a rainy afternoon.
January 14, 2024
The words that spring to mind when describing this book are warm, comforting, gentle- a really delightful read! We are introduced to some wonderful characters, some likeable: Tom, Inger, Zeb, Richard, Victor and some distinctly unlikeable. The unlikeable ones get their comeuppance and the likeable ones all get what they deserve too. The book takes you through life through the eyes of a university lecturer and the interface with students and the world at large. Set in York, a good Northern university town, it creates some lovely images of the university life, with a little intrigue and mystery thrown in. A really enjoyable and easy read.
January 16, 2024
The story follows Tom Frith; a primary school deputy head on a year's secondment as a tutor at the University of Eboracum in York.
The rhythm of the university life, lectures, field trips concerts, matched the rhythm of the seasons and were a delight.
The characters might have been a bit stereotypical (wacky scientist, rugby loving Welsh P.E. lecturer) , however they were well defined and not too far off real life.
I loved the down to earth narrative; the simple ups and downs and dramas of a university year and the students and lecturers who study and work there.
And a visit to York is now high on the agenda
The rhythm of the university life, lectures, field trips concerts, matched the rhythm of the seasons and were a delight.
The characters might have been a bit stereotypical (wacky scientist, rugby loving Welsh P.E. lecturer) , however they were well defined and not too far off real life.
I loved the down to earth narrative; the simple ups and downs and dramas of a university year and the students and lecturers who study and work there.
And a visit to York is now high on the agenda
February 4, 2024
Book Bingo 2024: On display at the library
Having read and enjoyed the Teacher series, I was happy to spot this new book by Jack Sheffield on the display stand in the library. Sadly, I didn’t feel that this fictionalised account of a year on a university campus had the warmth of characters that the previous series had. I much prefer lovable Ruby’s clumsy malapropisms to evil Edna’s management cliches.
Having read and enjoyed the Teacher series, I was happy to spot this new book by Jack Sheffield on the display stand in the library. Sadly, I didn’t feel that this fictionalised account of a year on a university campus had the warmth of characters that the previous series had. I much prefer lovable Ruby’s clumsy malapropisms to evil Edna’s management cliches.
September 2, 2024
A brilliant story
I have read so many books written by Jack Sheffield, everyone of the Teacher series, plus a couple of others and once again I have been enthralled reading about Tom, Victor, Owen, Inga, Zeb and all the other characters in this fantastic story, I am looking forward to reading the next instalment. Thank you once again for taking me into the fictional world of a University.
I have read so many books written by Jack Sheffield, everyone of the Teacher series, plus a couple of others and once again I have been enthralled reading about Tom, Victor, Owen, Inga, Zeb and all the other characters in this fantastic story, I am looking forward to reading the next instalment. Thank you once again for taking me into the fictional world of a University.
January 30, 2024
I have read all of The Primary School series of books from Jack Sheffield and absolutely loved them.
However University Tales did not quite hit the mark for me. It felt a little like reading a Mills and Booms Romantic novel in parts! ( My Mum used to read them all of the time!).
It left me feeling slightly disappointed because I had loved all of the previous books so much.
However University Tales did not quite hit the mark for me. It felt a little like reading a Mills and Booms Romantic novel in parts! ( My Mum used to read them all of the time!).
It left me feeling slightly disappointed because I had loved all of the previous books so much.
June 1, 2024
Not as well written as Herriot nor Sharpe, but still a fun read
Herriot has more believable stories and Sharpe is wittier, but nonetheless Sheffield writes well and the plot is quite good.
Herriot has more believable stories and Sharpe is wittier, but nonetheless Sheffield writes well and the plot is quite good.
October 11, 2023
Wonderful book. Can't wait to read about Toms second year
October 27, 2023
Brilliant
Love It
Highly Recommended
Love It
Highly Recommended
March 19, 2024
For me, this one didn’t quite catch the magic and nostalgia of the author’s teacher series. It was an easy read after a busy day but didn’t take me long to read.
September 11, 2024
Excellent
I've read all of Jack Sheffield's other books and this one is as good as any as any of them.
I've read all of Jack Sheffield's other books and this one is as good as any as any of them.
February 3, 2025
A charming story of the lives and loves of the academic community of a small college in eighties Britain.
March 15, 2025
Not great did not have the fun and character as the last books . I felt the book had no great story line
I loved his other books - may be it was because more adult no children up to mischief!
I loved his other books - may be it was because more adult no children up to mischief!
June 17, 2025
Nice story a bit bland. Interesting with the use of the news and music to put us in the 80s. Nice hooks used to get us thinking about the next book.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews