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Road to the Dales: The Story of a Yorkshire Lad
Gervase tells of a life full of happiness, conversation, music and books shared with his three siblings, mother and father. This book is a snapshot of growing up in Yorkshire in the 1950s - reminisce with Gervase, and share in his personal journey - of school days and holidays as well as his tentative steps into the adult world. You can devour numerous uproarious stories including the incident involving a broken greenhouse, crashing his brother's newly restored bike as well as secrets about his first dates, adventures at summer camp, family trips to Blackpool and many other captivating tales. With a wicked ear for the comical, and a sharp eye for detail, this beautifully written book visits poignant moments, significant events and precious memories from a boy called Gervase.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
14 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Gervase Phinn
100 books172 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 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 5, 2023
This was so much fun! It is very much in the vein of James Herriot and Miss Read. The best word to describe all three is good-hearted. There is something so delightfully humane and humorous about Herriot and Miss Read, and I found that in spades in Gervase's book as well. I laughed out loud many times. This book is essentially like sitting down with him in his Rotherham house with cups of tea and slices of cake and listening to his anecdotes of his childhood.
I feel that Gervase is a kindred spirit. He notes at the beginning of his memoir that misery memoirs are popular but that his memoir will be just the opposite; he is unapologetic about the goodness of his childhood and how supportive and kind his parents and teachers were. I was also surrounded by people who cared for me and encouraged me in my childhood. When I was taking a creative nonfiction writing class in college, I submitted a piece of writing about my childhood to the class for critique, and I remember one student, Elise, saying, "How can this be real? These people are too good!" I still feel the shock of her comment and the lingering sadness that Elise's experience led her to doubt goodness when she read it. Though no childhood is free from suffering and those stories are worth telling and reading, I do love Gervase's conviction that it's equally important to celebrate the good. His own positive experience with adults led him to become a teacher, and I have a feeling he is beloved by many for his passionate commitment to the goodness and potential of each child.
I also enjoyed Gervase's story as a new perspective on British life. I'm not sure if Rotherham is considered the Midlands, but regardless this area of England is not well known to me and nor is the post WWII period as familiar. I loved Gervase's stories of being thoroughly lower middle class and with Irish and Scottish Catholic lineage as well. I loved the stories about his dynamic and no-nonsense Catholic mother who worked as a nurse through his growing up years. The memoir is roughly linear, but there are many anecdotes sprinkled throughout that are very loosely organized. I probably prefer a more linear story if I had to choose, but the structure of the memoir works because of the effervescence of the storytelling. I especially enjoyed reading about Gervase’s experiences in his secondary school and his teachers who encouraged him to consider teaching as a profession.
We only get little bits about Gervase's own wife and children (understandable since this is his up-to-age-18 memoir), but his wife certainly gets the last-line laugh. It was a perfect way to end the memoir as it captures Gervase's view of himself as a rather humble and ordinary chap but with a gift for telling a story.
I feel that Gervase is a kindred spirit. He notes at the beginning of his memoir that misery memoirs are popular but that his memoir will be just the opposite; he is unapologetic about the goodness of his childhood and how supportive and kind his parents and teachers were. I was also surrounded by people who cared for me and encouraged me in my childhood. When I was taking a creative nonfiction writing class in college, I submitted a piece of writing about my childhood to the class for critique, and I remember one student, Elise, saying, "How can this be real? These people are too good!" I still feel the shock of her comment and the lingering sadness that Elise's experience led her to doubt goodness when she read it. Though no childhood is free from suffering and those stories are worth telling and reading, I do love Gervase's conviction that it's equally important to celebrate the good. His own positive experience with adults led him to become a teacher, and I have a feeling he is beloved by many for his passionate commitment to the goodness and potential of each child.
I also enjoyed Gervase's story as a new perspective on British life. I'm not sure if Rotherham is considered the Midlands, but regardless this area of England is not well known to me and nor is the post WWII period as familiar. I loved Gervase's stories of being thoroughly lower middle class and with Irish and Scottish Catholic lineage as well. I loved the stories about his dynamic and no-nonsense Catholic mother who worked as a nurse through his growing up years. The memoir is roughly linear, but there are many anecdotes sprinkled throughout that are very loosely organized. I probably prefer a more linear story if I had to choose, but the structure of the memoir works because of the effervescence of the storytelling. I especially enjoyed reading about Gervase’s experiences in his secondary school and his teachers who encouraged him to consider teaching as a profession.
We only get little bits about Gervase's own wife and children (understandable since this is his up-to-age-18 memoir), but his wife certainly gets the last-line laugh. It was a perfect way to end the memoir as it captures Gervase's view of himself as a rather humble and ordinary chap but with a gift for telling a story.
April 22, 2018
I love people's stories. I'm studying history and I particularly like social history. But this guy's stories are boring. I should have known when he compared himself to Frank McCourt and said they had nothing in common. I should have stopped there.
April 6, 2022
I read this delightful, interesting, and humorous autobiography of Gervase Phinn with my friend Elizabeth Laumas. And, true to his nature, it ends with a laugh.
January 12, 2012
I confess, I looked at the cover at this book and I wasn't sure it would be a book for me but many people on GR have spoken highly about Gervase Phinn so I overlooked my first impression and I'm glad that I did.
I thought this was a charming memoir of childhood in the Yorkshire Dales - Gervase Phinn writes fondly of his parents, siblings, friends and teachers. He is eloquent on matters of education - the unfairness of the 11+ and grammar school system, the problem of bullying within schools, the demise of the family meal! Often he is amusing, sometimes he is outright funny and on occasion he moved me to tears.
I thought this was a charming memoir of childhood in the Yorkshire Dales - Gervase Phinn writes fondly of his parents, siblings, friends and teachers. He is eloquent on matters of education - the unfairness of the 11+ and grammar school system, the problem of bullying within schools, the demise of the family meal! Often he is amusing, sometimes he is outright funny and on occasion he moved me to tears.
April 9, 2012
I found this book mildly amusing. It's one of those books that have some very funny anecdotes and you are able to dip in and out without there being a plot or real storyline.
I've read all of the Dales series by Gervase and they are much more amusing (hilarious at times) and some of the stories from that series are replicated here.
I've also seen Gervase live. If you ever get the chance, go and see him. He is a better entertainer than writer, and he's not bad at the latter!
I've read all of the Dales series by Gervase and they are much more amusing (hilarious at times) and some of the stories from that series are replicated here.
I've also seen Gervase live. If you ever get the chance, go and see him. He is a better entertainer than writer, and he's not bad at the latter!
May 16, 2024
Audiobook of the day! This was a nice listen. I have no clue who this guy is, but it was great hearing stories of his childhood. Overall a joyful read/listen whatever.
July 14, 2010
Gervase tells of a life full of happiness, conversation, music and books shared with his three siblings, mother and father. This book is a snapshot of growing up in Yorkshire in the 1950s - reminisce with Gervase, and share in his personal journey - of school days and holidays as well as his tentative steps into the adult world. You can devour numerous uproarious stories including the incident involving a broken greenhouse, crashing his brother's newly restored bike as well as secrets about his first dates, adventures at summer camp, family trips to Blackpool and many other captivating tales. With a wicked ear for the comical, and a sharp eye for detail, this beautifully written book visits poignant moments, significant events and precious memories from a boy called Gervase.
I love Gervase Phinn's books. His writing is gentle, family-friendly, with a sharp observational humour that gives his words a wry wit. As a consequence, I was thrilled to see that Phinn had written a new book dealing with his own life while growing up in Yorkshire.
My view of this book is extremely positive, in the main. In fact, the main factor of 'Road to the Dales' I didn't enjoy was the structure. Phinn's commentary darts all over the place, which does give the novel a gossipy feel (this might have been the aim, to be fair!) but doesn't help the reader really get too much of a grasp on what Phinn will be chatting about next. It is far from linear, and, in the first part, deals more with Phinn's family than on his own story.
I did also recognise a few anecdotes from Phinn's novels about being a school inspector in Yorkshire. It strikes me that most people who would read this book would have read his prior novels, and so it seemed a little short-sighted to duplicate material. Happily it was very infrequent.
These minor issues aside, 'Road to the Dales' is a wonderful book. The stories of Phinn's early life and his progress through school, the holidays he takes, the games he plays on the street outside his house - all are related with warmth and a huge affection for the places and people that informed Phinn.
Having a father of a similar age as Phinn lent extra poignancy to my read, since I've heard my dad speak of many of the same sweets, food, games, experiences from when he was growing up.
The part of the novel that I enjoyed the best was the way Phinn spoke about his teachers and the learning that led him to pursuing the role that we see him taking on in his books about being a school inspector. I also had good-humoured, passionate and experienced teachers while going through primary and secondary school - who definitely helped to instill in me a love of books and learning - and appreciate Phinn's eulogising on how important a factor it is in a young person's life. Quotes like the following fill the pages: "Like all great teachers he did not stick slavishly to a script but would deviate and tell stories to arouse our interest. What I learnt from Ken Pike was the importance of young people having high expectations and self-belief."
I also loved the humour - something that I'd already encountered in his books about being a school inspector. Little anecdotes such as the following are delightful:
"One trainee nurse, a permanently cheerful Jamaican woman with a beaming smile and sunny disposition, was assisting the anaesthetist in another operation.
'Arm board,' he said, meaning the device on which the patient's arm rests prior to the administering of the anaesthetic. The nurse nodded and smiled but made no move.
'I said arm board, nurse,' repeated the anaesthetist sharply.
'Ah'm bored too, doctor,' she replied pleasantly, 'but we'll soon be going home.'"
As a final point, I do 'Road to the Dales' is an effective study of life in the 50s and 60s in northern England. Health and safety were unheard of, and life would have been unrecognisable to many of us brought up in a time where political correctness and safety for children are constantly spoken about: "Parents didn't worry about where you were, who you were with, what you were doing, and never imagined that predatory paedophiles were lurking around every corner and hiding behind every bush. It wasn't as if they didn't care about us [...:] Amazingly, in all those early years, apart from a few scrapes and scratches, I never hurt myself and was never approached by the stereotypical 'dirty old man in a raincoat'."
Gervase Phinn admits candidly that, if you are looking for a memoir of a childhood filled with misery and difficult situations, then you need to go elsewhere. Phinn writes with love about his wonderful childhood, his family and his experiences. He recognises that he was blessed compared to others, and that humble joy is very evident. I greatly enjoyed this diverting novel and would recommend it to those who have enjoyed Phinn's prior work and those who enjoy real life memoirs.
I love Gervase Phinn's books. His writing is gentle, family-friendly, with a sharp observational humour that gives his words a wry wit. As a consequence, I was thrilled to see that Phinn had written a new book dealing with his own life while growing up in Yorkshire.
My view of this book is extremely positive, in the main. In fact, the main factor of 'Road to the Dales' I didn't enjoy was the structure. Phinn's commentary darts all over the place, which does give the novel a gossipy feel (this might have been the aim, to be fair!) but doesn't help the reader really get too much of a grasp on what Phinn will be chatting about next. It is far from linear, and, in the first part, deals more with Phinn's family than on his own story.
I did also recognise a few anecdotes from Phinn's novels about being a school inspector in Yorkshire. It strikes me that most people who would read this book would have read his prior novels, and so it seemed a little short-sighted to duplicate material. Happily it was very infrequent.
These minor issues aside, 'Road to the Dales' is a wonderful book. The stories of Phinn's early life and his progress through school, the holidays he takes, the games he plays on the street outside his house - all are related with warmth and a huge affection for the places and people that informed Phinn.
Having a father of a similar age as Phinn lent extra poignancy to my read, since I've heard my dad speak of many of the same sweets, food, games, experiences from when he was growing up.
The part of the novel that I enjoyed the best was the way Phinn spoke about his teachers and the learning that led him to pursuing the role that we see him taking on in his books about being a school inspector. I also had good-humoured, passionate and experienced teachers while going through primary and secondary school - who definitely helped to instill in me a love of books and learning - and appreciate Phinn's eulogising on how important a factor it is in a young person's life. Quotes like the following fill the pages: "Like all great teachers he did not stick slavishly to a script but would deviate and tell stories to arouse our interest. What I learnt from Ken Pike was the importance of young people having high expectations and self-belief."
I also loved the humour - something that I'd already encountered in his books about being a school inspector. Little anecdotes such as the following are delightful:
"One trainee nurse, a permanently cheerful Jamaican woman with a beaming smile and sunny disposition, was assisting the anaesthetist in another operation.
'Arm board,' he said, meaning the device on which the patient's arm rests prior to the administering of the anaesthetic. The nurse nodded and smiled but made no move.
'I said arm board, nurse,' repeated the anaesthetist sharply.
'Ah'm bored too, doctor,' she replied pleasantly, 'but we'll soon be going home.'"
As a final point, I do 'Road to the Dales' is an effective study of life in the 50s and 60s in northern England. Health and safety were unheard of, and life would have been unrecognisable to many of us brought up in a time where political correctness and safety for children are constantly spoken about: "Parents didn't worry about where you were, who you were with, what you were doing, and never imagined that predatory paedophiles were lurking around every corner and hiding behind every bush. It wasn't as if they didn't care about us [...:] Amazingly, in all those early years, apart from a few scrapes and scratches, I never hurt myself and was never approached by the stereotypical 'dirty old man in a raincoat'."
Gervase Phinn admits candidly that, if you are looking for a memoir of a childhood filled with misery and difficult situations, then you need to go elsewhere. Phinn writes with love about his wonderful childhood, his family and his experiences. He recognises that he was blessed compared to others, and that humble joy is very evident. I greatly enjoyed this diverting novel and would recommend it to those who have enjoyed Phinn's prior work and those who enjoy real life memoirs.
March 21, 2016
Gervase Phinn never fails to make me smile and laugh and nod my head knowingly. I have read all his books. I have loved all his books. Teacher, School Inspector, Public Speaker, Author, Poet and Patron of many charities for children, turns the story on himself in this book and it's told with all the humour and honesty of his tales about the straight talking Yorkshire schoolchildren of his previous books. Mr. Phinn is obviously one of those brilliant people who were BORN to teach, born to enlighten and encourage, born to tell stories, to write stories and to make people laugh and feel good about themselves. I hope the next book isn't too far away.
January 14, 2015
This is the story of Gervase Phinn and all about his childhood.
This is before he becomes a teacher and a school inspector but it's still in line with his other books (which are a must read) as there's some great anecdotes and one-liners.
Looking forward to seeing the man himself in a few weeks too... :)
This is before he becomes a teacher and a school inspector but it's still in line with his other books (which are a must read) as there's some great anecdotes and one-liners.
Looking forward to seeing the man himself in a few weeks too... :)
February 26, 2013
Gervase Phinn is a delightful author and I very much loved his series. I will most certainly be buying his children's books for my children. Having enjoyed his books reading about him on a more personal level was lovely.
August 26, 2019
An earnest and whimsical retelling of a youth geared around strong upbringing and educational commitment from the part of the Phinn family and the teachers who helped mould him.
May 1, 2020
I absolutely loved reading this book. So much I could write about it but in brief it made me laugh out loud many many times, it was a joy to read, especially during the Lockdown. It had brilliant insights (much I can relate to as a failed 11+ person myself where I too had amazing inspiring teachers at the Secondary Modern School I attended) plus it was enlightening to learn of a way of life now all but gone in the UK. I'm pleased Mr Phinn exposed the mean, religious and legalistic spirit of the priest Hammond, and glad he wrote with such honesty about that disappointing time in his mother's life - but she was the victor in the end, and did I feel pleased when she went up for communion after 13 years of being excluded!
I loved all the characters he describes, and his style of writing I personally found completely engaging.
One of the best autobiographies I've read in a long time, was sad when it ended.
I loved all the characters he describes, and his style of writing I personally found completely engaging.
One of the best autobiographies I've read in a long time, was sad when it ended.
August 15, 2023
The author is incredibly gifted and such a happy man. This is a refreshing collection of memoirs: no drama, no bad language, no indelicate sharing, no tales of abuse...these all have their place, well except the bad language and indelicate sharing. There is no place for those at any time but that's another critique.
Just, this book is an excellent reminder that there ARE good stories with good endings. Reading it gave me a lift.
Just, this book is an excellent reminder that there ARE good stories with good endings. Reading it gave me a lift.
July 21, 2023
I was disappointed by this as I really enjoyed his memoirs of his school inspector days and have read them all.
I read 20% before I called it a day. I got a bit of a 'holier than thou' vibe, and just didn't find it as interesting or enjoyable as his other books.
A shame as I was looking forward to reading it.
I read 20% before I called it a day. I got a bit of a 'holier than thou' vibe, and just didn't find it as interesting or enjoyable as his other books.
A shame as I was looking forward to reading it.
October 17, 2022
I was quite looking forward to this having enjoyed Phinn's talks on the radio, but I found it rather meandering, repetitive and dull. Comparing it with other novels and biography's from the same period was mildly interesting but the best I can really say was that it passed the time.
April 6, 2022
This was so enjoyable! I loved reading about his childhood and discussing with my friend!
October 13, 2024
That's two autobiographies this year. Brought back lots if my own childhood memories
June 25, 2025
felt rather self indulgent
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews