The Other Side of the Dales - Gervase Phinn

I highly enjoyed The Other Side of the Dales, a gentle selection of anecdotes about Gervase Phinn's experiences in his first year as a school inspector in the Yorkshire Dales. Phinn has a talent for introducing eccentric and warm-hearted characters, and his enthusiasm for the role he had comes through strongly.

This book is quintessentially English - in fact, the Yorkshire Dales almost become a character in their own right. We see them through Phinn's eyes as the seasons pass, and his descriptions of the various schools he visits are vividly drawn.

It is very much in the spirit of James Herriott, and is a very pleasurable way to spend a couple of hours.