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The Other Side of the DaleSnagging.org In association with Amazon.co.ukOnline Shop | Property Guides | Kitchen & Home | Garden Tools | Power Tools | Consumer Electronics Get the Snagging Checklist Here!  List Price: £8.99 Amazon.co.uk's Price: £5.99 You Save: £3.00 (33%)Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 641 EAN: 9780140275421 Edition: New edition ISBN: 0140275428 Label: Penguin Manufacturer: Penguin Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 288 Publication Date: April 01, 1999 Publisher: Penguin Studio: Penguin Related Items:
Editorial Review: Amazon.co.uk Review: Amusing and serendipitous memories of Gervase Phinn's first year as County Inspector of Schools in North Yorkshire. The children he meets seem to be little adults, full of the language and prudence of their mostly land-worker parents; able to hold their own on the finer points of animal husbandry and farm management. "Don't yer know yer sheep then?" asks a serious little boy, aged six, whose reading aloud is perfect but whose interest is more in identifying the breed of sheep in the accompanying illustration, which leads to a serious classroom discussion. Gervase Phinn meets head teachers, checks school curriculums, selects an unpopular winner in a poetry competition, and gains confidence of the shyest and the most stubborn with innate diplomacy. He graciously accepts endless inaccuracies in the spelling and pronunciation of his name--"he's called Mr Grim and he's a spectre"--becomes much sought-after and admired by the county's matrons, and his heart is set a'flutter by a pretty, unmarried headmistress with whom he longs to be more intimately acquainted. A good-natured, entertaining storyteller obviously committed to his calling, Mr Phinn's occasional inaccuracy in rendition in no way detracts from his warm and enjoyable reading. --Running time approx 3 hours --Lynn Took Average Rating:
 Rating:  - I have come to Uk to see YorkshirI read the book while i was studying at law school at University of Peshawar. it is really a great book. it helps one learn to enjoy every samll bit of life. its a very lovely story of small school kids and people who are concerned about them. and some where when you don't even reallise it transforms in a small love story. I enjoy every sentence of it, and read it five times(no exageration, i enjoy it that much and it is still on my disk. i still remember a kids spelling corrections when Miss. dela be aware(Miss de la Mare) appreciated them as a good poem; yesterday yesterday yesterday sorrow sorrow sorrow today today today hope hope hope tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow Love love love and dont forget to read the "big stick joke" that was the start of love story.... Rating: - Out of the mouths of babesI can wholeheartedly recommend all the five "Dales" books. I discovered Gervase Phinn after my mother who is a deputy head gave me the third book as a present. As a former teacher turned teaching assistant I relate to these situations that Gervase encountered on a daily basis in the primary school environment. I could even add some more tales for his next book if he needs any more material!!! I also enjoy the scenes of friendly banter between Gervase and his colleagues at County Hall. I bet all of us know a Mrs Savage character somewhere in our lives! As other reviewers state, I too could not put the book down until I had completed it. Gervase Phinn is a born storyteller on the page and on the stage. (I saw his show live a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the performance) He captivates audiences with his humorous anecdotes and experiences. More of the same please, Gervase! Rating: - Timeless ClassicTo paraphrase a well known saying, some writers have to work hard to find good writing material, others have good writing material thrust upon them. The story begins, as it should, at the beginning of Phinn's career as a school inspector, as he feels his way into the role of Schools English Inspector. One suspects that, if he had chosen a role anywhere else, this would not have been quite the same. The characters are all there, the battleaxe, the love interest, the comedy sidekicks, but really the book is all about the kids. I'm so pleased that Phinn continues to write these books, as they make such enjoyable reading. Rating: - A really good readI usually have about three books on the go at once but this one kind of took over. I read in in three evenings - it really is such a lovely book, I'd recommend it to anyone. It will make you smile, laugh out loud (so be careful not to read it in a public place, people might think you are a bit strange). I have a little knowledge of the area so it was fun trying to workout the real names of the places mentioned - I think I spotted Chapel-le-Dale and the Old Hill Inn at the start of the book and a few other places. Looking forward to starting Over Hill and Dale next. Rating:  - Not a patch on James HerriotAn easy read and quite enjoyable, but I won't be reading any more books in the series, I much prefer James Herriot. Gervase Phinn has pinched James Herriot’s plot: new to the job but very enthusiastic; has to get used to the quirky way of his colleagues and ‘clients’; gauche attempts at courting future wife etc. If you like Alfred Wight’s James Herriot, you’ll be very disappointed. ‘The Other Side of the Dale’ is a very second rate version of the same idea, but not so well done. Gervase Phinn doesn't do justice to his Yorkshire characters, his Yorkshire scenery or the content of his Yorkshire tales. James Herriot’s prose is far superior and he conveys his love of the beautiful but harsh Yorkshire dales so much better.  Try searching the Internet for "The Other Side of the Dale" or Ebay for "The Other Side of the Dale". You might also be interested in the following great products:
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