The Heart of the Dales

If you like Gervase Phinn then you should find this book entertaining. I enjoyed it.

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Enjoyed every minute!

Superb narration .... As a retired teacher , I found it so easy to identify with the characters.... and so many memories came tumbling back.

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humourous tales of life in the Dales

A great narration of life in the Yorkshire Dales, Gervaise is a natural performer. very easy listening.

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A wonderful story.

I loved this audiobook. so evocative and atmospheric of a bygone age and of God's own country. The author is a wonderful narrator. Not my first and won't be my last audiobook by this author.

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1 person found this helpful

Just Wonderful in every respect

I have past family roots in Yorkshire and I love it; the plain speaking no nonsense attitudes are Yorkshire and is the language of of the locality. I read the earlier Gervaise books before he was married, loved them and knew this book would not disappoint. I was not as a child really wanted and blessed with love, and I find him incredibly sensitive to those situations and those sad children who are latchkey and pretty much uncared about. As a teacher and a father I can imagine he was truly marvellous with children whatever their age or their background, and it is a gift that very few people are blessed with but can nevertheless be spotted straight away when it is there. The book is extremely funny, yet the humour is clever and gentle and the characters are truly marvellous. His words are pictures, his writing is like a canvas, I can visualise so clearly what these people were like, the scenes, schools, buildings, countryside everywhere and his intelligence although sparkling and clearly evident at all times, is never ever patronising or condescending. He provides the material, your mind then creates the illustration. His narration of all of these elements of story is just perfect. I know this will be one of my most listened to books. Totally recommended.

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Excellent

As always a great read, read by the author. Laugh out loud moments. Love these books.

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funny and entertaining as always

I love all of these books and the delivery is brilliant, as good as when we have seen Gervase perform live. Well worth a listen, it all rings true, as I also work in a primary school. Great to hear inspectors can be human too!

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3 people found this helpful

Nostalgia!

As a teacher in Doncaster in the 70s and 80s, I fought against buying this book for a long time (as I didn't have a lot of time for school inspectors), but I am so glad I succumbed. I related to so many of the school stories and his narration and his Yorkshire accent make Gervase's books a delight for me, a proud Yorkshire lass, and bring back memories of the happy years I spent in teaching. There are many laugh out loud moments and memorable characters, especially Mrs B and Mrs Savage, the fellow inspectors and, of course, the forthright and direct children from whom nothing can be hid.

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7 people found this helpful

Same name different characters?

As always, reading Gervaise’ books, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Just one thing I was getting confused about, was the names of characters I’d read about in some others, such as Mrs Della Ware (At the Captains Table), Bianca (One of the village school books). I had to remind myself they were different people. Not a complaint as such, it didn’t spoil my listening.
Thank you again Mr. Phinn

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loved it

Very enjoyable and well read by the author. Captures Yorkshire with light humour and astute observation. Highly recommend

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