Contents
Chapter 1 - My father the forger
Chapter 2 - Uncle Les' training lesson
Chapter 3 - Worst ever miscarriage of justice
Chapter 5 - Fighting for survival
Chapter 6 - Secret of creative journalism
Chapter 7 - AG - Genius before his time
Chapter 8 - Whisper don't shout
Chapter 10 - The Times' Special One
Chapter 11 - Humble revolutionary
Chapter 12 - A Great Communicator
Chapter 13 - 'Iron Balls' of advertising
Chapter 15 - Princess Anne Affair
Chapter 16 - 'Lousy' sandwiches won the account
Chapter 17 - A Papal Presentation
Chapter 18 - Skinny dipping in North Carolina
Chapter 20 - Anglophile in a castle
Chapter 21 - Innovation is simplicity
Chapter 24 - Wheeling & Dealing
Chapter 25 - Mini Captains of Industry
Chapter 27 - Why I left Edelman
Chapter 28 - Life after Edelman
Chapter 29 - Flirting with the Internet
Chapter 30 - Questions I would have asked
People, Places & Me is dedicated with love to my wife Beryl and son Jonathan who without a quibble have enabled me to pursue my career when I know that at times it has been at the expense of their own aspirations.
Preface
My real education commenced when I left school at 16 and got a job sweeping up the office of the now defunct South London Advertiser weekly newspaper. That was more than 50 years ago and virtually every day since I have learned something new from the people I’ve met and the moments I have enjoyed along the way. Thankfully this great journey of discovery is continuing into the wondrous age of the Internet and I am as ambitious now as I have ever been.
Journalism mixed with public relations is a great recipe for a career for someone like me with an inquisitive mind, a sense of humour, a touch of ego and little else to offer. To this day I have no idea how it happened for me, except that I’m glad it did because what I learned from it shaped the greater part of my life.
People Places & Me is a reflection of my journey so far and who knows there might be a sequel.
It is a public expression of thanks to those people who unknowingly helped to educate me; the longer stories do not denote a greater importance than the shorter ones; neither does the order which is sort of alphabetical.
London February 2010

