Rarely does one see such a varied, fascinating and wholly absorbing collection of lifestories that leaves the reader wondering how on earth the author packed it all into onelifetime. This miscellany of tales, where God, King and Country, are the commondenominator, reveals a skills-set beyond the average man s chosen career and hobbies. An independent streak inbred from his birth and infant nurture in a military family, hisyouth spent at boarding school, a gap year at the other end of the world in the FalklandIslands, then a 35 year career as a policeman in Hong Kong and, in retirement, trainingas a teacher and qualifying as an advanced driver. And now, in the evening of his years,as busy as ever writing books, still an active Freemason and energetically pursuing hisresponsibilities as chieftain of the Clan McDouall of Freugh. Oh, and I nearly forgot hishobbies; A member of Edinburgh s Scotch Malt Whisky Society for 25 years, amassingover 200 favourite bottles, and model trains. He built a topographical HO-guage trainset 8 x 10 for his boys when they were young. Hazel Miller,C of E Parish Administrator