How to gain a CHUCKERS job.... (Trowel and Error - Alan Titchmarsh)

Member Name: rachels_ratty

Product:	Trowel and Error - Alan Titchmarsh
Date:	13/05/03 (116 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A must have for all Titchmarsh fans

Disadvantages: None

He can remember the conversation quite vividly. "So are you really going to be a gardener?" asked Mickey. "There's no money in it."
"Yep" Alan replied. "I wouldnt mind being Percy Chucker."

That was the first time, aged 10, that Alan had put into words his aspirations for how he wanted his life to turn out. His ultimate aim if you like. He wanted Percy Throwers job presenting gardening to the public on the television! He still doesnt know how he had the nerve... At that time Mr Thrower was presenting Gardening Club on a Friday evening and it had Alan and his best mate Mickey enthralled.

Born in May 1949 in Ikley, Yorkshire he remembers having an interest in all things to do with nature for as long as his memory will stretch back. For this he blames his mother! Living on the doorstep to the moors and with woodland and the nearby river, his Mum used to take him and his younger sister on daily walks and from there his love of all that the great outdoors had to offer became deeply rooted in his brain. Nature was undoubtedly his first love. He clearly remembers times when he went fishing for minnows and learning bird names from various bird spotter books he owned. It was his mother who also encouraged his early passion for growing things himself as she was the gardener of the family and she also gave him the go-ahead to build his first greenhouse, a polythene covered affair at around age 9 or 10.

It was in Ikley that the family remained throughout his childhood and he recalls the large extended family including Grandparents and Aunts. He remembers a time of wide-eyed childhood innocence and having lots of fun; well out of school anyway. The only memory he has of nursery school was the fact that they had to take a nap each and every afternoon for which he could see no point as he was always full of energy after lunch! Unluckily that was about as good as it got academic wise for Alan and his school
days were virtually all downhill from then onwards.

He says that for most of his time at school his brain was "fuddled" and its clear that he was both a late learner and just not academically minded. He recalls getting into trouble for being caught inside his primary school during a very wet breaktime; something which was expressly forbidden. He remembers getting the cane across his hand several times for that and trying hard to be brave! Not surprisingly; and it certainly was no shock to him, that he failed his eleven plus examination and went to a secondary modern school where he was introduced to cross country running.

Also from his childhood days he remembers all the family holidays they took although he has no idea how his parents ever managed to afford them. Life for him and his sister was certainly fun but he does know that life must have been pretty tough for his Mum and Dad. Each December 1st the cellar under their house became "out of bounds" to himself and his sister although back then they had no idea why and certainly didnt make any connection between that annual event and Christmas! After all, Santa was to do with chimneys and not cellars... He does know that it was his Dad who made most of their presents every year and he was, through the years, the proud owner of many a carefully made and well painted wooden toys including a full train set.

He became a bell ringer, a singer in the church choir and a reluctant scout. He partook in bellringing to make himself some money to supplement his shilling a week pocket money...after all what child can live on that when theyve reached double figures in age?! He also quickly cottoned on that you got paid extra for weddings and that it was possible to ring the bells before the service, fly down from the belfry as the bride arrived at the church and run round to the vestry, don his choral vestments and make the back row of the choir before the bride had reached the
chancel steps! He wasnt he pointed out "mercenary", just showing some basic business sense...

From here we discover how he left school aged 15 as, in his head teachers words he "Wasn't going to amount to anything" and went to work at his local councils nurseries. From there he took a year long basic Horticulture course and then went on to be one of the select band to pass through Kew gardens own complete horticultural teachings. At this point Im going to leave describing in depth about whats actually in this book, as the rest, they say, is history!

This whole book is written in Alans own and unique style. Full of cheeky Yorkshire humour you can truly imagine him sat beside you and hear him reading this to you as you turn the pages. Its down to earth and honest as only something written by a true Yorkshireman can be and it has lost nothing by being put into book form.

He states that these are "memoirs" and that this book isnt a biography. He thinks that those latter types of books are only written by more worthy and older people than himself! Having read it I think hes got it right as biographies do tend to be more in-depth and detailed than this is although that doesnt at all detract from him telling his life story so far. Mr Titchmarsh is a very private person so I can quite understand him not wanting to go into incredible levels of detail and besides by not falling for the "every minute has to be told in detail" trap this book has managed to maintain his very own brand of humour.

During his life so far he has met some pretty famous and important people including The Queen, Nelson Mandella and Julia Roberts (twice). Even when describing these events he maintains his wry amusement and is at times almost self-depreciating. I think he still doesnt actually believe that he did indeed manage to get what he wished for at age ten and that he has become as popular as he is. Hes always seemed
to me to be a very "grounded" (no pun intended) person and this book has merely served to reinforce this in my mind.

Oh and dont worry if youre not very green fingered and plant names leave you baffled. That was the only concern I had before picking this up to read; that some parts would be too complicated as whilst I do love gardening all those complex Latin names leave me totally befuddled! This is written in such a way that having any knowledge at all in all things gardening just isnt necessary.

A totally engrossing book, I found it to be a true page-turner and Id finished this in just a few short days. At 314 pages long; broken down into 42 short chapters and interspersed with photographs many of which are from Alan's own family album, it is a must have I would say for anyone who is a fan of Mr Titchmarsh or for anyone whos just interested in the lives of the rich and famous.

ISBN 0 340 76542 9

The price below reflects the cover price for my Hardback copy...

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