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  • The Heart of the Dales

  • By: Gervase Phinn
  • Narrated by: Gevase Phinn
  • Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (108 ratings)
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The Heart of the Dales cover art

The Heart of the Dales

By: Gervase Phinn
Narrated by: Gevase Phinn
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Summary

Gervase Phinn’s colourful characters have now become firm favourites – the mostly mad staff at County Hall and the children themselves, who find ways of embarrassing the school inspectors with innocent ease. We reconvene with Christine Bentley, head teacher of Winnery Nook School and now Gervase’s wife and mother of their son; the well-named Mrs Savage and not forgetting the Queen of the Clean – Connie. Phinn’s latest instalment to the Dale Series is heartwarming, wry and delightful.

©2007 Gervase Phinn (P)2007 Isis Publishing Ltd

What listeners say about The Heart of the Dales

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

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

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

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

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Great listen

This is a very humorous and heartwarming listen. I can't wait to listen to more from Gervais .

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

enjoyable

no better way of reading a book and driving

safely a joy from journeys beginning to end.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

dales story, brilliant

lived it, listen on way and back from work, and is an easy listen that makes you smile and sometimes laugh out loud.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

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

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Life at its best

Fantastic book the younger generation are amazing and so is the writing of Gervasa Phinn

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Not funny or nice

If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

No one I know

Has The Heart of the Dales put you off other books in this genre?

Yes

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Heart of the Dales?

All the negative criticism of people and character assassination.

Any additional comments?

Very disappointed with this book. Very little about the children and the funny things they say and do. Most of the book is filled with very derogatory descriptions of people he met through his work. Mr Phinn says in the book that it is wrong to bully children. Well it is very wrong to criticise and describe people's appearance and personality traits in such a rude and aggressive way. One lady, he performs a complete character assassination on. That is not clever, nor is it funny. And is a shocking example to children.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Heart of the Dales

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

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

not great

bit boring compared to last one I heard , expected better from this author

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