A Nipper's Tale is the delightful biography of Alan Rampling who spent most of his working life doing something he loved – gardening. Growing up in 1950s Preston, he left school with no qualifications and no idea of what he wanted to do with his life. One day he walked into the Preston parks department and asked if there were any vacancies, was taken on a six months' trial basis and ended up staying for 52 years. The 'Nipper' was given all the jobs no one else wanted but the author made steady progress, enjoying his job and was blessed with a fine bunch of friends and mentors along the way. A mix of vignettes of his years working as a gardener in the parks and sketches of the characters he meets alongs the way, the book is interspersed with delightful and amusing poems. The author's memories are charming; it seems he has been the luckiest of men – happy childhood, happy working life and two happy marriages. This entertaining book is sure to appeal to anyone seeking inspiration or those who simply enjoy a good read.
