Recounts the writer's international experiences, often connecting them to issues and events that touch on us all. The chapters are organised in themes - early identity, West Africa as a colonial servant concerned with produce like cocoa, palm oil, rubber and groundnuts for export - travels as an international businessman servicing the sugar industry - language and communication from the shredding of the English language by its American version, the disappearance of Scots in spoken interactions to problems in cross-cultural situations. Links these to an eclectic collection of studies from the...

This memoir positions the writer's responsibilities for produce for export by the Nigerian Marketing Boards in its historical context. His work took in experiences, places and events that breathed life into history. He illustrates the social scene and the rituals symbolising attitudes and values of the locals and expatriates alike in a series of fascinating vignettes and performs a similar function in relation to his work. An Interesting, amusing and insightful book.

In turn amusing and serious, this book looks backwards to things and ways of thinking and doing that are interesting in themselves but also illuminate the present. There is too a recurring element of present day use or abuse of the English language that will strike a chord with many. A glossary is provided to explain Scots words and expressions which enrich the text. A unique feature is the invitation to readers to contribute ideas for another similar publication.