For Starters: The Memoirs of Peter Parker

This autobiography of Sir Peter Parker gives the full story of his time as Chairman of British Rail, from the political debacle of his refused 1967 appointment, to cliff-hanging nights in his fight with penny-pinching governments and intransigent unions to win a more efficient but socially committed railway service. His broad experience gave him a unique insight into the problems of British industry and its relationship with society. He is passionate about William Blake, shrewd about Mrs Thatcher and privatization and eloquent in his belief that management ought to be taken seriously but also ought to be good fun. He also writes about the National Theatre, founding the Booker Prize and the Barons of Industry.