Overview

Written with humour and insight, this informal memoir is a delightful celebration of the passions that have driven Simon Brown's life. Whether recalling incidents from his early years as a barrister (courageously breaking away from the family business) or as Treasury Devil, or during the later stages of his legal career (ending as a Justice of the Supreme Court) - or whether talking about his family, telling us his golfing tales, or describing his enjoyment of the Garrick and his many travels around the world - he exudes a zest and delight in what he does and an affection for those he works with and meets that is a deeply endearing characteristic. Friendship is a constant theme, the pleasure he takes in other people. It is this extraordinary energy and enthusiasm for life that defines Simon Brown and lends this memoir its huge attraction.

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9781527254268

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Reviews

'This memoir features no dazzling and imaginative changes of course, ' writes Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood, 'no dire challenges confronted and overcome.' But you don't become the government's top lawyer and join the UK's top court without considerable reserves of wisdom and determination. Though Simon Brown professes to be stringing together just a few reminiscences, he takes us back to an almost-forgotten world where moral courage was in short supply, where judges wore dinner jackets at home and where the Secret Intelligence Service could take its judicial commissioner to places that few others would see. - Joshua Rozenberg An entertaining account of a life in the front ranks of the law. It has the characteristics of its author: wise, self-deprecating and very good-humoured. - David Pannick Simon Brown has written with a light touch a humorous account of his career journey (including the occasional golfing life lesson) from the foothills of the English legal system to its highest summit. All the big legal names of his generation join him at various stages; but this is more than a pleasing memoir. It describes a highly structured life of service, integrity, fairness, intellectual rigour and lack of prejudice; and implicitly questions whether our fast-changing society will continue to value his like, the which will always be needed to sit in disinterested judgement. - Richard Dearlove A delightful glimpse into a rich and distinguished life. - Eliza Manningham-Buller Simon Brown was recognized by his peers as the pre-eminent specialist in judicial review - the liveliest area of modern judge-made law. Now retired from the Supreme Court, he has produced a memoir of characteristic modesty which reveals not only the lawyer but the man himself in a sequence of anecdotes and reflections and stories as entertaining as they are enlightening. - Michael J. Beloff QC A great storyteller with many great stories to tell after a long and interesting life in the law ... a terrific achievement. - Rosie Boycott

Rarely has a legal autobiography revealed such a charming and self-deprecating character ... Bristles with anecdote, good humour and vividly drawn vignettes of the gallimaufry of legal personalities he encountered. - Thomas Grant, The Times 'This memoir features no dazzling and imaginative changes of course, ' writes Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood, 'no dire challenges confronted and overcome.' But you don't become the government's top lawyer and join the UK's top court without considerable reserves of wisdom and determination. Though Simon Brown professes to be stringing together just a few reminiscences, he takes us back to an almost-forgotten world where moral courage was in short supply, where judges wore dinner jackets at home and where the Secret Intelligence Service could take its judicial commissioner to places that few others would see. - Joshua Rozenberg An entertaining account of a life in the front ranks of the law. It has the characteristics of its author: wise, self-deprecating and very good-humoured. - David Pannick Simon Brown has written with a light touch a humorous account of his career journey (including the occasional golfing life lesson) from the foothills of the English legal system to its highest summit. All the big legal names of his generation join him at various stages; but this is more than a pleasing memoir. It describes a highly structured life of service, integrity, fairness, intellectual rigour and lack of prejudice; and implicitly questions whether our fast-changing society will continue to value his like, the which will always be needed to sit in disinterested judgement. - Richard Dearlove A delightful glimpse into a rich and distinguished life. - Eliza Manningham-Buller Simon Brown was recognized by his peers as the pre-eminent specialist in judicial review - the liveliest area of modern judge-made law. Now retired from the Supreme Court, he has produced a memoir of characteristic modesty which reveals not only the lawyer but the man himself in a sequence of anecdotes and reflections and stories as entertaining as they are enlightening. - Michael J. Beloff QC A great storyteller with many great stories to tell after a long and interesting life in the law ... a terrific achievement. - Rosie Boycott

Author Information

Simon Brown (Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood) studied History at Worcester College, Oxford before switching to Law in his second year and being called to the Bar in 1961. Following a distinguished career on the Bench (perhaps less so on the golf course!), he now sits in the House of Lords as a working crossbench peer. A prolific author over many years - although hitherto published almost exclusively in the Law Reports and Hansard - now, for the first time, Simon Brown writes for a wider readership.

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