To Serve Them All My Days

by R.F. Delderfield

Book Overview

Invoking a vivid panorama of English life & history, To Serve Them All My Days assures the author a secure place in British literature. Young David Powlett-Jones, a Welsh miner's son, invalid home from France in 1918, tries his hand at teaching in Devon. Twenty-five years later he's headmaster hiring a jittery young man invalid out of World War II. Between these two wars P.J., as he is affectionately known, has two wives, twin daughters, a son & his...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671213717
• ISBN13: 9780671213718
• Release Date: September 1972
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 638 Pages
• Weight: 1.52 lbs.

Customer Reviews

One Of The Best Authors I've Ever Read

A Masterpiece of compassion, love, laughter and wisdom clothed in story form, as are virtually all of the greatest works this dedicated reader has ever run across. GET THIS. READ THIS. SHARE THIS!

Story about Teachers

Goodness I love this book, story about traumatized soldier coming back from first world war and finding his calling as a Teacher in the boarding school. A lot of teachers in this book are teachers with capital T and while it may seem a bit idealized teachers who love the kids that much do exist in real life thankfully :) I adored so many characters - David's first headmaster, his daughter, many of his students. I highly recommend this book to anybody.

Beautiful

I love this book. It has been quite a long time since I've read a book with such depth and realistic characters. The people in this book ARE REAL. I am having trouble putting into words how much I loved this book. It made me laugh and cry, and I was very depressed when I had finished it. If you like Dickens, I think you will enjoy this author's style.The mini-series is now out on DVD. I will be getting it soon, and it is hard for me to think about much else. I can't wait to see it; eleven hours! Excellent.

An inspiring story of the life of a devoted educator.

While reading this book, I found myself engulfed in the life of the lead character. I was able to connect with his life on many levels. Thus it was easy to understand the development of his relationship to his profession. The title is inspiring in itself. 'To Serve Them All My Days" is a profound posture to take as an educator. It implies that one will put the best interests of their pupils at the forefront of their decision making process. This is a must read not only for educators, but for parents, law enforcement, politicians , etc.. Any 'people oriented' professionals should read this novel. I am reading this book before the start of every school year!

You'll find Delderfield a delight!

I've read most of Delderfield's fictional work and he's definitely in my Top 10. His characters are varied and richly presented, his understanding of the human condition profound, and his stories wonderful adventures in the human struggle to find truth, meaning and happiness. To Serve Them All My Days is the story of one man's struggle to face the seeming insensibilities of human tragedy (beginning with his experiences in the trenches of WWI) and finding humanity, understanding and, ultimately, salvation of the human spirit. Part of the joy in reading it is seeing the maturing of a man and the evolution of his thinking, from youth to late middle age, as he meets and overcomes hardships, prejudice, and even class struggle. Written before the age of PC, it is a story that rings true to the universal principles of surmounting life's difficulties. The truly rewarding life comes not in avoiding adversity but in overcoming it. This book is a treasure!

Wonderful reading!

I have read this book more times than I care to remember and enjoy it again, every time. Delderfield draws you in to the characters' lives until you begin to care a great deal about what happens to them. I hate to finish it every time!