- Hardcover: 352 pages
- Publisher: W&N; illustrated edition edition (19 Sep 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0297848429
- ISBN-13: 978-0297848424
- Product Dimensions: 24.8 x 16.2 x 4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 347,863 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Review
'highly readable ... his experiences are recounted with passion, insight, candour and, where appropriate, humour.' (Peter Taylor DAILY MAIL )
'his energy and ambition shine through every page' (Roger Graef THE SUNDAY TIMES )
'his highly readable autobiography.' (Dick Kirby THE DAILY EXPRESS )
'an engaging and absorbing book.' (Alasdair Palmer SUNDAY TELEGRAPH )
'This book is a lucid and easily read account of a career that has been a series of challenges, a mix of the tough, long-hours regime of a dedicated professional, interspersed with tours of duty as a staff officer and a student at Leicester University.' (Sir Keith Povey POLICE REVIEW )
'his energy and ambition shine through every page' (Roger Graef THE SUNDAY TIMES )
'his highly readable autobiography.' (Dick Kirby THE DAILY EXPRESS )
'an engaging and absorbing book.' (Alasdair Palmer SUNDAY TELEGRAPH )
'This book is a lucid and easily read account of a career that has been a series of challenges, a mix of the tough, long-hours regime of a dedicated professional, interspersed with tours of duty as a staff officer and a student at Leicester University.' (Sir Keith Povey POLICE REVIEW )
Roger Graef, THE SUNDAY TIMES
'his energy and ambition shine through every page'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
'Not for the Faint-Hearted' should be mandatory reading for all senior police officers in the United Kingdom in the hope that some of John Stevens' leadership skills and detective ability might rub off on them. It would be a forlorn hope.
When Stevens retired as commissioner for the Metropolitan Police after 40 years police service he left a rudderless ship behind. No other commissioner has come even close to his ability. Can you imagine any senior officer walking into a bar in Ulster and telling ten of the provinces worst terrorists to "bugger off"? Stevens did.
Commended on no less than twenty-seven occasions for bravery and detective-work, Stevens has been showered with awards, was knighted and is now a Peer. This extremely well-written book describes in stunning style his meteoric success and how he dragged up an angry, resentful and, due to the MacPherson Report, thoroughly demoralised Metropolitan Police by their bootstraps, to regain their self-respect.
I began by suggesting that police chiefs should read this book, but they won't; the majority are too busy simperingly championing the causes of minority groups, in the hope of advancement and inclusion in the Honours List, instead of protecting the public at large. But young men and women in police forces all over the UK should read it and profit by it; it's the way coppering should be done and, given the right leadership, could be done again.
The best autobiographical true crime book I've read in a long time - and highly recommended.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is a fascinating read and gives an insight to the workings of the policeforce and the man leading the Met. But Oh dear the standard of English was terrible. I believe it was ghost written. Perhaps Sir John would have been better tackling it himself. I found myself counting the number of times "I myself" occurred! Despite this it is still worth reading.
12 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
It is a shame that there are not more books of this calibre. My interest only started due to living in a force area of which he was Chief Constable (Northumbria). Interesting, informative and could not put it down - no housework done that weekend!.
Shows the man behind the uniform. Shame he has now retired. When he left the force we lost a great copper.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
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product excellent
contents show how wonderful our police are, truly
the guy does not just deserve a medal but deserves a medal named after him
so i award... Read more
contents show how wonderful our police are, truly
the guy does not just deserve a medal but deserves a medal named after him
so i award... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mr. Robert Weeks
Old school bobby
As a Former Police officer myself I knew the places and teaching establishments John Stevens was writing about and actually met the man myself when he came to Suffolk HQ. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mr. Colin A. Jacobs
Allo Goodbye!
This is a fairly readable account of this officer's irresistible rise in the police, having failed to become a pilot. Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2009 by Ian Millard
Not for the faint hearted or not for the fair minded ?
An easy and at times humorous read, which reveals London’s ex-police chief as a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde character. Read more
Published on 30 Dec 2005
Talk about hypocrisy!
This is the same John Stevens who, following the publication of "Diana: Closely Guarded Secret" by Royal bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, provoked suggestion of seizing the ex-officers book... Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2005
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