During his varied career, Sir John Nott has encountered numerous interesting people and his latest book, Memorable Encounters, is a collection of lnreractions with and stories about a selection of twenty personalities spanning his distinguished career and life. It is through his musings of these people that Sir John Nott provides an insight very few people experience into some of the biggest events in our country's history. He served as a Second Lieutenant in the Army post-WWII, served in parliament under Britain's first female Prime Minister, and was Defence Secretary during the Falklands War.

The memoirs include a series of household names with leading politicians who he met in his 17 years as an MP such as Margaret Thatcher, under whom he sat as Trade Secretary and Defence Secretary during her first government, Enoch Powell and Lord Tebbit. The Old Bradfieldian even saves a chapter for Nigel Farage as he gives his views on the history unfolding in politics today. It is not just political heavyweights as other well-known characters given chapters include Ted Hughes, the Poet Laureate, and Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal.

While all these chapters provide a unique insight into the lives of such distinguished individuals during his admirable political career, what makes the book such a fascinating read are the chapters written about the unknown characters. In a recent appearance on Iain Dale's Book Club on LBC, the former politician and businessman said, "What I really enjoyed was writing about the unknown people. Writing about the local farmer, the local journalist and a Gurkha soldier." These include a "remarkable headmaster" (Douglas Shilcock, Prep school headmaster) from his early education. He has previously shared that his experiences at school "equipped me well to face the first few weeks as a National Serviceman in the Army."

John also provides a salute to a notable individual who has devoted all his life to his occupation and who has been successful in rapidly changing times", (Billy Collins, neighbouring Cornish farmer), and a Gurkha soldier who was "the best of a young enthusiastic team battling
Communist terrorists who were trying to free Malaya from colonial Britain", (Humhahadur Thapa).

Throughout each chapter he rarely steers away from praise as he reflects on their contributions to his own life and career as well as on the wider world. One chapter does stray the other side of the line however; that is on the broadcaster Sir Robin Day, whose interview Sir Nott famously walked out on. "I set out with the intention of praising all my chosen victims, but I have had some difficulty with Robin Day. ln my introduction I stated that what united all the personalities in this book was their evident integrity. I have to look again at that claim for l am not sure that it is an entirely accurate description of Robin Day."

Of course a significant number of pages are written by and about his wife Miloska, to whom he dedicates the book and states, quite rightly, that her story is wonhy of a work of its own. Her backstory, as narrated by herself, is incredibly moving and her first meeting with the author himself is a joyous tale.

Memorable Encounters is published by Pen & Sword.