Author:Peter Gethers
Peter was a confirmed loner and cat hater, until he was given a small, grey (and impeccably handsome) kitten with folded ears by his then girlfriend. The girlfriend went but Norton stayed - in fact, he and Peter became inseparable.
Trotting along beside him down the street, having his own chair in restaurants or sitting on Peter's lap on plane journeys, Norton made his presence felt and Peter was a loner no more. But, after learning how to love his cat, would Peter now learn how to love another human too?
Peter Gethers' trio of books about the globe-trotting Norton are witty and warm. We not only learn of Norton's sweet personality but also about the author's feelings about what really matters when it comes to love and cats
—— Vicki Myron, author of DEWEYA charming and heartening account
—— Kirkus ReviewsNorton is clearly a charmer, and Gethers tells his story with contagious affection....Will warm the heart of any confirmed cat-lover
—— Washington Post Book WorldA delight. Norton, the cat, brings Gethers to some of life's great lessons ... He teaches Gethers the value of real commitments and the value of love
—— Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie Brown , Los Angeles Times Book ReviewAn entertaining romp that leaves no doubt that Mr Gethers and his cat have a most remarkable relationship
—— New York Times Book Review[Pearce] makes a strong case that the well-meaning Joe Publics of the world really do need someone to tell it like it is, in language they can understand and with the vital statistics intelligible to all. Essential reading.
—— New AgriculturistWe have got to find a way to shift to a slow-travel culture. Our very survival as a species could well hinge on it. I very much hope this important book helps to awaken people, and make them want to join the debate.
—— Jeremy LeggettDazzling. There is nothing else quite like it and yet it addresses such an important aspect of our lives today.
—— Chris Stewart, author of DRIVING OVER LEMONSTimely and well-researched . . . this book makes for uncomfortable, yet necessary, reading for anyone who enjoys travel.
—— Sunday TelegraphAn elegantly written, well-researched, investigative travelogue that provides a valuable eye-witness account of the way holidays can impact - positively and negatively - on their destinations: environmentally, socially and economically . . . it arms the reader with a greater understanding of how to make more informed choices about where and how to holiday.
—— Richard Hammond , ResurgenceDespite the polemic, there is plenty of interest here, not least in [the book's] accessible description of how the travel industry works and the structures in place around the globe . . . Hickman acknowledges the increasing acceptance of environmental standards . . . But the argument he presents is a stark one - travel is damaging the world, and if we don't act soon, it may be too late. Sobering stuff.
—— Travel WeeklyA major new exposé . . . This is not yet another doomsday read about the perils of flying, or debating the pros and cons of carbon off-setting, it's an honest account of the huge impact we have on the destinations we frequent . . . Rather than throwing reams of statistics at us, Hickman paints a more graphic picture of the impact our travelling makes by telling the story through the eyes of locals he meets on his way round the globe. His discoveries of what lies behind the glossy veneer of a resort hotel make for sober reading.
—— ScotsmanA fascinating and harrowing read. I doubt anyone has spelt out the inherent dangers of tourism so clearly before. The publication of this could well prove to be a 'tipping point'.
—— Jason Webster, author of GUERRALeo Hickman's enthralling book should be read by politicians, students and, most of all, by every would-be tourist.
—— Tahir Shah, author of THE CALIPH'S HOUSEThis is a really excellent critique of the travel industry . . . If you are interested in the tourist industry this book is highly recommended, being easy to read, while being very thorough and searching in the questions it asks.
—— Fiona Archer , www.ecozine.co.ukExcellent and thoroughly compelling . . . The Final Call deserves to be read by those of us lucky enough to be able to fly on a regular basis . . . Hickman's book is a sobering, thoughtful and intelligent reminder that it is a privilege we need to be forcefully reminded not to take for granted.
—— Irish TimesThoughtful and thought-provoking.
—— Mick Herron , GEOGRAPHICAL magazineWell written and engaging without being too gloomy and prescriptive, this book makes for uncomfortable, yet necessary, reading for anyone who enjoys travel.
—— TelegraphThis much appreciated book should be a must-read for everyone who likes to travel, and should be translated into the languages of the world's tourism champions. It should also be a must-read for politicians and decision makers in development agencies to finally understand that tourism has lost the 'virginity' of a harmless leisure sector to develop into a dangerous global driving force which needs to be regulated and restricted.
—— Contours magazine