Soldier, horticulturalist, entrepreneur, and parliamentarian Lord George Norrie, the second Baron Norrie of Wellington New Zealand, has written a frank and detailed memoir in which he argues that the choices you make in life can rarely be considered as 'mistakes'. They are, rather, as James Joyce wrote, 'portals of discovery'; gateways into new worlds with different horizons where there is a chance to learn more.With some self-deprecating humour and an eye for contemporary detail, Lord Norrie shares his experiences of loss and achievement in a story that takes us on a journey from wartime Gloucestershire to South Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, but most importantly to the goal of self-understanding. George's parliamentary career was abruptly cut short when the number of sitting hereditary peers was reduced, but he shows how, in the end, he came to view that as an opportunity for exploration and new understanding.This book encourages anyone faced in the course of their lives with doubts and misgivings about the decisions they make, and the errors they commit, to see them as a bridge between inexperience and wisdom. As an active champion of the natural world who helped to make government legislation more environmentally friendly, Lord Norrie was given the House of Lords 1993 Green Ribbon Political Award, in recognition of his contribution to environmental protection through political activity at Westminster.
