An Ordinary Man

From Chew Valley to corporate boardrooms — the quietly extraordinary life of a Somerset boy. In *An Ordinary Man*, Michael Boyd reflects on his idyllic 1950s childhood in a Somerset village — fishing, bird-nesting, and exploring the marshes of Chew Valley Lake — before charting his unexpected rise through the stormy world of industrial relations at brewing giant Courage. What begins as a modest countryside memoir becomes a tale of sharp negotiation, career ambition, and personal reinvention. Told with warmth, humour, and humility, this book is for readers who enjoy *This Boy* by Alan Johnson or *Toast* by Nigel Slater. A nostalgic, heartfelt journey through a life that was anything but ordinary.