If a collage is a collection of images, united to form an aesthetically pleasing whole; then this book is the verbal equivalent – a collection of its author’s stories, observations and memories, gathered over the course of an international career, a family-life lived in over a dozen countries, and encounters and friendships with many thousands of people. Although the subjects and styles of these anecdotes are varied, as a whole, they form a fascinating picture of a truly Renaissance man; whose career has encompassed banking, oil, and writing; and whose interests include art, literature, sport, gastronomy, history, travel, and the study of human nature.

The author’s experiences are laid out for all to share in this comprehensive compendium, in which, with such variety on offer, there is surely something to appeal to every reader. The stories are, moreover, helpfully grouped by category. If you are interested in money, see the How to Make a Million series. If you prefer love to money, then turn to tales of Wooing. If you want to know more about the world, see the Travel stories; or if your interest is more in the world’s inhabitants, then see the Character Profiles.