Boy in a China Shop: Life, Clay and Everything Keith Brymer Jones

Description: 
‘During downtime on the pottery throwdown Keith made my hair curl with some of his tales – he’s a great raconteur and recounts his story in this book as he does in real life – with joy, charm & mischief.’ – Sara Cox

Ballet dancer. Front man in an almost famous band. Judge on The Great Pottery Throwdown. How did all that happen?

By accident mostly. But I always say we make our own luck. What if an art teacher hadn’t given me a lump of clay? What if the band had been really successful? What if I hadn’t taken a photograph of a bowl to the buyer at Heals in London? What if she’d hated it? Or hadn’t seen it… What if I hadn’t agreed to dress up as Adele to make a crazy YouTube video? 

Every chapter of my book is based around an object (usually a pot) that’s been significant in my life. It’s just at trigger to let me go off in a lot of different directions and tell a few stories. A lot of stories. Dyslexia. The art teacher who changed my life. My Mother. My Father. A life-changing job interview with a man who lay under his car throughout. That video.

Sifting through half-forgotten memories, trying to pick out the golden nuggets from the stuff that is definitely dross has been a curious, and at times hilarious, sometimes sad, but definitely enlightening process. So here it is – my pottery life with some very loud music and some pretty good dancing. And a lot of throwing, fettling and firing. 

Oh …and a good dose of anxiety.
https://www.waterstones.com/book/boy-in-a-china-shop/keith-brymer-jones/9781529385229

Review
This fascinating book grabs your attention from the very first page as Keith talks through the memorable moments in his life. From hour by hour descriptions of some of his early days in work, to surprising and outrageous experiences in a band; plus graphic descriptions of the situations he found himself in and the eccentric people he met along the way, every chapter takes the reader in a different direction.

He also shares fascinating facts about clay and ceramics and we discover more about his career and the stages that led up to him being asked to be a judge on The Great Pottery Throwdown and that video! 

This book is like an intimate conversation with the man who has charmed the nation during The Great British Pottery Throwdown. It really is a wonderful exploration of Life, Clay and Everything! Highly Recommended! 

Boy in a China Shop: Life, Clay and Everything by Keith Brymer Jones is published by Hodder & Stoughton