Pig farmer turned English teacher, head teacher turned writer

dunno

Jon is 15 and life is hard. Money is tight and Jon is trapped in a hopeless, miserable existence.

 

Charles Kimpton Publishers

Sep 2004. £6.

ISBN 0954761405.

Why I wrote dunno

 

 

My inspiration for dunno came from the stories of two boys I encountered during my teaching career.

 

The mother of the first, a twelve year-old, came into school because of his anti-social behaviour and explained how his father had left, promising to visit him once a fortnight. Two weeks later the father had rung to say that it would be another fortnight before he would be able to visit. These fortnightly calls continued for eighteen months. Each time the boy put down the phone he sat on his mother’s lap and cried his heart out; at school he had become a bully.

 

 

The second boy had been asked by his house-master whether his father, a footballer with an international reputation, was ever going to pay a weekend visit. His reply was to the effect that his father, who did have a reputation as a womaniser, spent all his time making brothers and sisters for him. He too became violent towards other students and was expelled.

 

 

And yet, each of these boys grew up to be decent young men. Somewhere, somebody helped them on their way. The first saw out his time in school successfully and the second returned to support his new school’s rugby team and, I’m pleased to say, greeted me like a long-lost friend.

 

 

Much later, talking to a class in a school in Kent, I was confronted by five girls who wanted me to realise what life could be like for girls in a house without a dad. They made me very aware of lots of important things, mothers too wary to let them out with boys, never seeing mum with a man who cared for and respected her, not knowing how to go on with their friends’ brothers, not having any sort of rule of thumb by which to judge boys’ conduct towards them.  

 

Thanks girls

REVIEWS

Fluent, engaging writing for adults and teenagers alike.                  

Sunday Express

 

That's what makes this an interesting novel. Jon is lost, but so are the adults -- those who'd like to help him and those who couldn't care less. It's an all too-common story, no matter what side of the big pond you are on.

 

Young Adult Books Central, US

 

Ambitious and compassionate.

 

Books for Keeps

 

Very, very moving.  I wanted my teenage sons to read it.

 

Sue Wardell, SilverDell Bookshop, Kirkham, Lancs -  Independent Bookseller of the Year

 

dunno....a useful word in the life of fifteen year old Jon, helping him to escape the relentless and useless questioning of adults.

 

Peter Inson’s book is an intense insight into how difficult teenage life can become. A great read for both teenagers and adults.

 

Perth Life  

 

I  came across this book completely by chance, and I am so glad I did. In fact I am putting a copy into the Retiring Rooms at both the Youth court and Family Court where I sit as I think all magistrates who deal with young people would benefit from reading it.  

 

Never patronising; the author doesn’t offer any hard and fast answers to Jon’s problems, just possibilities.  The first novel I have come across which exposes the lives of those who live well below our radar, the underbelly of our society. A teenage book for adults, and an adult book for teenagers, it may open your eyes.

Herschelian - Magistrate’s Blog

 

I read "dunno" which was not only sold in the English book shops in Zurich, BUT in the little bookshops in St Andrews as well!  I really enjoyed it!  It was a real page turner and it was very exciting thinking that, not only do I KNOW the author, but he was my English teacher!

 

Katya Okun.  Rosey graduate 2002.

Greatly convincing, as far from patronising as possible.  A worthwhile read.  

 

Edward Malnick (age 15) Independent on Sunday

 

A cool book.  This should get your teens reading.

Woman

                                                                       

15-year-old Jon struggles to find something worthwhile in his life.  He is from a single parent family and hates school.  Peter Inson used to be the headmaster of a comprehensive school in West London. He knows his stuff.

 

Anne Fairhall, National Association of Teachers of English

 

Kids can rely on “dunno” to provide a realistic account of childhood with language that they use and understand.

 

Peter Kennedy  Willesden and Brent Times

 

As a magistrate who sits in the Adult Criminal Courts and the Family Proceedings Courts, I found this book extremely interesting and useful. Looking at the home situation, minor criminality and truancy from the point of view of the child was invaluable.  

 

Claire Scargill JP NE Essex and Essex Family Panel

 

At the outset I would say that this book gripped me after the first few chapters and I finished it in three hours.

 

Thank goodness that Jon meets someone who shows him there is a life other than crime!

 

Youth court justices, who hopefully might understand the situations Jon gets himself into, should read this book. Indeed, I recommend it to all my fellow magistrates.

 

Dr. Brian Denton JP. Magistrate October 2008

 

I'm glad dunno seems to be going so well. I finished it over the summer and was truly impressed. I enjoyed the story-line and the characters. I passed it on to Dave  who also thought it was great. I don't think he could quite believe it was a first novel of someone he knew!

 

Jenny Rowe Institute du Rosey, Switzerland

 

 

 

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