After Dinner Speeches

The Storyteller Supreme

“Inn & Out at the Top” is a laugh-a-minute tour of the quirks and foibles, highs and lows of his time running Britain’s highest inn back in the 1970s and 1980s. Neil’s account of grappling with tight-fisted farmers, eccentric characters, bizarre local customs, naturist weekends, “lates and lock-ins”, police raids, rats in the attic, close encounters with magistrates and planners, and the shooting of a famous double-glazing commercial, is suitable for all audiences.

“The Ghostwriter” (about Neil’s ‘day job’ as a writer of other people’s books for them) gives us privileged glimpses into the hidden worlds of his ghostwriting clients, including some very famous names and some ‘ordinary people achieving extraordinary things’, and also reveals the truth behind one of the most earth-shattering events of our times. It is revelatory and insightful, but also very, very funny.

“Champagne Breakfasts and Flying Pigs: How Not to Have a Career” draws on many more curious characters and tales of high life and low life from Neil’s ramshackle early career, including a one-hit wonder with a surprising use for false teeth, a volatile chef’s unusual technique for tenderising steak, a thespian piglet, a booze up in a brewery, how to flog a dead horse, dodge tribal warfare in a tropical hellhole, survive on a diet of beer and pot noodles and sell oil paintings of sausages for dogs. It’s all strange but true, and very, very funny.

Based: Yorkshire but willing to travel anywhere, home or abroad.

Contact:

T: 07940 917795 E: dalepublishing00@gmail.com

 

Praise for Neil Hanson’s Speeches

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‘My husband laughed so much he was nearly crying!‘
- Society of Municipal Treasurers

We’ve had some good speakers over the years but that was the top of the pile.’
- East Devon Luncheon Club

‘The best - and the best-received - of all the 100 events we’ve put on here.’
- The Pritzker Library, Chicago

‘Superb, amusing and insightful.’
- Yorkshire Countrywomen’s Association

‘Best Speaker’ (vote by audiences)
- Brisbane Festival

‘Very amusing and entertaining. I’ve had some wonderful feedback.’
- Potters Bar U3A

‘I have had nothing but positive responses – you really hit the right note.’
- HMS Drake, Plymouth

‘A wonderful talk.’
- Huntingdon U3A

‘Fantastic, a tremendous evening.’
- Amanda Lydon, New York City

• • ‘A huge hit with our audience.‘
    - Ilminster Festival

    ‘Our members loved your talk and are probably still laughing.’
    - Tarporley U3A

    ‘Thank you so much - your talk was brilliant.’
    - Curator, Museum of London

    ‘A wonderful speaker. Your humour, wit and entertaining ability kept a very diverse audience entranced.’
    - Janet Munro, Soroptimist International

    'Very eloquent and very amusing talk. Everyone has said how much they enjoyed it.'
    - Bramhope WI

    ‘We’ve had some excellent speakers over the years, but you were the very best we’ve ever had.’
    - Rossett and Wakeman Lectures

    ‘The most entertaining speaker we've ever had.’
    - Sittingbourne Probus Club

    ‘The feedback has been tremendous.’
    - Off The Shelf, Sheffield

    ‘A wonderful speech.’
    - Audience member, New Orleans

    ‘Such an entertaining talk. It was polished, professional and greatly appreciated by the audience who were totally involved and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.’
    - Swanland U3A

    ‘A wonderful event. It went down fantastically well.’
    - Rachel Feldberg, Director, Ilkley Festival

    ‘An outstanding speaker – warm, funny, humane.’
    - Stephen Brown, Chairman, Yorkshire Post Literary Luncheons

    ‘The audience loved it, as did we.’
    - Wendy Kent, Director, Knaresborough Festival