Portals of Discovery

George Norrie has led a very interesting and full life as a soldier, horticulturalist, entrepreneur and parliamentarian specialising in environmental issues prior to just missing out on being one of the 90 elected peers to remain in the Lords. His environmental work in the House accounts for the foreword by Sir Chris Bonington and the preface by Dame Fiona Reynolds. He gives an interesting insight into procedures in the Upper House, with a spice of amusing and sometimes - for him - embarrassing anecdotes. His father had been a distinguished soldier and subsequently Governor General of South Australia then New Zealand, and George writes very informatively about this life and the remarkable qualities of his father - big boots to fill, as he remarks. Leaving the Lords was a terrific wrench and one comes to appreciate through George the amount of dedicated work done by many hereditary peers. Since then, he has had his fair share of life challenges, but also found a new life and orientation with his wife Annie, not only in restoring a derelict farmhouse near Dumfries but also making more time for spiritual contemplation.