The contemporary history real life stories of men at work in careers in engineering chemistry and industry are often pushed to the sidelines in favour of those of minor celebrities whose influence on this world is likely to be fleeting. Until now. The autobiography of David Hemsley, told with class and verve, tells of his life in the UK engineering sector, and the contemporary history of Britain that he helped create. From humble beginnings in Yorkshire and then Kingston-upon-Thames, David grew up with interests in a wide range of subjects, but found chemistry and engineering particularly rewarding, thanks to the influence of his father. Through an invigorating and mobile career with some of the biggest industrial companies in the contemporary history of Britain, his autobiography takes us into the real life stories of men at work for the future of life in the UK, without whom many modern innovations in agricultural chemicals and industry would not have been possible.