"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
Water Rat to Mole, The Wind in the Willows, 1908, by Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932) Click the picture to view his wikipedia page-
Born in Scotland, Grahame was raised by his grandmother in rural Berkshire. Although he began writing in his 20’s, his main career was with the Bank of England in which he rose to the rank of Managing Secretary. He retired from the Bank at the age of 49, and the same year published his masterwork featuring Rat, Mole, Badger, and the infamous Mr. Toad, for which he received the Lewis Carroll Award. It is a classic of children’s literature that has been reprinted dozens of times and can be seen as a play, heard as a recorded book, or listened to as a radio play. This is one of the great books to read aloud with a young person in your life.
Good Morning Gloucester 