Now aged 92, Derek Marriott is a proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather who looks back on his achievements with great pride. Starting from humble beginnings, Marriott quickly rose from a below-average schoolboy to a well-above-average student who quickly became a lecturer himself.

In A Life of Learning, Craft and Graft, Marriott recounts the greatest joys and hardships of his life of hard work and service. As an auxiliary officer of the fire service, he assisted the people of East Devon before setting out on his own, which led to the pain of liquidation but also the joy of starting anew. At Sandy Bay, he built a business that drew his family together and provided a great living, allowing him to give back to his community through the Scout movement. Marriott hopes that readers of his book will learn to look ahead with optimism and back with pride in everything they do.