Part memoir, part oral history, this book brings together deep institutional knowledge with personal anecdotes, humour, and a fierce belief in the role of good information in building a fair society.
From a South Dunedin schoolboy with a sharp tongue and a love of apple pie, to the head of the UK’s Office for National Statistics, Len Cook’s story is anything but ordinary.
Told with wit, humility and keen social insight, South Dunedin to Whitehall traces a life shaped by family, politics, and a belief in public service. From jungle gyms and school strap punishments to Royal Commissions, international “dustups”, and a CBE, this memoir offers a rich portrait of New Zealand life across generations — and a front-row seat to public life on both sides of the world.
Funny, reflective and sharply observed, Len’s story is a celebration of workingclass roots, statistical curiosity, and the power of speaking up — even when it gets you the cane.
ISBN: 9781067051983
Publication date: 10/11/2025
Price: $35.00
RRP: $35.00
Format: Trade Paperback
Available stock: 2
Publishing status: Active
Author: Hill, Les
Imprint: Mary Egan
