World Book Day is all about promoting reading for pleasure and the power of books. With that in mind we asked our team ‘which book influenced you in your career?’ From science fiction to technical manuals, the answers might have you reaching for a new sort of book you never thought of!

“Many years ago Radio 4 broadcast The Man Who Planted Trees. I listened to it in awe and went out immediately and brought the book. This is a book you can read in less than an hour but can influence you for a lifetime. The story by Jean Giono is a very simple story which works on many levels as the shepherd plants trees over many years interspersed by the horrors of war.”

Andrew Catmur, Director
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“The book ‘The Image of the City’ was on the reading list for my undergraduate course in the 1980s. It is very much about how people interact with their surroundings. Written in 1959 it was way ahead of its time and still very relevant to our present day.”

Adrian Lord, Associate Director
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“I had shortly started my working journey as a trainee cartographer in the mid-90’s when my sister gave me a copy of “Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time”, I had always struggled with patience (or time) to lose myself in fiction but with a scientific educational background, this book massively appealed. It’s a fascinating book covering the history of astronomy, navigation, and discovery which inspired my love of maps, science and travel. A great read that should appeal to a very wide audience.”

Brian Norman, GIS Manager
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“There are lots of books I’ve enjoyed reading and come back to time and again. The most enjoyable are those that about how people have had to dig deep into their inner soul to overcome dangerous or life threatening events, such as Joe Simpson’s “Touching the Void” or Robin Knox-Johnston’s “The Columbus Venture” both of which are true adventures of dealing with adversity, having a sense of self believe, maintaining a positive mind set despite the circumstances has helped me understand what can be achieved. These are the books that have most influenced me and helped me deal with adversity.”

Jerry Muscroft, Director
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“When I was at primary school I ordered a book from the ‘Book Club’. I ordered a design and typography book that came with grid lined practice sheets and techniques to create different types of lettering. I treasured that book and still have it today. I swear it’s what started me on the path to training as a Graphic Designer as in later years I came to realise it contained the perfect cross over between fine art and communications which suited my skillset and career ambitions.”

Julie Cadwallader, Marketing and Graphic Design Manager
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“The Weirdstone of Brisingamen is the story of two children, Colin and Susan, who must rescue the weirdstone jewel from the grasps of a dark spirit Nastrond.  The adventure sees them lost in a labyrinth of mine-shafts and caverns in the old dwarf caves of Fundindelve . I never really realised it at the time, but it definitely gave me an interest in landscapes, rocks and mining perhaps leading me on to what I do today and definitely set the tone for my later taste in books!”

Michelle Lee, Associate Director
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“I have to admit it doesn’t have the most stimulating of titles, but the book that opened the door for me to the transport profession was ‘Operational Urban Models – An Introduction’ by David Foot. As a Geography undergraduate, it taught me how to assess the repercussions of land use changes, including on transport, and gave me some cracking material for use in the interview at which I landed my first transport planning job. Re-reading it now, and given the advances in computing since then, it does seem very dated but I do have a lot to thank the book for!”

Mike Salter, Director
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“When growing up I read science fiction and almost nothing else – Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, Bradbury. One short story of Ray Bradbury’s that’s stayed with me is The Pedestrian, about a man who just goes for a walk around his neighbourhood in the evening and there’s no one else on the streets. The only signs of life he sees are through the windows of the houses where everyone is staring at the flickering light of their TV screens. His behaviour is so aberrant he gets arrested by the Police and is driven away. The end.”

Phil Jones, Chairman
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If you’d like to find out more about PJA and what we do, please find further information here

If you’ve been influenced to think about your career, please find further information on our current available posts and how to apply here