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Craig Briggs

Goodreads Author

Born

in Huddersfield, The United Kingdom

Website

http://www.journeytoadream.co.uk

Genre

Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel

Member Since

August 2013

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/craigspain

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If life deals you a bad hand, don’t fold, take a chance; a good player will always come out on top.

Craig Briggs was born on the 12th of July 1962, in St. Luke’s Hospital, Huddersfield, the second child, and only son, of Donald and Glenys Briggs. The birth of their daughter had been a joy. The arrival of Craig would make the family complete. Unfortunately, Craig was not a ‘normal’ lad; he’d been born with congenital feet deformities.
Unaware of his disability, Craig got on with life as any infant would. His first birthday brought a gift that would change his life forever. A marvel of modern engineering, manufactured by J.E. Hanger and Co. of London for and on behalf of the National Health Service. Bespoke footwear gave him what the Vespa had If life deals you a bad hand, don’t fold, take a chance; a good player will always come out on top.

Craig Briggs was born on the 12th of July 1962, in St. Luke’s Hospital, Huddersfield, the second child, and only son, of Donald and Glenys Briggs. The birth of their daughter had been a joy. The arrival of Craig would make the family complete. Unfortunately, Craig was not a ‘normal’ lad; he’d been born with congenital feet deformities.
Unaware of his disability, Craig got on with life as any infant would. His first birthday brought a gift that would change his life forever. A marvel of modern engineering, manufactured by J.E. Hanger and Co. of London for and on behalf of the National Health Service. Bespoke footwear gave him what the Vespa had given the youth of the fifties: freedom and independence. They weren’t quite as stylish as an Italian built scooter but he didn’t care. From now on, Master Briggs was on the move and no one would hold him back.
Over the next five years a series of surgical procedures changed the way he moved. When the time came, his mum walked him to school like any other proud parent and his dad gave him his first and only piece of worldly advice. ‘If anyone hits you, hit ’em back.’
With one exception, his mind proved sharper than his boxing prowess. Academia was not really his thing; he found it difficult to concentrate on anything that didn’t interest him.
In May 1980 he left college and entered the employment market. Margaret Thatcher was busy dismantling British industry and unemployment was running at a post-war high. He signed on to receive unemployment benefit and spent the summer lounging around the house watching the Wimbledon Tennis Championship on telly. As the tournament drew to a close, parental pressure to find work intensified. In September, during one of his many visits to the Job Centre, a job card caught his eye: ‘Wanted: trainee retail managers’.
Five hundred and sixty applicants chased six positions. He pleaded his case at an interview and ended up being selected. After a two-week training course in the seaside town of Southport, he passed with honours, achieving the rank of assistant manager. When asked where he’d like to ply his newfound retail skills, he chose London, a city paved with gold.
In October 1980, he left Huddersfield a naive child, and returned three and a half years later a wiser and more mature young man. A brief period of letting his hair down followed, catching up on lost time and lost youth. During these wild and hedonistic months, he met the love of his life and future wife, Melanie.
His career in retail spanned six and a half years with five different companies but to realise his dream he would have to go it alone. Not long after his twenty-sixth birthday, he handed in his notice. His future lay in leather jackets. Unfortunately, no one shared this vision and his aspirations fell at the first hurdle.
The prospect of returning to the retail trade pushed him into pursuing a different path. He reached a compromise and worked as a self-employed agent for one of the nation’s largest insurance companies. The job title, Financial Consultant, exaggerated the role. In reality he was nothing more than a desperate insurance salesman. Life was hard and the insurance industry ruthless. Trying to sell a product that nobody wants, and which by its nature will never benefit the payee, is not easy. Unlike most recruits, he managed to survive and learnt some difficult but valuable lessons.
His ‘Big Break’ came when he was asked to invest in a fledgling printing business. The first year’s accounts showed greater losses than actual sales. Against all professional advice he jumped at the chance, re-mortgaged his house and bought an equal stake.
By accident rather than design, he’d finally found his true vocation. The company was losing money hand over fist. The bank had taken a second charge on the partners’ homes and his investment was swallowed up in a ...more

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Craig Briggs’s books

Average rating: 4.01 · 1,337 ratings · 78 reviews · 7 distinct works • Similar authors

	Journey to a Dream (The Journey, #1) 3.68 avg rating — 746 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Endless Possibilities: Sunny skies and mountains high (The Journey #3) 4.38 avg rating — 134 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Driving Ambition: Life in the slow lane (The Journey Book 5) 4.49 avg rating — 109 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Discerning Traveller: Let every new day broaden your horizons (The Journey Book 6) 4.52 avg rating — 93 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Beyond Imagination: When the adventure of a lifetime becomes a lifetime of adventures (The Journey #2) 4.31 avg rating — 140 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Opportunities Ahead: Learn from the past, live in the present and always look forward to the future (The Journey, #4) 4.49 avg rating — 105 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Season To Remember: Finding the right balance without tipping the scales it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 10 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Book Seven in The Journey series is now available

I'm delighted to announce the arrival of book seven in The Journey series,
A Season To Remember .
Pre-order your copy today and be one of the first to continue the journey.

Click here to pre-order your ebook copy.

Series by Craig Briggs

The Journey (7 books)
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Craig Briggs (Goodreads Author)

4.01 avg rating — 1,326 ratings

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Craig liked Philip TUFFIN's review of Beyond Imagination: When the adventure of a lifetime becomes a lifetime of adventures (The Journey #2):
17 hours, 17 min ago · see review
Craig liked John Millett's review of A Season To Remember: Finding the right balance without tipping the scales:
17 hours, 18 min ago · see review
Craig liked John Bennett's review of A Season To Remember: Finding the right balance without tipping the scales:
17 hours, 19 min ago · see review
Craig liked Ms J Keane's review of Journey to a Dream (The Journey, #1):
Jan 25, 2021 08:45AM · see review
Craig answered Goodreads's question: How do you deal with writer’s block? Answer questions on Goodreads.
Oct 20, 2020 08:30AM · like
Craig rated a book it was amazing Firewater, potholes & sardines - stories of a Brit abroad (Portugal and the Algarve Now & Then) by Jenny Grainer	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jenny's easy writing style whisks the reader through a series of interesting reminiscences. Having spent time in Caveoeiro in the late 80s, I found her stories particularly interesting. It's even possible that I might have walked past her in the stre ...more
Oct 09, 2020 05:58AM · like · see review
Craig rated a book it was amazing The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
It's taken me forty-three years to finish this book. I started reading it in 1976 as part of the English literature O' level syllabus and never did get to the end. However, I did pass the exam, thanks in no small measure to Beverly Clarke telling me ...more
Sep 17, 2020 09:35AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Craig rated a book it was amazing Germany – It’s More Than Bratwurst & Weißbier by Martin Barber (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
What a great read. When some would have folded under the pressure, Martin didn’t. His determination to recover for a financial setback sees him leave his native country and find employment in Germany. His easy-going writing style introduces the reade ...more
Sep 17, 2020 09:33AM · 1 like · like · see review
Craig rated a book it was amazing Don’t Go There: From Chernobyl to North Korea—one man’s quest to lose himself and find everyone else in the world’s strangest places by Adam Fletcher (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
A really enjoyable and thought provoking read. Adam is a skilled wordsmith and talented storyteller. He poses questions we all ask and goes to the extreme to try and uncover answers.
Aug 27, 2020 02:26AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Don’t Go There by Adam Fletcher. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Don’t Go There by Adam Fletcher <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Craig rated a book it was amazing Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
A story of its time using the language of its time. Charlotte's narrative has undoubtedly influenced many contemporary authors. Slow and ponderous at times but interesting from a historical context. ...more
Aug 07, 2020 06:46AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Craig Briggs

“As well as writing, 2004 saw my first attempt at wine making: the elixir of life. Unfortunately, my effort tasted more like the elixir of death.”
― Craig Briggs, Journey to a Dream

tags: autobiography, memoir, spain, travel

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“The last time I’d spoken French I was twelve years old; before I reached my thirteenth birthday the teacher had correctly steered me into woodwork classes.”
― Craig Briggs, Endless Possibilities: Sunny skies and mountains high

tags: memoir, spain, travel

1 likes

Craig’s Year In Books

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