DescriptionAlan James is "Chipmunka's" local "Big Issue" vendor. "Chipmunka's" Jason Pegler encouraged him to write about his experiences and "Ten Years After" was the result. His second book "Going Dutch" is his account of selling the Amsterdam street paper "Z" during Holland's coldest winter for 30 years, and details the similarities and differences between homelessness in Amsterdam and London. About the AuthorAlan James was born in 1951in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, where he was also brought up. He left grammar school in 1969 with 6 'O' Levels and two 'A' Levels. Alan attended teacher training college in 1971, but dropped out to sell paintings door to door. He dropped back in again in 1980 and got a second class honours degree in Humanities at Sunderland Poly in 1983. Alan has only ever used this degree to get a job once, in Greece from 1991-93, where he taught English in Athens. Then, after surviving a nervous breakdown, he came back to England where he has been selling the 'Big Issue' all around the UK and for most of the last ten years.