As you would expect, this is a large and rather handsome paperback blessed with trendy typefaces, uncluttered pages and any number of tasteful black and white photographs which might have come straight out of a Habitat catalogue (actually many of them did come straight out of a Habitat catalogue). Alas, if you dive in search of an in depth look at the man who merged Habitat with Mothercare, Heal's and British Home Stores - and in the process, some would say, determined not only how our houses look but how our shops look as well - you hit the bottom pretty fast. The use of the appellation "Terence" throughout is a bad sign, as are the sort of "insights" afforded by, for instance, Terence's second wife, Caroline ("I think one of the things that has made Terence very successful is that he doesn't question himself"), or the thrilling revelation that the great man's attention to detail extends to the freshness of the mushrooms photographed on a chopping board for, yes, a Habitat catalogue. Aspiring multi millionaires will learn lots from it - supposing, that is, they have time to read it.
