How to Strangle a Jelly

This book vividly portrays the authors experiences spent during a lifetime of talking and communicating with people from all walks of life, in a variety of situations across several careers as a police officer, probation officer, university lecturer and as a union representative. It is deliberately written in an entertaining, informative and humorous style. While not intended to be a ‘how to’ manual on public speaking and communicating there are plenty of lessons to learn from the author’s history of mistakes and learning on the job!

It is about real interactions with real people at the sharp end of some of the toughest jobs and situations anyone could face. Whether lecturing to the public or students, calming violent people, preventing suicide, resolving conflict, rehabilitating offenders, dealing with relatives of the deceased or giving a comical speech, it is all here. If you like people and are fascinated by the art of communicating and what makes them tick, then read on…

Les King worked for a total of 45 years as a senior police officer and then as a senior manager in the probation service. Following retirement from full time work, he has worked as a criminal justice consultant, university lecturer and as a union representative. He published his first book, an autobiography of policing called Cornflakes with Whisky in 2015.

This is his second book based around all of his varied careers with emphasis on communicating and interactions with people.

Les lives in the Midlands with his wife Judy. He has two grown-up daughters and a granddaughter.

Customer Reviews

5.0

4 reviews

Paul Williamson

As a former law enforcement officer now working as a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader in Policing and Criminology, I have long appreciated the vital role that communication plays in our profession. In How to Strangle a Jelly, Les skilfully captures the nuance, expertise, and emotional intelligence required to connect with people in high stakes, every day, and often unpredictable situations. Drawing on inspirational communicators and an extraordinary 50-year career spanning policing, probation and academia, Les blends together vivid, often humorous, sometimes sombre stories that illustrate the power of communication. Whether he is recounting courtroom encounters, lecturing students, or wedding speeches, Les demonstrates how words can inform, persuade, console, entertain, and even save lives. What makes this book especially compelling is its authenticity. Les reflects deeply on what those moments meant, and how they shaped his understanding of effective communication. His storytelling is insightful, and his voice remains grounded throughout, offering readers practical lessons and accessible communication tools honed through experience in the art, craft and science of communication. As someone who has worked extensively investigating serious and organised crime, and who now teaches the next generation of police professionals, I found these both relatable and helpful. One standout moment for me among many, is a powerful lesson Les learned while on a newly promoted sergeant’s course. The story centres around the art of briefing, and without spoiling it, I can say it is a brilliant reminder of the importance of preparation, clarity, and getting across the right message. In his final chapter, Les ties together the traits of a truly effective communicator and public speaker in a way that feels both personal and universal. This reinforces the heart of the book, that communication is not just a skill but a lifelong journey of learning, adapting, and understanding. How to Strangle a Jelly is thoughtful, funny yet profoundly practical. Whether you are a policing professional, educator, or simply someone who wants to understand people better, I recommend this book wholeheartedly.
Tony Aston

How To Strangle A Jelly”, a book comprising just shy of 200 pages, is essentially a collection of short stories about a lifetime of communicating, through a variety of sources, to audiences ranging from church groups to inmates in prison, and everyone imaginable in between. It is authored by Les King, himself a former police officer and probation officer. Les talks, often in a very humorous terms, but also sometimes in sad and poignant ways, about how he has spent more than 50 years presenting and chatting, formally and informally, in order to spread influence, put important messages across, illicit - sometimes controversial - points of view, or simply to build connections and relationships.
Amanda Furlong MBACP

Through Les' varied roles, both professionally and personally, he shares a lifetime of experiences through one common thread - the art of communication. Drawing on examples from an illustrious career, Les recounts, through stories, anecdotes and even psychological theory in practice, how the art of communication has the power to influence lives. Les incorporates his understanding of this through humourous, heartfelt, and earnest examples, and demonstrates how empathy and collaboration are pivotal for change and for relationships to flourish. Although Les has not written this book as a "how to" manual, much can be learnt about how kindness, wit, and the appropriate use of the odd profanity can have a significant impact on the delivery of messages and information. The famous quote states "the pen is mightier than the sword". If this is true, Les has shown that talking can be the key to peace and harmony.
Sarah Willis MCIPR

Thoroughly enjoyed this brilliantly titled, deeply human and often hilarious collection of reflections from Les King. I used to work with Les and can genuinely say he’s every bit as lovely and sharp as this book suggests. This isn’t your average memoir. ‘How to Strangle a Jelly’ is part confessional, part crash course in people skills, and part stand-up set from a life spent in some of the most emotionally charged, bizarre, and unpredictable corners of public service. Les brings decades of experience from policing, probation, education and union work, but what really shines is his unwavering love of people and his knack for turning even the toughest moments into stories with warmth, wit and wisdom. I found myself laughing out loud (the ‘Men’s Fellowship’ pub talk disaster still makes me wince), nodding along to his reflections on communication, and even tearing up at his gentle but powerful accounts of tragedy and loss. It’s clear Les never set out to write a textbook but the lessons are there, and they’re real: about resilience, listening, empathy, and the power of showing up with humour, humility and a thick skin. Whether you work with people, speak in public, or just love a good story told with honesty and heart - this book is worth your time.