In a meeting chaired by ED I heard that JM had submitted his PhD thesis five months early, yet I had not seen a draft of the tome.

Another academic at the meeting, who had nothing to do with this work, said that it was rather pro-technical.

I concluded that it was bound to be referred – until someone else said that the viva had taken place and JM had passed with minor corrections.

ED and I shared a glance. What must have been the quality of the examination team?