This is the life story of a giant of Australian education, Roderick Ian West. It is befitting that the final chapter was written by his wife Janet after he passed in January 2016. Balmain boy, inspirational teacher and headmaster, Rod West transformed institutions by his inexorable focus on the people within them. For Rod, it was always people before process, teaching before educationalism and actions before words. His mantra was "The heart of education is the education of the heart" and he touched the lives of thousands. "The Heart of Education" is edited by Graham Anderson, one of the 33 teachers turned headmasters under Rod's stewardship. It is a valuable lesson delivered by one of this country’s greatest teachers and a certain reminder of true leadership.