Universally liked and admired, Peter Diamond is that increasingly rare thing—an economist: not a public economist, or a macro economist, or a theorist, but someone who traverses the entire field. His life has two central cores—his happy family life and many friendships, and his professional life. His fundamental contributions to economics—search theory, optimal taxation, incomplete markets, government debt and behavioural economics—were recognised (belatedly in the opinion of many) by the award of a Nobel Prize in 2010. Peter is also active outside the ivory tower, with a long-standing involvement in policy advice in many countries, particularly concerning pensions and taxation, with some involvement also in healthcare. Throughout, he has acted as adviser, mentor and inspiration for generations of colleagues and students.