In beachcombing, if we look closely enough, we find philosophy, history, art. The meditative, contemplative act of scanning the shoreline, enables discoveries of an alternative version of places that we think we know. Usually mundane objects become exotic if we choose to see them in such a way. To collect these items is timeless andContinueContinue reading “Book Review: ‘Strands’ by Jean Sprackland”
Tag Archives: books
Land Lines: finding the UK’s favourite book about nature
Many of you will already have heard about this inspired project from the Arts and Humanities Research Council encouraging Brits to nominate their favourite book about the natural world. Each nomination must be of a book ‘by a UK-based writer or by an author who writes about the UK’s landscape and/or wildlife’, and the deadline forContinueContinue reading “Land Lines: finding the UK’s favourite book about nature”
Book Review: ‘On the Marshes’ by Carol Donaldson
The marshlands of north Kent represent a pocket of isolation within a sea of growing urbanisation and economic ‘progress’. The call of the curlew cuts across the wide open landscape, interspersed with areas of scrub and gatherings of sheep. Redundant barges sink into the mud as pleasure cruisers herald a change in culture at theContinueContinue reading “Book Review: ‘On the Marshes’ by Carol Donaldson”
Book Review: ‘Land of Plenty’ by Charlie Pye-Smith
It won’t be news to any regular reader of this blog to hear that many farmers struggle to make a living from the land. Farming is famously volatile and those running farming businesses are at the mercy of world markets, changing government policy and of course the weather! The decision to withdraw from the EuropeanContinueContinue reading “Book Review: ‘Land of Plenty’ by Charlie Pye-Smith”
Book Review: ‘A Sweet Wild Note’ by Richard Smyth
When I turned the pages of this book for the first time, as when I open any new book, I couldn’t help but smell that gloriously comforting and inviting aroma of freshly published manuscript. All pages have their own smell, but it is something that few of us truly appreciate. Similarly, all landscapes have theirContinueContinue reading “Book Review: ‘A Sweet Wild Note’ by Richard Smyth”
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