Tuesday 1 January 2013

A midwinter hand-list


The Leaping Hare

Its the time of year when my pile of 'on the go' and 'to read' books reaches a critical mass, boosted by Christmas presents; a tipping point from which I will not be able to catch-up, but will enjoy trying.

Currently sustaining me through the winter months are:

J.A. Baker's The Peregrine; a hawk-eyed and visceral account of bird, man and landscape.
Nature Cure by Richard Mabey
Richard Mabey's Nature Cure muses far and wide in chronicling his personal resurrection from depression through a reconnection with the natural world.
Pandaemonium By: Humphrey Jennings
Humphrey Jennings Pandaemonium 1660-1886: The coming of the machine as seen by contemporary observers is an eccentric miscellany of reportage and opinion on the seismic shift caused by Britain's Industrial Revolution; and part inspiration for London's Olympic Opening Ceremony.
  










And for dipping into on a stormy night, The Oxford Book of  English Ghost Stories (Michael Cox and R.A. Gilbert, Eds.).


I'm also particularly looking forward to:

After London - Richard Jefferies 

Dark Mountain Issue 3 - Various

Headwaters: Walking to British river sources - Phil Clayton

Land of Lost Content: The Luddite revolt, 1812 - Robert Reid 

The Art of Wandering: The writer as walker - Merlin Coverley

The Daylight Gate - Jeanette Winterson

The English Lakes: A history - Ian Thompson

The Great God Pan - Arthur Machen

The Leaping Hare - George Ewart Evans and David Thomson

The Living Mountain - Nan Shepherd
 
Who I Am - Pete Townsend

Why Willows Weep: Contemporary tales from the woods -
Various

Wolf Solent - John Cowper Powys
 And with no plans to re-boot to a Kindle, the house will continue to be populated with erratic-like piles of books awaiting discovery.

3 comments:

  1. A fine list, which should keep you going for a while. Interestingly, apropos the kindle issue, my current read is 'Paper: An Elegy' by Ian Sansom. It has strengthened my resolve not to resort to the e-versions, but to prefer the tactile pleasures of real books.

    Looking forward to more of your interesting posts this year.

    Happy new year

    Ian

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  2. Thanks Ian and happy new year to you. To me ebook v real book is no contest. Books will live on, as has radio, as has vinyl, as has walking...

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  3. Yes indeed a fine list, Richard Jeffries 'After London or Wild England' is a particularly good read, could not put it down. There is also 'Bevis (The Story of a Boy') with illustrations by E.H. Shephard, which I doubt you would find in an ebook.

    Happy New Year as well

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