2 New Ray Mears Skills Books?

[atross]

Was just browsing on amazon and came across these new books for pre order from Mr Mears

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ray-Mears-Handbook-Carving-No/dp/1444711407/ref=pd_ys_qtk_fr?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3RJONB9UIAOUE&colid=2R53VW7TH34KQ&pf_rd_p=217326091&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_t=1501&pf_rd_i=home&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=18Q6ZHESGJX0EJHFAKPV

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ray-Mears-Handbook-Field-Craft/dp/1444711393/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b

Carving and Field Craft in hardback handbooks, may be his publishers have see how popular the river cottage books have been?

Anyone know anymore about these?

 

[JonathanD]

Yeah, there have been a few threads on them. They look very promising.

here you go...

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52574&highlight=ray+mears+handbooks

 

[durulz]

I must confess to not being the biggest Ray fan (I don't dislike him, I just find him dull as sin).
However.
I do like the sound of these two books. Especially the carving one. I'd like to have a leaf through them first, but could probably be talked into buying them.

 

[atross]

Thank you for the heads up on the thread, did do a search but turned up nothing (must search better!)

Yeah the subject looks like it could be a good book, currently working my way through his first book and loving it, hopefully these books will be the same. Looks as though there is a series of books coming. I do love the River Cottage handbooks, hopefully these will be added to my fave list!

 

[JonathanD]

Thank you for the heads up on the thread, did do a search but turned up nothing (must search better!)

A search here on Ray Mears Books will throw up a thousand unrelated threads, you can't be expected to go through them all.

 

[drewdunnrespect]

might be a trip to water stones in the morning then

 

[Shewie]

I'm running out of space on my shelves but I reckon I can squeeze a couple more in yet.

The field craft book sounds useful, I would have thought a weatherproof soft back would be more practical though.

 

[JonathanD]

might be a trip to water stones in the morning then

Don't bother, they're not out till September.

 

[tobes01]

I saw Ray taking photographs for them back in May When I asked him, he said that whatever we say the books will be about, he'll make them about something different, 'cos he's fed up with everyone second guessing what he'll do next.



(All true by the way!)

 

[Tengu]

What a f a s i n t i n g attitude to his public.

I wish I could be that contrary

 

[durulz]

I saw Ray taking photographs for them back in May When I asked him, he said that whatever we say the books will be about, he'll make them about something different, 'cos he's fed up with everyone second guessing what he'll do next.



(All true by the way!)

Right, well, in that case then, let's all spread the rumour that his next work will be on Australia or Africa. At least then he'll move on to something else.

 

[Gagnrad]

I must confess to not being the biggest Ray fan (I don't dislike him, I just find him dull as sin).

I used to like his programmes a lot. I can remember that one of his series was one out of only two or three programmes in the whole week that I'd watch. But I don't think so much of some of his more recent stuff.

I think he's at his best doing things like potted biographies, specially if there's some good scenery to go with them. There he's constrained by factual material. Where he's not, he certainly can be dull. He'll engage in some fairly circular "philosophizing". Or he'll tell the viewers what to think about some social or political issue. Or he'll over-enthuse about a landscape (as if he were Marianne out of Sense and Sensibility, trying to prove she's a Woman of Feeling) although he's not really got anything concrete to say about it and the point is to see not hear anyway. It's posturing. And it's dull. Anyone's who's doing those sorts of things hasn't got enough real material. Moreover, I thought his attacking a rival presenter was ill-mannered. (It was also a tactical error: if you really are the number one, then as any ad-man will tell you, you don't mention rivals, because it gives them publicity; if asked, you say something nice but bland and change the subject.) That little sally doesn't make his programmes any more or less dull, of course, but it did leave a bit of a bad taste.

As I say, I think he can be dull, but where he's got sufficient factual material he's a competent teller of a story with a good relaxed persona and easy interaction with interviewees. He's very good on something like David Thompson's life or Russian-Jewish partisans in the taiga.

 

[sam_acw]

I wish he would do more skills based stuff - I'll probably get the books but don't hold out hope they'll be special.

 

[delbach]

Just been on Amazon and these books are not being released until April next year now,they were due to be released Sept this year.On ebay there is someone selling the carving one as buy it now.The things you do when your bored
Andrew