An Evening with Ray Mears

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Rockmonkey

Settler
Jan 12, 2012
743
2
uk
I saw him many years ago, and met him afterwards, Nice bloke.
He will plug his book i'm sure, But then, wouldn't you!
Go see him and enjoy the slide show!

RM
 

Treemonk

Forager
Oct 22, 2008
168
0
Perthshire
Booked in to see him in Llandudno. Seen him twice before and have been impressed with his public speaking both times.

I've read the autobiography and found it a good book. Given how much he normally keeps his cards close to his chest, there are some surprisingly candid bits and snapshots. There is an awful lot that is covered very briefly, and an awful lot not touched on at all though.

When it comes to questions someone always mentions Bear Gryls and someone always asks what the worst things he has eaten were. I'll give him his due - he doesn't quite sigh - but he definitely looks like he would like more original questions.
 

Stringmaker

Native
Sep 6, 2010
1,891
1
UK
Could someone ask him when the field craft and carving books he's writing are actually gonna be printed?

It's probably out of his hands and is the publisher being slow/late.

I really wanted to get Robin Wood's spoon carving book but it STILL isn't published.
 

JohnC

Full Member
Jun 28, 2005
2,624
82
62
Edinburgh
Off to see this in Edinburgh on Sunday 29th with my youngest son.. Looking forward to it, I enjoyed his last talk in Edinburgh at the Corn Exchange.. I'll try to remember to stick a BCUK logo on my shirt!
 

THOaken

Native
Jan 21, 2013
1,299
1
30
England(Scottish Native)
I'm reading his bio at the moment and it is a great read.
I've just started reading it. I'm on page 97 or thereabout.

It's been a pretty enthralling read so far, but I have something in the back of my mind... Now I don't think of Ray as a man to lie or be boastful, but the Africa chapter, at least to me, seemed a bit... fanciful. It's pretty unusual for someone writing their own biography to write the dialogue. As if he can remember it all. It feels artificial that way. And did Ray REALLY threaten an African youngster with a machete whilst smiling? It just feels a bit too fanciful, but I'm sure it did happen. I don't think Ray's the type to resort to make believe.
 

Stringmaker

Native
Sep 6, 2010
1,891
1
UK
It's a fair question; it's probably unlikely that the dialogue was verbatim, although it might have been.

In the example you quote, he was effectively dissuading an aggressive local (one of many) from attacking his ex-girlfriend. It wasn't the first encounter of that sort so he may have had good reason to remember who said what.
 

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