Good question Jamie. I am pretty surprised by how many folks like fantasy based books and not factual reads..........hope this isn’t a reflection of peoples life’s.
I don’t think I have ever read a book of fiction, well I used to have my Mum read me Thomas the Tank and in her words ‘about fifty times a night’ and I ‘knew when she had skipped a page’ – well she shouldn’t try and pull fast one a 4 year old!
I have always tried to read books that will leave some sort of mark within me, to perhaps change my life in some way. The problem with that line of thought is that you never know that it will until you have read it. After saying that, I do seem to pick books that fulfil me in one way or another.
Most of my readings and study are history in one form or another. Of course I study woodlands deeply but also I study just as deep, natural history, which of course woodlands are a part of. Studying the landscape has to be one of the most rewarding pastime’s for me, for you don’t have to be an expert to see how your own local environment evolved ( that’s if you believe in evolution, but that’s for another time) and you can put it in to practice the next time you are out and about.
To me, history is important because the way I see it, is that to truly know and understand your environment, you have to know it’s history, other wise, everything is out of context and nothing fits. I also take a book with me to the woods so I can read it at lunch time ( that’s if I haven’t fallen to sleep) and I always read when I am tucked up in bed. I admire authors who write with passion and with attitude. Authors have the ability to inspire people, and to me, this is a wonderful gift and shouldn’t be over looked as inspiration has an addictive effect.
A book I have just finished is called ‘ A Thousand Years of the English Parish’- Anthea Jones, and before that a book called ‘ The Hidden Landscape, A Journey into the Geological Past’ – Richard Fortey, now that book I would recommend to everyone, learnt so much from that. Another wonderful author is Graham Harvey he is seen by some ( mainly landowners) as being highly controversial. He is the author of a book called ‘Killing of the Countryside’ this book will have you in tears and he received many death threats after it was published, this is a most fascinating book and again, a book that everyone should read.
They are two authors who have been an inspiration to me, and in someway, changed me. But I going to keep that them to myself.
And as usual, what was the original question again?
I don’t think I have ever read a book of fiction, well I used to have my Mum read me Thomas the Tank and in her words ‘about fifty times a night’ and I ‘knew when she had skipped a page’ – well she shouldn’t try and pull fast one a 4 year old!
I have always tried to read books that will leave some sort of mark within me, to perhaps change my life in some way. The problem with that line of thought is that you never know that it will until you have read it. After saying that, I do seem to pick books that fulfil me in one way or another.
Most of my readings and study are history in one form or another. Of course I study woodlands deeply but also I study just as deep, natural history, which of course woodlands are a part of. Studying the landscape has to be one of the most rewarding pastime’s for me, for you don’t have to be an expert to see how your own local environment evolved ( that’s if you believe in evolution, but that’s for another time) and you can put it in to practice the next time you are out and about.
To me, history is important because the way I see it, is that to truly know and understand your environment, you have to know it’s history, other wise, everything is out of context and nothing fits. I also take a book with me to the woods so I can read it at lunch time ( that’s if I haven’t fallen to sleep) and I always read when I am tucked up in bed. I admire authors who write with passion and with attitude. Authors have the ability to inspire people, and to me, this is a wonderful gift and shouldn’t be over looked as inspiration has an addictive effect.
A book I have just finished is called ‘ A Thousand Years of the English Parish’- Anthea Jones, and before that a book called ‘ The Hidden Landscape, A Journey into the Geological Past’ – Richard Fortey, now that book I would recommend to everyone, learnt so much from that. Another wonderful author is Graham Harvey he is seen by some ( mainly landowners) as being highly controversial. He is the author of a book called ‘Killing of the Countryside’ this book will have you in tears and he received many death threats after it was published, this is a most fascinating book and again, a book that everyone should read.
They are two authors who have been an inspiration to me, and in someway, changed me. But I going to keep that them to myself.
And as usual, what was the original question again?
