Ray Mears Wild Food book, any good?

[rik_uk3]

We have a discount book seller visit the ward every couple of months, next week he is offering Wild Food (hardback edition) for £6.99, is it any good

 

[Toadflax]

We have a discount book seller visit the ward every couple of months, next week he is offering Wild Food (hardback edition) for £6.99, is it any good

At that price I'd go for it. Amazon are doing it for about £10 (+ postage unless you can order something else to get super saver delivery), with list being about £20.

I wouldn't say it is an outstanding book, but it does have a lot of information in it. Although offered as a companion to the TV series, it doesn't follow the episodes. There is an introductory section of prose and pictures, with the bulk of the book being a long section covering many of the species of plant that were looked at in the series (more in the style of a text book). This makes for useful, if not very exciting, reading and I suspect that it is a collation of Gordon Hillman's notes on the various plant species and how they might be prepared to turn them into food.

Just my opinion, others may think differently.


Geoff

 

[jamesHarrisonAkers]

its a good book but if you want to get very indepth about all diffrent kinds of plants and fruits for food id buy a more in depth book beacause the wild food book dosnt list everything and is more of a read rather than a study if you get what i mean

 

[mentalnurse]

i enjoyed reading the first part of the book but then it gets a bit same as when it just talks about each plant, you would need a great brain to keep it all in your head when out in the field but great as a book to keep looking back on or when you have seen something checking up on it. dont let me put you off i have the book and will keep it and keep going back to it over the years i think.

 

[Matt Weir]

i enjoyed reading the first part of the book but then it gets a bit same as when it just talks about each plant, you would need a great brain to keep it all in your head when out in the field but great as a book to keep looking back on or when you have seen something checking up on it. dont let me put you off i have the book and will keep it and keep going back to it over the years i think.

I agree there Carl, to me it seems like it's a huge and very readable introduction by Ray then comes the plant stuff that is clearly Gordon's work which (sorry Gordon) lacks a bit of that 'must read on' factor. Just my opinion though.

But for £6.99 how could you not justify it a place on your bookshelf

 

[Elendeor]

yeah at 6.99 id definately buy it. As others have said its not definitive by any means, but the first section is an intresting read, and it gave me some ideas, both of new foods to try and new ways to try old foods.

 

[rik_uk3]

Not a wild food book but I picked up a copy of

"How to Grow & Produce Your Own Food" by Charles Boff for 20p in a junk shop. Written during WW2, its a great read. Because of wartime restrictions and rationing, this book really helps you plan out a fruit and vegetable garden, as valid today as then I suspect

 

[spamel]

For nigh on seven quid, you'd be getting a good deal! I'd buy a job lot and stick them on the bay! Bugger it, everyone else is profiteering on there, why not you and I? There is a mention in Wild Food of a Field Manual for the future some time.

 

[jojo]

At that price I'd go for it. Amazon are doing it for about £10 (+ postage unless you can order something else to get super saver delivery), with list being about £20.

I wouldn't say it is an outstanding book, but it does have a lot of information in it. Although offered as a companion to the TV series, it doesn't follow the episodes. There is an introductory section of prose and pictures, with the bulk of the book being a long section covering many of the species of plant that were looked at in the series (more in the style of a text book). This makes for useful, if not very exciting, reading and I suspect that it is a collation of Gordon Hillman's notes on the various plant species and how they might be prepared to turn them into food.

Just my opinion, others may think differently.


Geoff

Spot on for me too, couldn't put it any better

 

[rancid badger]

I would pretty much agree with the "reviews" so far, it starts well but then gets a bit heavy.
Buy it for that money!

Something which hasn't been mentioned however is the actual physical quality of the book itself.
I found to my surprise that Asda had the book for, I think £11. I cant remember now as this was before christmas.
I picked up a copy and started browsing and noticed that the finish of the pages and the actual image quality seemed a bit poor.I checked another six copies but they were all the same.It looks like some of the books you get in discount shops
Now, for £11, this didn't bother me too much but the R.R.P. on the cover is £20-
doesn't matter now, I bought the book anyhow- but then again, was this a batch of sub standard copies or is the whole run the same?

I'm comparing the book with "Bushcraft-an inspirational guide to, etc." in which the photo reproduction is very good.

As I say buy it for £7 -

regards
R.B

 

[rik_uk3]

For nigh on seven quid, you'd be getting a good deal! I'd buy a job lot and stick them on the bay! Bugger it, everyone else is profiteering on there, why not you and I? There is a mention in Wild Food of a Field Manual for the future some time.

I did that a couple of years ago with BIG books full of photo's about Scott and then Shackleton and you can make a few quid, but its a lot of hassle to be honest.

These are the people
http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/weba.../categoryPage_10001_10051_10025_100_10024__29

Handy a salesman coming to the ward though as we then have no postage costs

 

[sam_acw]

It is a good book - better than the Tv series and not too bad to read through. It isn't a field guide, more one for the book shelf though.
On the down side it is the worst edited book I've ever seen. There are half sentences and spelling errors in it.
It also offers a few very glib statements about things being poisonous.
I'm glad I've got it but it isn't the be all and end all.

 

[Burnt Ash]

Companion books to factual TV series are rarely very wonderful in my experience, but they are worth having to accompany the DVDs where these are produced, IMO. The books are usually available at heavily discounted prices not very long after the first broadcast/publication.

For cookery/foody TV series, it is useful to have recipes set out in print, though these are usually available from TV web sites for some time after the programmes have been broadcast.

Burnt Ash

 

[Lodian]

I was a bit undecided bout buying it but i did and although not the best out there it gives you some ideas etc.

But if its going on sale wouldnt knock it.