Saturday 30 October 2010

Reading List - second in a series of random book related posts when I think of it

I've been reading books and researching other books and ordering books from the library all relevant to what we're planning. Here's the latest clutch:
I listed this in the last post but hadn't actually read it then. I have now and it's ace. I really enjoyed reading it for various reasons. Primarily because it is really well written. John is a great writer; engaging, interesting, self-deprecating and amusing. But of course it is also highly relevant content-wise as it gives an account of a year's experiement to live off the land, hunting, fishing and foraging. John has a stock of honey and not a lot else and makes his flour from ground chestnuts, his coffee from acorns, his beer from nettles, his wine from elderflowers and elderberries, feasts on rabbit, pigeon, fish and green collected from the ground and the hedgerows. It is interspersed with anecdotes, autobiographical bits and insights into John's wife and children and their take on his year of living wild. I really enjoyed it, learnt stuff and have insisted Ady read it next.

Having finished that I have just started the next book in the pile and have been immediately sucked in. Not only is Nick's adventure a local one based in my home county of Sussex it is also frank, refreshingly honest, has plenty of beer and wine and staying up late chatting with mates it is also exciting, educational (with plenty of how-to guides, step by step pictures, recipes, photos and information about what he has foraged and loads more) and another of those books you read where you actually care about the person writing. I'll do a full review once I've finished it but so far, so good.

In the to-read pile I have the following, obviously no recommendations yet other than the fact I deemed them interesting enough at first glance to get them ordered.

1 comment:

  1. I'm a bit behind the times here, but trying to catch up! I've read the first book and really enjoyed it. I've met Mark Boyle and heard him speak, and wonder if you've read that one yet? His website is www.justfortheloveofit.org and is a good read too.

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