Recent Reading

I seem to have read a lot of books, particularly non-fiction, since my last reading update probably due to the fact that the weather has been so awful and its not been worth going out unless you have to! I do hope everyone is safe and well and not affected by the floods.



I was inspired to try this book by someone on Twitter and when I saw it was about smuggling in Dorset I recommended it to my son. It really is a good read and we both enjoyed it. Although this particular kindle version was very poorly edited with parts of the bottom of the previous page constantly repeated at the top of the next!

I bought this book secondhand from Astley Farm Bookshop and if you are interested in churchyards, memorials and gravestones it is a fascinating book and I learnt a lot.

This is another book I was inspired to buy and read from conversations on Twitter. I am going through a phase of being fascinated by pilgrims, pilgrim badges and routes so I really enjoyed this book. It is full of information and photos and a good way to enjoy what you can see on pilgrim routes in parts of the country you may never visit. There is a route in the south west which looks particularly good. The book would also be a good buy if you were keen on walking one of the pilgrim routes.

Another secondhand buy this time from Books Revisited in Coleshill. I enjoyed this as much as the Bill Bryson book and again in parts it is amusing and full of interesing places seen and fascinating people the author met on the route. I very much doubt I will ever walk the whole of Offa's Dyke but I really would like to wander along a few sections of it.

I am still enjoying the Wesley Peterson books.

Visits to churches and some stately homes have made me want to learn more about heraldry because you see so many examples. Both of these books were secondhand buys and are actually meant for children but they form a good basic introduction. I doubt I will ever remember all the techical terms to describe coats of arms and shields or all the rules of heraldry but I am hoping I have learnt enough to enjoy more the heraldry I do see. I have one more book to read on the subject.

Someone mentioned this biography of Gilbert White to me recently. I have a feeling it was Caroline Gill?? but sadly I can't find the comment to be sure. I did say at the time I had the book but hadn't read it mainly because whenever I pick it up I can't make up my mind whether or not to re-read Gilbert White himself first. Anyway I was horrified to realise how many years I had had this book without reading it so rectified the matter! I thoroughly enjoyed it - you learn a lot about Gilbert White and his life and also his many friends with whom he corresponded, many of whom were also naturalists. Highly recommended.