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shepherdess94's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
3.0
robyndansereau's review
4.0
Beatrix Potter’s name is synonymous with children’s literature. Matthew Dennison’s biography about the famous storyteller offered an in-depth look into what—and who—shaped Potter into the writer and illustrator she became. Full review: https://robyntocker.weebly.com/over-the-hills-and-far-away.html
annaheist's review against another edition
I wanted to know more about Beatrix Potter, but this was a little too slow-paced, and felt flat. I listened on Audible, and while I wouldn’t fully fault the writing of the author or the reading of the narrator, I think both together made the information within the book much less enticing.
msemilyreads's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
spencesational's review against another edition
4.0
A lovely and concise biography on the life of Helen Beatrix Potter.
I very recently went to the Lake District after a very well-earned weekend off work. I decided on The Lakes, as my main purpose was to visit Hill Top Farm, the home of Ms. Potter (in her adult life anyway). On the outside, this looks like any other quaint rural cottage, quite grey but clothed in Wisteria and with a vegetable garden at the bottom. However, once you know who used to live there it takes on a whole new meaning and I personally, was awe-struck. The whole point of my visit was inspiration from the film, Miss Potter, starring the highly talented Renée Zelwegger (who, in my opinion, should have won an Oscar for her portrayal) and which I would highly recommend watching.
I have never read any of the 23 books written by Beatrix Potter and more than likely never will (in saying that, what I mean is I don't remember reading them but perhaps my mum read them to me when I was a child), but her life was so interesting to me that I had to buy this book (or actually, in this case, the audiobook) of her own life.
All I can say is, buy it. It is fantastic. Beatrix Potter's life is intertwined with love, loss, abandonment, and tragedy. She was also, surprisingly, a great conservationist and bought thousands of acres of Lakeland countryside just so the developers could not ruin it. She was a strong-minded woman doing her own thing and not minding what others thought and this (in my opinion) is what made her so successful in all she did.
The biography bases Beatrix's life around her books (all her books are reflections of something that happened in her life) and the narration is smooth and in a way, relaxing and even though I know a fair bit of her life now, I still oohed and aahed and laughed throughout. A great read although the reason for the four stars and not five is the length, which would have been higher had it been maybe an hour or two longer. Overall though, brilliant.
I very recently went to the Lake District after a very well-earned weekend off work. I decided on The Lakes, as my main purpose was to visit Hill Top Farm, the home of Ms. Potter (in her adult life anyway). On the outside, this looks like any other quaint rural cottage, quite grey but clothed in Wisteria and with a vegetable garden at the bottom. However, once you know who used to live there it takes on a whole new meaning and I personally, was awe-struck. The whole point of my visit was inspiration from the film, Miss Potter, starring the highly talented Renée Zelwegger (who, in my opinion, should have won an Oscar for her portrayal) and which I would highly recommend watching.
I have never read any of the 23 books written by Beatrix Potter and more than likely never will (in saying that, what I mean is I don't remember reading them but perhaps my mum read them to me when I was a child), but her life was so interesting to me that I had to buy this book (or actually, in this case, the audiobook) of her own life.
All I can say is, buy it. It is fantastic. Beatrix Potter's life is intertwined with love, loss, abandonment, and tragedy. She was also, surprisingly, a great conservationist and bought thousands of acres of Lakeland countryside just so the developers could not ruin it. She was a strong-minded woman doing her own thing and not minding what others thought and this (in my opinion) is what made her so successful in all she did.
The biography bases Beatrix's life around her books (all her books are reflections of something that happened in her life) and the narration is smooth and in a way, relaxing and even though I know a fair bit of her life now, I still oohed and aahed and laughed throughout. A great read although the reason for the four stars and not five is the length, which would have been higher had it been maybe an hour or two longer. Overall though, brilliant.
bookbrig's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
2.25
This was okay, and I feel like I have a better picture of how Beatrix Potter grew up, but it wasn't super engaging. I found my attention drifting, and I think the writing style just wasn't for me.