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kitschbitsch's review against another edition
5.0
Bit of a departure from the books I’ve read by Tom Cox previously which have all been about his cats. While they are mentioned in this book, along with appearances from Tom’s parents (WOFFAL), it’s more about the effect that the landscapes which you grow up and live in has on you and the ways theymould and shape your personality.
boxilot's review against another edition
4.0
This is the sort of books that can make urbanbound citykids like myself dream of a small cottage out in the country with my own beehives and carrots. Why reading about a 40 year old englishman walking in the country can be such a fun pasttime, I don't know, but it is. The chapter World Turned Upside Down was definitely my favourite. Being the sort to get genuinly upset by the death of insects and how easily people disregard them as unworthy of life, it felt good to see I am not the only weirdo who can spend unreasonable amounts of time saving bees and marvel at bats.
btecbobdylan's review against another edition
5.0
Incomparable. Like going on a long, rambling walk with a good friend through gorgeous countryside while chatting about all manner of weird and wonderful things. An antidote to the age of anxiety.
I prefer it to its successor, Ring the Hill, which I read first, but only really because Yokel is longer.
I prefer it to its successor, Ring the Hill, which I read first, but only really because Yokel is longer.
kjaycee's review against another edition
5.0
This book is like stopping off in a pub or cafe on a long road trip and striking up a conversation with a stranger who tells you rambling stories about the people and places in the area that are so interesting you want to ditch the road trip and just walk around for the rest of the day. Highly recommended.
atrixareads's review against another edition
3.0
I struggled to get through this one (I started it in MARCH...) but once I got to the halfway point I started to enjoy it much more. I'm not sure if the issue was that I started it in the early weeks of a nationwide lockdown, and reading about nature just seemed cruel, or whether the content of the earlier chapters just wasn't for me. I think Cox writes best about his cats and his family. I'm not so sure about the chapters of long walks in places I've never been to. Although he did visit High Force, which I have been to. I loved that bit!
pinkfluffygoat's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.5
beckyramone's review
5.0
What is the most comforting thing you can think of? Is it cuddling with your beloved pets? Is it being wrapped in a blanket in front of a fireplace on a cold night? Is it spending time with your children/family members? Or maybe walking in your favorite park, or getting ice cream from your favorite shop? Whatever it is, this is the book equivalent of that. Tom Cox takes us on a journey through the English countryside, where we are introduced to not only the plant and animal life, but also quirky characters and of course, his cats.
Anyone who has read his more cat-centric memoirs will also enjoy this book, as the cats are main players, though perhaps not the most main player, which is probably nature. Now, I am a city person, I would never want to live in the country, but his writing about walking on trails and the explanations of what he sees almost makes me reconsider. Or at least, consider taking a vacation.
Sometimes, with all the terrible things going on in the world, it can be hard to enjoy things, because I feel like I have to be in a constant state of misery since so many people are suffering. Cox does an amazing job of acknowledging what is horribly wrong in the world (cough Donald Trump cough) while also showing that it is okay and good to still allow yourself to take pleasure from the good things around you. And I definitely need that reminder once in a while. Also his dad is truly hilarious and you will love him.
This isn't a book to rush through, it's one where you read a chapter or a few pages every night to wind down, stop worrying about all the things you can't change, and to think about how hedgehogs live in the wild in England, and how wonderful that is.
Anyone who has read his more cat-centric memoirs will also enjoy this book, as the cats are main players, though perhaps not the most main player, which is probably nature. Now, I am a city person, I would never want to live in the country, but his writing about walking on trails and the explanations of what he sees almost makes me reconsider. Or at least, consider taking a vacation.
Sometimes, with all the terrible things going on in the world, it can be hard to enjoy things, because I feel like I have to be in a constant state of misery since so many people are suffering. Cox does an amazing job of acknowledging what is horribly wrong in the world (cough Donald Trump cough) while also showing that it is okay and good to still allow yourself to take pleasure from the good things around you. And I definitely need that reminder once in a while. Also his dad is truly hilarious and you will love him.
This isn't a book to rush through, it's one where you read a chapter or a few pages every night to wind down, stop worrying about all the things you can't change, and to think about how hedgehogs live in the wild in England, and how wonderful that is.
elizabethrichey's review against another edition
5.0
I loved the humor, the fine writing, and the vivid evocation of the countryside in this memoir.
halfmanhalfbook's review against another edition
5.0
The facets that make up our character are drawn from many sources; our DNA, our family, our culture, our history and as Tom Cox argues in this book, the places where you grow up that can define you as much as these other things. The way that Cox recommends that immerse yourself in the local landscape is to walk through the lanes and paths, climb the hills and the stiles, take in the views and soak up the natural world at walking pace.
The blurb on the cover says: It’s not quite a nature book, not quite a humour book, not quite a family memoir, not quite folklore, not quite social history, not quite a collection of essays, but a bit of all six. But there is a lot more in this book than that; crammed into the covers of the book. He is captivated by all sorts of things that he encounters on his strolls, from bees to beavers, scarecrows to owls and even his cats make an appearance a few times. Keeping his sanity by taking longs walks in the country around his Devon home gives him plenty of time to consider the world. All of the subjects he tackles begin with a narrow focus, before becoming wider ranging and for me, much more interesting.
He is fascinated equally by the ghosts of the past as he concerned by the future of the countryside, but what makes 21st Century such a really good book is that it defies categorisation. Part of this reason behind this is because Cox writes about what he wants to without following any set agenda, and partly this is because this reflects modern life and all its distractions where you start on one project, get distracted by something else, wander off to get an item and arrive back four hours later wondering why you were starting that in the first place. Because of this, the book feels fresh and interesting, it has its poignant moments, the chapter on scarecrows is really quite creepy and is a great example of modern folklore, His VERY LOUD DAD makes me laugh every time he appears in the narrative too. This rich and varied book is not quite many things, but one thing it is, is fantastic.
The blurb on the cover says: It’s not quite a nature book, not quite a humour book, not quite a family memoir, not quite folklore, not quite social history, not quite a collection of essays, but a bit of all six. But there is a lot more in this book than that; crammed into the covers of the book. He is captivated by all sorts of things that he encounters on his strolls, from bees to beavers, scarecrows to owls and even his cats make an appearance a few times. Keeping his sanity by taking longs walks in the country around his Devon home gives him plenty of time to consider the world. All of the subjects he tackles begin with a narrow focus, before becoming wider ranging and for me, much more interesting.
He is fascinated equally by the ghosts of the past as he concerned by the future of the countryside, but what makes 21st Century such a really good book is that it defies categorisation. Part of this reason behind this is because Cox writes about what he wants to without following any set agenda, and partly this is because this reflects modern life and all its distractions where you start on one project, get distracted by something else, wander off to get an item and arrive back four hours later wondering why you were starting that in the first place. Because of this, the book feels fresh and interesting, it has its poignant moments, the chapter on scarecrows is really quite creepy and is a great example of modern folklore, His VERY LOUD DAD makes me laugh every time he appears in the narrative too. This rich and varied book is not quite many things, but one thing it is, is fantastic.