A review by jennifer
A Place in My Country: In Search of a Rural Dream by Ian Walthew

5.0

Much like James Rebanks' The Shepherd's Life, Ian Walthew's memoir about living in the Cotswolds penetrates the heart of a place that most of us only know about as tourists. While Rebanks offers insights into the Lake District as a shepherd whose family has a history of living and working on the land, Walthew comes to the Cotswolds as an outsider but quickly assimilates with the help of a few locals. These include Norman, his crotchety next door neighbor and one of the few remaining small-scale mixed use farmers in the area, who eventually warms up enough to accept Walthew's assistance with the never-ending chores of the farm. The insight provided by this and other friendships differentiate Walthew's memoir from the run-of-the-mill incomer story. A moving, lovely book; one to linger over.