England In Particular
A celebration of the commonplace, the local, the vernacular and the distinctive
Published on 22. May 2006
Book
Hardback
528 pages
978-0-340-82616-4 (ISBN)
Description
'Should be at every curious Englishman's bedside' ALAN TITCHMARSH
'As vital as it is joyous, and as timely as it is inspired . . . It should join Shakespeare and the Bible as a "must have" on any English man or woman's desert island' HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL
Apples, bandstands, causeways dialect, fens, gargoyles, heaths,ice houses, jet, lagoons, maypoles, nightingales, primrose banks, quicksand, rhubarb, sheep, terraced houses, weather, zawns...
England is a land of extraordinary variety, rich in buildings, landscapes, peoples and wildlife. But this diversity is under siege. Mass production, fashion, increased mobility and the forceful promotion of corporate identity have brought with them standardised shop fronts, farm buildings, factories, forests and front doors, while intensive farming has created a bland, empty countryside.
ENGLAND IN PARTICULAR is a counterblast against loss and uniformity, and a celebration of just some of the distinctive details that cumulatively make England. It is the culmination of more than twenty years' work by Sue Clifford and Angela King, who founded Common Ground with Roger Deakin.
ENGLAND IN PARTICULAR is a ground-breaking work, destined to become a classic.
Two pocket-sized hardback editions of extracted essays from ENGLAND IN PARTICULAR are also available: JOURNEYS THROUGH ENGLAND IN PARTICULAR: COASTING and JOURNEYS THROUGH ENGLAND IN PARTICULAR: ON FOOT.
'As vital as it is joyous, and as timely as it is inspired . . . It should join Shakespeare and the Bible as a "must have" on any English man or woman's desert island' HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL
Apples, bandstands, causeways dialect, fens, gargoyles, heaths,ice houses, jet, lagoons, maypoles, nightingales, primrose banks, quicksand, rhubarb, sheep, terraced houses, weather, zawns...
England is a land of extraordinary variety, rich in buildings, landscapes, peoples and wildlife. But this diversity is under siege. Mass production, fashion, increased mobility and the forceful promotion of corporate identity have brought with them standardised shop fronts, farm buildings, factories, forests and front doors, while intensive farming has created a bland, empty countryside.
ENGLAND IN PARTICULAR is a counterblast against loss and uniformity, and a celebration of just some of the distinctive details that cumulatively make England. It is the culmination of more than twenty years' work by Sue Clifford and Angela King, who founded Common Ground with Roger Deakin.
ENGLAND IN PARTICULAR is a ground-breaking work, destined to become a classic.
Two pocket-sized hardback editions of extracted essays from ENGLAND IN PARTICULAR are also available: JOURNEYS THROUGH ENGLAND IN PARTICULAR: COASTING and JOURNEYS THROUGH ENGLAND IN PARTICULAR: ON FOOT.
Reviews / Votes
It should be at every curious Englishman's bedside. * Alan Titchmarsh * This book is a joy. -- Monty Don A living portrait of England here and now, with all the narrative and mystery of the past attached ... The book is gracefully written, phenomenally knowledgeable, and simply exhilarating, speaking as it does of the extraordinary things that are all around us, if we are only prepared to open our eyes to them. * Fay Weldon * As vital as it is joyous, and as timely as it is inspired ... It should join Shakespeare and the Bible as a "must have" on any English man or woman's desert island. * Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall * An entrancing green alphabet ..."The land is our most elaborate storyboard," say Sue Clifford and Angela King as they demonstrate this truth in seemingly countless small essays, each one a brief masterpiece of combined natural and social history ... this is a book for all English seasons and for every English mile * Ronald Blythe * This wise and witty and broad-shouldered celebration (it ranges from accents and airfields to wrestling and zigzags) is the triumphant fruition of their work with Common Ground. * Richard Mabey * A magical celebration of English diversity and a much-needed wake-up call as we sleepwalk further into the dreary global monoculture. * Zac Goldsmith * Angela King and Sue Clifford have been pursuing this quarry for more than 30 years and it would be difficult to imagine anyone encompassing more of England between two covers. -- Adam Nicolson * Evening Standard * This is one of the most handsome books I've come across in a long while. -- Paul Kingsnorth * Independent * ENGLAND IN PARTICULAR does everything that the ideal grandmother would, with equal charm and perhaps an even greater depth of accuracy and information. It should become part of every well-organised family. -- Clive AsletMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
John Murray Press
Illustrations
300 b+w, 50 colour
Dimensions
Height: 252 mm
Width: 200 mm
Thickness: 56 mm
Weight
1716 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-340-82616-4 (9780340826164)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Sue Clifford and Angela King founded the charity Common Ground in 1983 to promote local distinctiveness in all its forms and to campaign against the homogenisation of our surroundings. They have published many books, pamphlets and manifestos, and were behind the magnificent Flora Britannica project.