Book Review — 27 Dec
By James Rebanks
What a wonderful read. I really liked the intergenerational approach with James’s use of past, present and future self and his determination not to take sides or to perpetuate that but to get chest high in the messiness which at times has clearly weighed heavily.
James's highly descriptive recount of the past is a helpful guide to utopia, and one at which I found myself nodding along to and looking at my small patch of England pondering about what I may do.
There one thing where I think I slightly disagree, though I can see why James should emphasize that farming is not ‘just another business’ p172 ‘it takes place in a natural setting and affects the natural world directly and profoundly’ p173 It feels to me as though the cycles and systems which James describes are more profoundly felt the closer you are to a natural setting. My disagreement is that though other business may not be that close they all effect the natural world profoundly even it may seem indirect or take many more cycles.
I think more than anything I’m saying there is a lot we can all learn no matter your business or perspective from James’s journey, it was a pleasure to go on this leg with him.
