by Max Hastings
First published 2005
Max Hastings turns from military history to celebrate rural Britain in this collection of essays and articles. The former Daily Telegraph editor writes about his outdoor passions, from pursuing grouse across Scottish moors to wading through Irish bogs after snipe. He describes salmon fishing on the River Tweed and other countryside adventures. Hastings also tackles contentious rural issues that divide modern Britain. He examines intensive farming practices, debates over gun ownership, and public access to private land. The fox hunting controversy receives particular attention as Hastings weighs tradition against animal welfare concerns. The book combines personal memoir with policy analysis, offering both celebration of country life and serious examination of the challenges facing rural communities. Hastings brings his journalist's eye and historian's perspective to questions about how Britain should balance conservation, recreation, and economic development in its countryside.
Genres: nature, essays, memoir, non-fiction
Vibes: celebratory, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-memoir, policy-analysis
Setting: Scotland, Ireland, River Tweed, Britain
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
288 pages · Hardcover · Harper Collins Publishers