Walking Forum
Main Boards => General Walking Discussion => Topic started by: archaeoroutes on 18:25:38, 07/04/20
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I thought we could have a thread for recommending walking-related books (especially useful at the moment).
I'll kick off with The Ascent of Rum Doodle (https://amzn.to/3aXpCag) - an hilarious spoof Himalayan ascent.
There is actually now a real Mount Run Doodle - named by Antarctic scientists after the titular mountain in this book.
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I'll see your Rum Doodle and I'll raise you 'Bothy Tales' by John D Burns - a hilarious look at bothies and those that visit them.
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Robert Louise Stevenson 'Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes' a free download. He also wrote another one, a small boat trip down Belgium canals, sorry can't remember the title.
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The unexpected journey of Harold Fry.
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Bill Bryson - A walk in the woods
Nicholas Crane - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Nicholas-Crane/s?rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3ANicholas+Crane
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The unexpected journey of Harold Fry.
I think UK title is “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Howard Fry” by Rachel Joyce? I agree it’s a wonderful book
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Bill Bryson - A walk in the woods
Great book. Shame about the film.
Nicholas Crane - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Nicholas-Crane/s?rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3ANicholas+Crane (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Nicholas-Crane/s?rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3ANicholas+Crane)
I've read Clear Waters Rising a couple of times - not entirely to my taste, although must have been an incredible walk.
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Bill Bryson - A walk in the woods
Was that the one where he recounts the tale about the mother who covers her son’s hand with honey so the “cuddly” bear will lick it off?
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I think UK title is “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Howard Fry” by Rachel Joyce? I agree it’s a wonderful book
You are absolutely right.
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The first John Burns book, 'the last hillwalker is quite funny too. But my all time favourite is John Hillary's Walking through Britain.
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That should be John Hillaby. Why do phones always think they know best?
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As I walked out one Midsummer's morning - Laurie Lee. Read it for the first time as a teenager at school for English Lit, have had a copy all through my adult life and still one of my favourite reads. Have walked part of his journey, always promised myself when I retire I'll do as much of the walk as I can. Keep meaning to pick up a copy of My Midsummer Morning by Alastair Humphreys, I'll maybe put it on my birthday wishlist :D
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I'll see your Rum Doodle and I'll raise you 'Bothy Tales' by John D Burns - a hilarious look at bothies and those that visit them.
Love both these books and Walk in the Woods, definitely recommend all three.
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For anyone remotely interested in maps, read "On the Map" by Simon Garfield. Unputdownable!
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If you really want to get stuck in to something substantial to keep you going during lockdown, I recommend the collections of mountain travel books by HW Tilman and Eric Shipton - books that I keep returning to time and time again.
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If you really want to get stuck in to something substantial to keep you going during lockdown, I recommend the collections of mountain travel books by HW Tilman and Eric Shipton - books that I keep returning to time and time again.
In a similar vein, and there is some walking content!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shackleton-Endurance-Conquer-Michael-Smith-ebook/dp/B07ZZHY4M5/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=shackleton&qid=1586334345&sr=8-8 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shackleton-Endurance-Conquer-Michael-Smith-ebook/dp/B07ZZHY4M5/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=shackleton&qid=1586334345&sr=8-8)
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Snowball Earth
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Snowball-Earth-Gabrielle-Walker/dp/0747568502 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Snowball-Earth-Gabrielle-Walker/dp/0747568502)
I have a Kindle and put BorrowBox on it. Can get the local library eBooks now.
Think they have all the Bill Bryson. I like both the film and the book of Walk in the Woods.
[Slight claim to fame, Bill Bryson took my advert, and cash, when he worked at the Bournemouth Evening Echo]
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The Salt Path - Raynor Winn
Her first book. The second due out at the end of this month
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I'm with Mel - The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
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Jac even!
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I enjoyed Wild by Cheryl Strayed about her walk on the Pacific Crest Trail. The book is much better than the film they made.
Keep meaning to read The Salt Path, will put it on the list.
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The Salt Path - Raynor Winn
Her first book. The second due out at the end of this month
Living a mile from the SWCP, I have never heard anyone refer to it as 'The Path', ever.
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Living a mile from the SWCP, I have never heard anyone refer to it as 'The Path', ever.
:D You have now ;D
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The Great Divide : A Walk Through America along the Continental Divide
by Stephen Pern
Walking in the Watershed
by Dave Hewitt
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Islandplodder - that is one of my all time favourite books. I've read lots of times
and its the book that changed my life! I decided to do the walk and have never regretted it. (I'm referring to Journey Through Britain by John Hillaby). His Journey Through Europe was good too but didn't much like his final book, Journey Through Love.
Currently reading House of Spies, factual account of the security services from WW1
onwards.
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I read it when I was 21 and promised myself I would do the walk. Then there was work, family and kids and I didn't get round to it. I reread it about every 5 years, and am hoping I haven't left it too late. I'll have to do it soon, I make plans when the winter weather traps me inside! Maybe start at the Lizard and take in Dunnet head.
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Book Four The Southern Fells ~ A. Wainwright
The Book of The Bivvy - Ronald Turnbull
The Villain The Life of Don Whillans
I-spy Dinosaurs.
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As I walked out one Midsummer's morning - Laurie Lee. Read it for the first time as a teenager at school for English Lit, have had a copy all through my adult life and still one of my favourite reads.
I, too have read this book. My only gripe with Lee, his writing makes him comes across very much the wet lettuce, almost limp-wristed at times. As a schoolboy, our English Lit teacher had us read Bukowski and Hemingway.
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Finding this thread a tad frustrating. All these superb books to read - but unless I invest heavily in amazon no chance to read them at the moment as I've not delved into on line books(yet)
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Finding this thread a tad frustrating. All these superb books to read - but unless I invest heavily in amazon no chance to read them at the moment as I've not delved into on line books(yet)
Try the library.
You can get an amazing amount of books online for free.
(can files be attached to message?)
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Just started Reinhold Messners superb book, "The Crystal Horizon" about his solo climb up Mt Everest.
Its been a few years since ive read it, and with lots of spare time on my hands, i thought i would revist its pages.
A great read, and it still impresses me, to think he climbed the mountain totally alone, with his girlfriend waiting patiently at basecamp.
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The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
Me too, not usually my sort of read but really enjoyed it
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Not a recommendation but I have a book on Kindle and it will be free to download as an e book over this weekend, it's for kids 10 - 16 ish. I would love to make it free while the lockdown exists but am constrained by Amazon rules.
The title is "Howerton", author Bob Pitt.
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Not a recommendation but I have a book on Kindle and it will be free to download as an e book over this weekend, it's for kids 10 - 16 ish. I would love to make it free while the lockdown exists but am constrained by Amazon rules.
The title is "Howerton", author Bob Pitt.
Excellent. Not my age range, way too advanced.
A couple of friends of mine are authors, one had a good deal from a publishing house, the other self publishes. I suggested Amazon to her the other day, is it easy to do, do you have to get it approved?
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Very easy to do, it goes through a short approval process. All advice and guidance is on the site. I'm no Oxford don and found it fun, if not rewarding.
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Very, very easy to get the books up. And so are most of the other retailers (Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Google, etc.) Apple make it a bit harder (by trying to enforce you have to have one of their devices to upload it) but still easily doable.
The hard bit is getting anyone to buy it!
I make a few hundred pounds on fallow months, mostly from my novels, but this can rise to £1500-2000 if I'm working on the promotion. Compared to other authors I know, that's peanuts.
I hang on to my marginal claim to kudos of having been the 5th best-selling science-fiction author in the world (according to Amazon). It was a for a few hours!
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Very, very easy to get the books up. And so are most of the other retailers (Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Google, etc.) Apple make it a bit harder (by trying to enforce you have to have one of their devices to upload it) but still easily doable.
The hard bit is getting anyone to buy it!
I make a few hundred pounds on fallow months, mostly from my novels, but this can rise to £1500-2000 if I'm working on the promotion. Compared to other authors I know, that's peanuts.
I hang on to my marginal claim to kudos of having been the 5th best-selling science-fiction author in the world (according to Amazon). It was a for a few hours!
Who were the other four.
I shall have a word with my friend again, to her a few hundred is a lot of cash.
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Very easy to do, it goes through a short approval process. All advice and guidance is on the site. I'm no Oxford don and found it fun, if not rewarding.
Tahnks, she is an Oxford graduate, and a Cambridge graduate. Some people are just greedy when it comes to education, but she did pay cash for both of them as she is foreign.
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Who were the other four.
I shall have a word with my friend again, to her a few hundred is a lot of cash.
No idea, who they were. And I have to stress how fleeting it was!
There's a huge amount to getting it right. Good cover is an easy one to sort. Get reviews, lots of reviews, and with Amazon's T&C. Write more. Build up good relationships with other authors - loads of us know how lucky we were with established authors helping us at the start and pay back how we can. Lots of other things. But the biggest is - be lucky.
Tahnks, she is an Oxford graduate, and a Cambridge graduate. Some people are just greedy when it comes to education, but she did pay cash for both of them as she is foreign.
I'm only Cambridge (BA, MSci, MA) but my partner's both (BA Cantab, DPhil Oxon).
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I would love to make it free while the lockdown exists but am constrained by Amazon rules.
I guess you are in KDP Select and using your free days? How long left on your term?
Once you can get out of it, you can publish wide, set price to free on other channels then get Amazon to price match. Sorry if that's teaching you to suck eggs.
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Unfortunately out of print but I highly rate One Man and His Bog by Barry Pilton as a very funny read.
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF-_-home-_-Results&an=&tn=one+man+and+his+bog&kn=&isbn= (https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF-_-home-_-Results&an=&tn=one+man+and+his+bog&kn=&isbn=)
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I have a copy which I re-read every few years, must get it down again.
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Quite old now and hard to find,
"The man who walked through time". The story of walking through the Grand Canyon.
"The Thousand mile summer". A walk through California before the Pacific crest trail had been thought about.
Both by Colin Fletcher.
"Cape to Cape" by John Sutcliffe. A walk from Cape Cornwall to Cape Wrath by a 70 year old.
As has already been mentioned the mountain travel and sailing books of H.W. Tilman and the books of Eric Shipton.
"An Arctic Odyssey", Richard Sale and Tony Oliver.
"Mountain days and Bothy nights" and the follow on "A view from the ridge". Both by Dave Brown and Ian Mitchell.
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"Touching the Void" by Joe Simpson would be an interesting choice in the Andes.
Keep it to hand, or not.
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"Touching the Void" by Joe Simpson would be an interesting choice in the Andes.
Keep it to hand, or not.
I was in the Cordillera Blanca 80km north of them when that happened.
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Unfortunately out of print but I highly rate One Man and His Bog by Barry Pilton as a very funny read.
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF-_-home-_-Results&an=&tn=one+man+and+his+bog&kn=&isbn= (https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF-_-home-_-Results&an=&tn=one+man+and+his+bog&kn=&isbn=)
On my shelf somewhere - will locate and revisit :)
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On my shelf somewhere - will locate and revisit :)
If enough of us have a copy we should read it at the same time.
What happens at a book club? In my head it is a group of women getting together to drink prosecco and compare the inadequacies of their men but I suppose reading may have some slight connection to it too.
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If enough of us have a copy we should read it at the same time.
What happens at a book club? In my head it is a group of women getting together to drink prosecco and compare the inadequacies of their men but I suppose reading may have some slight connection to it too.
I can assure you that a ladies book club is a gathering of highly intellectual, discerning and knowledgeable women enjoying in depth discussion and strong well informed opinions on the book currently under review in which prosecco has no part.
No doubt why I've never been invited to join one
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If there was book club that was specifically for the reading of Tim Dorsey novels, I'd happily join. I'd likely even find myself as the founder of the aforementioned book club. And I highly doubt that prosecco would be the drink of choice in the book club, save for when there's nothing else left to drink.
I'm presently reading Tim Dorsey's Hurricane Punch
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I thought he played the jazz trombone. I remember getting sentimental over it. ;)
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I will happily read many types of book, both factual and fiction. However, I cannot fathom why I would want to get together with a group of other people and discuss the book, even if alcohol was involved. This probably goes back to my least favourite subject at school - English Literature. I just couldn’t see the point of it as a subject. At the time I read between 50 and 100 books per year, but resented being asked to write meaningless essays about them. Even worse was Shakespeare. Why would any sane human want to read a play in olde English? Enforced visits to the theatre to see the plays made it worse. I have read and enjoyed Dickens, Hardy and Solzhenitsyn, but just couldn’t get into Shakespeare. Worst of all in this class was poetry. Why make teenaged kids read and write about poetry, unless it is being used as a form of torture?
So, to me, a book club seems like a waste of good drinking or reading time. Am I a Phiilistine?
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I felt the same way Philis. Probably why I ended up doing sciency things in the 6th form. I enjoy watching Shakespeare's plays now but I still would not sit down and read one.
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I thought he played the jazz trombone. I remember getting sentimental over it. ;)
Two Tim Dorsey's, who would have believed it? lol. I'm still trying to get my head around there being two 'Ronaldos'
Admittedly, at least one of them is now affectionately and more commonly know as 'Fat' Ronaldo. Which probably serves as a sharp reminder, if you're commonly known by a single name only, somebody is likely to get pushed out of the limelight! If you're a doppleganger, not so much.
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So, to me, a book club seems like a waste of good drinking or reading time. Am I a Phiilistine?
No, you're not a philistine. But if you had ever read Tim Dorsey books, you'd get the joke about a group of like-minded people coming together to read his books. It would be like a book reading club whereby Nurse Ratched presided, and all hell broke loose.
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I will happily read many types of book, both factual and fiction. However, I cannot fathom why I would want to get together with a group of other people and discuss the book, even if alcohol was involved.
I would no more want to join a book club than I would a walking group! :)
This probably goes back to my least favourite subject at school - English Literature. I just couldn’t see the point of it as a subject. At the time I read between 50 and 100 books per year, but resented being asked to write meaningless essays about them. Even worse was Shakespeare. Why would any sane human want to read a play in olde English? Enforced visits to the theatre to see the plays made it worse. I have read and enjoyed Dickens, Hardy and Solzhenitsyn, but just couldn’t get into Shakespeare. Worst of all in this class was poetry. Why make teenaged kids read and write about poetry, unless it is being used as a form of torture?
I studied English Literature at degree level, so I read a lot of Shakespeare and actually enjoyed it! :) Loved poetry
But those books now just sit on my shelves. Other interests have taken over.
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Even worse was Shakespeare. Why would any sane human want to read a play in olde English? Enforced visits to the theatre to see the plays made it worse.
I had the real advantage of not being made to read any Shakespeare as our school were trialling a new Olevel syllabus. I felt that this was a gap in my education and in my late teens decided that before I went to college I should read some. It was not easy but I wanted to do it so stuck with it and now like it. Young people reading Shakespeare plays is like getting them to read an accurate description of a rugby match without ever having seen a match or knowing what the rules are.
Some things you just have to work at to appreciate. I know nothing about whisky, if you offer me one I'll drink it but give me the cheap stuff I just don't get why some people will wax lyrical about one and not another.
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When I was still living in London I took my parents to see a production of The Tempest at Regent's Park open air theatre, at the interval I asked my dad what he thought, his reply "very good apart from the fu$£!ng torturous language" :) and this from someone who loves opera....
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I saw an NSC production of The Tempest last year. Whatever Shakespeare was smoking when he wrote that - I want some. Definitely not the easiest play.
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As with everything some operas/plays, and also some productions of them, are better than others.
Opera is definitely something that can grow on you over time, though so can varrucas.
I appreciate opera more now than I once did but I wouldn't pay for a ticket.
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I saw an NSC production of The Tempest last year.
I give up ninthace, put me out of my misery. I can't think of a theatre company whose initials are NSC that did the Tempest last year.
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I give up ninthace, put me out of my misery. I can't think of a theatre company whose initials are NSC that did the Tempest last year.
You are right, it felt like last year, Mrs N says it was before that and it was the RSC, I beg their pardon. Simon Russell Beale was in it. This one https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/nov/18/the-tempest-review-simon-russell-beale-rsc (https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/nov/18/the-tempest-review-simon-russell-beale-rsc) When you get to my degree of venerability, all the years feel the same.
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Thanks, it was just niggling me that I couldn't place it.
Some Shakespeare performances can feel like they drag from 1 year in to the next.
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NSC - New Shakespeare Company, that takes me back a few years, enjoyed several of their productions at Regent's Park, I particularly remember seeing Sheridan Smith perform the roles of Hermia (Midsummer night's dream) and Bianca (Taming of the Shrew) for the NSC, also if memory serves correct remember Christopher Biggins being in the same production of Taming.
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NSC - New Shakespeare Company, that takes me back a few years, enjoyed several of their productions at Regent's Park, I particularly remember seeing Sheridan Smith perform the roles of Hermia (Midsummer night's dream) and Bianca (Taming of the Shrew) for the NSC, also if memory serves correct remember Christopher Biggins being in the same production of Taming.
Now I do like the Taming of the Shrew - more my level. Call me a Philistine but the liked the Burton/Taylor version
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NSC - New Shakespeare Company, that takes me back a few years, enjoyed several of their productions at Regent's Park
They changes their name a few years ago to drop the Shakespeare bit, which some people didn't approve of, they are now Regents Park Theatre. They also stopped producing Midsummer Nights Dream every year which at one time would have been like shooting the ravens at the Tower of London.
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Now I do like the Taming of the Shrew - more my level. Call me a Philistine but the liked the Burton/Taylor version
I too like the Taming of the Shrew and have been fortunate enough to see many performances of it over the years. I think my favourite live performance though had to be at the Leeds Playhouse, Nicola McAuliffe played Katherina and Brian Protheroe - Petruchio.
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Bringing together 2 strands of this thread, one of my favourite times in the theatre was Verdi's Macbeth
http://www.planethugill.com/2017/07/rethinking-early-verdi-gripping-1847.html (http://www.planethugill.com/2017/07/rethinking-early-verdi-gripping-1847.html)
Stephen Gadd and Kate Ladner as Mr & Mrs M.
The moment I realised that the witches were doing the dance from Byonce's All The Single Ladies was a particular highlight.
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For me, it's Shakespeare's Henry V. Brian Blessed's ultimatum was something else. And his attempts at Mt. Everest without oxygen were commendable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKHihAPr2Rc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKHihAPr2Rc)
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Has anyone read McFarlane? I've just started but it looks good.
By other authors, I'd recommend Wild, and The Living Mountain.
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I can assure you that a ladies book club is a gathering of highly intellectual, discerning and knowledgeable women enjoying in depth discussion and strong well informed opinions on the book currently under review in which prosecco has no part.
No doubt why I've never been invited to join one
;D There are some out there that include both :D
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And for the romantically inclined or those who have a "thing" for big hills, know what I mean big, nudge, nudge, say no more, phwoar - look at the contours on that.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1574337.The_Man_Who_Married_a_Mountain (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1574337.The_Man_Who_Married_a_Mountain)
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Just finished Mountain Days and Bothy Nights.
About to start Bothy Tales.
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As anyone read McFarlane? I've just started but it looks good.
I have read some of his stuff but don't warm to them. People buy them for me but I wouldn't spend my own money.
Just finished Mountain Days and Bothy Nights.
About to start Bothy Tales.
Love those, I think I got them on your recommendation Richard.
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;D There are some out there that include both :D
I wonder how you know that April!
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After all the recommendations on here I bought The Salt Path when I saw it in Tescos last week. Really enjoying it. :) Thanks
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Not sure whether it's been mentioned already and can't be bothered to read back and check, but.
No picnic on Mount Kenya, by Felice Benuzzi. The story of two prisoners of war in Kenya who were in a camp in Nanyuki below My Kenya. Being climbers they found the mountain irresistible. So, they escaped and went to try and climb it. What followed is a fantastic adventure.
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Thanks Owen.
I have read most of the books mentioned in this thread but not that one.
I looked it up and it seems a fascinating story.
I will order it tonight.
Cheers
:)
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No picnic on Mount Kenya, by Felice Benuzzi. The story of two prisoners of war in Kenya who were in a camp in Nanyuki below My Kenya. Being climbers they found the mountain irresistible. So, they escaped and went to try and climb it. What followed is a fantastic adventure.
Brilliant, brilliant book. I read it and then bought copies to give as gifts.
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I've been recently reading The Man Who Hated Mars. But it's all about fantasy / fiction. If you like such categories - then highly recommend.
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Not sure whether it's been mentioned already and can't be bothered to read back and check, but.
No picnic on Mount Kenya, by Felice Benuzzi. The story of two prisoners of war in Kenya who were in a camp in Nanyuki below My Kenya. Being climbers they found the mountain irresistible. So, they escaped and went to try and climb it. What followed is a fantastic adventure.
Looks like a good recommendation. I've read Tilman's account of his adventures on Mount Kenya.
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I'm re-reading 'Fatal Passage' - a biography of John Rae, all about his exploits in the far north of Canada, and discoverer of the last section of the North West passage. An extraordinary man.
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Richard Gilberts 200 Challenge Walks in Britain & Ireland.
224 pages of inspirational ideas, for your next adventure in the BIG OUTDOORS
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The Story of the British isles in a 100 places by Neil Oliver. Details 100 sites and their important contribution to history.