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Hailed as 'the finest portrait of rural England' by Roger Deakin and 'exquisite' by John Updike, Ronald Blythe's Akenfield is a masterful exploration of Suffolk's countryside. Published in 1969, this instant classic paints a vivid picture of village life through the authentic voices of its inhabitants.
With the precision of a detective and the eloquence of a storyteller, Blythe weaves together a tapestry of rural existence. He captures the reminiscences of Great War veterans, the concerns of young farm workers, and the personal accounts of local pillars such as the schoolteacher, doctor, blacksmith, saddler, district nurse, and magistrate.
This remarkable chronicle offers a window into a vanishing way of life, delving into the intricacies of land management, education, welfare, class structures, religious practices, and attitudes towards mortality. Akenfield stands as a unique and invaluable document, preserving the essence of a rural community on the cusp of significant change.
Acclaimed by the Observer as the work of 'the finest contemporary writer on the English countryside', Akenfield continues to captivate readers with its intimate portrayal of rural Suffolk, inviting them to step into a world both familiar and fascinatingly different from our own.
Book ISBN: | 9780141187921 |
Book Author: | Ronald Blythe |
Book Format: | Paperback / softback |
Book Imprint: | Penguin Classics |
Book Publisher: | Penguin Books Ltd |
Book Dimensions: | 195 x 129 x 17 cm |
Book Publication Date: | 2005-07-28 |
Book Pagination: | 288 pages |
Book Weight: | 218g |
Sherlock & Pages is a little bookshop with a big heart. We are based in Frome, Somerset, England and curate lists of books in the areas we are passionate about – landscape, nature, history, and heritage. In short, the conservation of all we’ve inherited and all we are responsible to pass on. We aim to inspire and be inspired, to form a literary culture of care and passion about this precious planet we call home.
This is a shop where you might find something you haven’t seen before, and we like to think we’ve got something for everyone. We choose each of our books with care and for a reason. This is because our physical store is small but beautifully formed, holding only around 1200 titles at any one time. We try and recreate the feel of the shop wherever we are online, to reflect our niche categories and personality.
We have an active social media presence and aim to share our story with all our friends. The long-term goal is to build a hub for the books and writers we believe in. Who knows where our adventure will lead but by supporting Sherlock & Pages you’re helping us to add a further layer of magic to our little corner of the world. If you haven’t visited our physical store, one day you might just make a literary pilgrimage down to Somerset.
Our tagline is ‘Long Live the Hedgerows’ and our symbol a hibernating dormouse. If you want to support an independent with a unique character and which will share stories with you for years to come, then choose Sherlock & Pages. The world needs bookshops with soul, for they are ‘citadels of light.’