Rural communities / rural life Books

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Book SynopsisA Fethering village cozy mysteryInvited to a Private View of the work of controversial artist Denzil Willoughby, the good citizens of Fethering are not quite sure what to expect. And it turns out to be a lively affair, culminating in several embarrassing confrontations. But what no one could have anticipated was that the evening would end in sudden, violent death. The police seem happy to accept that it was suicide, but Fethering residents Carole and Jude remain unconvinced . . .

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Book Synopsis'I thoroughly enjoyed this intriguing mystery set in a beautiful location with deliciously menacing undercurrents.' Frances EveshamIt was meant to be a safe place to start again...In need of an escape from her failing marriage, Nia agrees to house-sit her aunt’s cottage on the Isle of Wight. She feels sure the cosy close in a quaint harbour town will be a safe place to hide and figure out what to do next.But things are not all as they seem in the close, and the neighbours who welcome her with open arms, are keeping secrets. When Nia finds the body of one of her new friends lying on the beach, she feels sickeningly sure that the killer is dangerously near to home.Who killed her friend and why did she have to die? And if Nia discovers the answers she’s looking for, is she next on their hit list? Good neighbours may become good friends, but they can also make deadly enemies… Mary Grand's intricate psychological mysteries set on the Isle of Wight are perfect for fans of Claire Douglas, Lucy Foley, Agatha Christie and The Isle of Wight Murders.What readers are saying about Mary Grand:'Truly a great puzzler with a superb ending! I HIGHLY Recommend!!!''Wow I'm so so impressed it had me gripped start to finish and I couldn't put it down. I completed within 1 night and such a page turner''So many twists and turns to keep the reader guessing to the very end. An excellent read.''Brilliant if you love psychological thrillers like me.''A sinister "whodunit" that is not your typical police procedural.'

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Book SynopsisDeep in the Somerset countryside, the Combe Pomeroy village library hosts a monthly book club.Ruth the librarian fears she’s too old to find love, but a discussion about Lady Chatterley’s Lover makes her think again.Aurora doesn’t feel seventy-two and longs to relive the excitement of her youth, while Verity is getting increasingly tired of her husband Mark’s grumpiness and wonders if their son’s imminent flight from the nest might be just the moment for her to fly too. And Danielle is fed up with her cheating husband. Surely life has more in store for her than to settle for second best?The glue that holds Combe Pomeroy together is Jeannie. Doyenne of the local cider farm and heartbeat of her family and community, no one has noticed that Jeannie needs some looking after too. Has the moment for her to retire finally arrived, and if so, what does her future hold?From a book club French exchange trip, to many celebrations at the farm, this is the year that everything changes, that lifelong friendships are tested, and for some of the women, they finally get the love they deserve.Judy Leigh is back with her unmistakable recipe of friendship and fun, love and laughter. The perfect feel-good novel for all fans of Dawn French, Dee Macdonald and Cathy Hopkins.Readers love Judy Leigh:‘Loved this from cover to cover, pity I can only give this 5 stars as it deserves far more.’‘The story’s simply wonderful, the theme of second chances will resonate whatever your age, there’s something for everyone among the characters, and I do defy anyone not to have a tear in their eye at the perfect ending.’‘With brilliant characters and hilarious antics, this is definitely a cosy read you'll not want to miss.’‘A lovely read of how life doesn't just end because your getting old.’‘A great feel-good and fun story that made me laugh and root for the characters.’Praise for Judy Leigh:‘Brilliantly funny, emotional and uplifting’ Miranda Dickinson'Lovely . . . a book that assures that life is far from over at seventy' Cathy Hopkins bestselling author of The Kicking the Bucket List'Brimming with warmth, humour and a love of life… a wonderful escapade’ Fiona Gibson

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Book SynopsisBorn to Farm sheds light upon the enormous changes that have taken place in farming over the past 90 years, as seen through the eyes of one of the participants. It is an absorbing and fascinating autobiography; the author's enthusiasm and quest for knowledge, his ingenuity and practical skills, have enabled him to keep abreast of changes in the wider world while building up the family farming enterprise in Suffolk. The author's early memories of the 1930s and of his school days, evoke a bygone era in the countryside and on the farm. Lifelong learning is a theme which runs through the book. Opportunities for learning and travel through the Young Farmers' Club, for example, are described with humour and give an insight into farming both in the UK and the USA during the 1950s. Back on Red House Farm, David Black deals with everyday challenges as he progresses from dogsbody to decision-maker. Problem-solving is part of a farmer's life and no aspect of the business escapes his steady hand and scrutiny. Gradually, the huge variety of crops grown is streamlined but not before we've learned about harnessing horses and draining the land, about virus-free strawberry plants and fields of tulips and peonies, of cocksfoot and fescue. Pigs are an important aspect of the family business and the evolution of suitable feed mixes, pig housing, breeding and outdoor rearing, integrated with cereal production and milling on the farm, makes compelling reading. Changes to field sizes and to farm buildings and the provision of housing for farm workers are all covered, with many interesting anecdotes. The value of sharing knowledge and of co-operation with other farmers - both formally and informally - is made apparent. The author is full of admiration for the contributions of others, but modest about his own considerable achievements. Hard work, encouragement of others, and a 'can do' attitude summarise his approach. Family life is explored and glimpses into village life provide an interesting social history of the period. Working alongside family members has its own rewards and challenges and the journey has begun along the path to secure a way forward for future generations.Table of ContentsFOREWORD v AUTHOR'S NOTE vii INTRODUCTION ix Chapter 1 EARLY MEMORIES 1 Chapter 2 SCHOOL DAYS 24 Chapter 3 BIB AND BRACES 39 Chapter 4 THE YOUNG FARMERS' CLUB 70 Chapter 5 BROADENING HORIZONS 100 Chapter 6 PIGS 114 Chapter 7 FARM BUILDINGS 153 Chapter 8 CO-OPERATIVE ACTIVITIES 170 Chapter 9 FAMILY LIFE 191 Chapter 10 REFLECTIONS 218

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Book SynopsisThis social history of the 'ordinary' people of the south-western peninsula of Argyll, in Western Scotland, has become a classic since its original publication in 1984. It is reprinted here with a new Introduction by the author, a native of Kintyre who knows its geography intimately. The greater part of the book is based on original research from a wide range of sources, from nineteenth century registers of the poor to material passed on through the oral tradition. It traces the evolution of the extraordinarily mixed stock of Kintyre from the Gaelic settlement in the fifth century AD through the subsequent settlements of the Lowlanders and Irish, and explores the nature of these diverse cultural legacies. The darker aspects of social history - epidemic diseases, sanitary and housing conditions and destitution - are also explored, and the sinister activities of grave-robbers in nineteenth century Kintyre are substantiated for the first time. There is also information on Irish immigrant families, the anglicisation of native surnames and surviving Gaelic elements in the local dialect.

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Book Synopsisn the past decade, spanning from the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis to the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, rural poverty in the United States has risen dramatically. The impact of the pandemic is set to intensify these inequalities as the decades of neoliberal dismantling of public healthcare and other social institutions leave inhabitants of impoverished rural areas particularly vulnerable.Even before this current exacerbation, representations of rural landscape in American cinema have sought to spatially visualize the country’s social inequalities and focus on the victims of poverty and marginalization. The films discussed in this monograph, Ballast (2008), Winter’s Bone (2010), Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012), and Leave No Trace (2018), address deep rural poverty in a complex manner and facilitate an interactive, social understanding of landscape.New Rural Cinema suggest a novel way of looking at landscape in cinema that responds to and guides its readers through this recent development in American Independent film. It views the chosen films as expressions of a growing awareness of the dire inequality caused by neoliberal capitalism in the United States and the role landscape plays both in its mechanisms of social exclusion as well as in its collective contestation.

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