ENGLISH BOOKS

1918-2018 — RAF 100 by James Holland (Andrew Deutsch £25) ISBN 9780-2330-05263

This

well-illustrated volume traces the centenary of the RAF from the timber-framed tortoises of the First World War to the state of the art aircraft of the 21st century. (224pp, hardback)

PLANTS THAT KILL A Natural History of the World’s Most Poisonous Plants by Elizabeth A. Dauncey and Sonny Larsson (Kew £25) ISBN 9781-8424-66575

Alarge

number of plants can cause serious illness or even death, mainly to animals but occasionally to humans as well. This beautiful book is a botanist’s delight with superb colour photos, illustrations and text. (224pp, hardback)

THE BEST OF PUNCH CARTOONS 2,000 Humour Classics by Helen Walasek

(Carlton £35) ISBN 9781-8537-59963

What

a whopper! Anyone familiar with the erstwhile magazine Punch will know exactly what to expect from this scintillating collection of satirical cartoons down the years. The wartime humour is particularly interesting. (608pp, hardback)

SHIPS AND SEALING WAX AND MANY THINGS by Roger Paine (Penmore Press £11.50) ISBN 9781-9464-09164

The

74 chapters in this book relate to adventures at sea, churches, and general history. All different, they make an interesting collection, ideal for a good bedtime read. (400pp, hardback)

LADY SUE RYDER OF WARSAW by Tessa West (Shepheard Walwyn £19.95) ISBN 9780-8568-35209

Mention

Sue Ryder and one immediately thinks of charity shops and hospices but what do we know about the single-minded philanthropist behind them? This book tells you all you need to know about a great lady with a great vision. It also mentions her husband, the equally enterprising Group Captain Leonard Cheshire. (266pp, paperback)

THE MAKING OF THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS by Peter Hunt (Bodleian Library £12.99) ISBN 9781-8512-44799

How

did a famous book come to be written by a man with no interest in it and how did it become a children’s classic when it was almost entirely intended for adults? This splendid book gives the answers to both these curious conundrums. (112pp, paperback)

OUR STREET Growing up in the 1950s by Brian Carline (Palatine £7.99) ISBN 9781-9108-37122 FROST FAIRS TO FUNFAIRS A History of the English Fair by Allan Ford & Nick Corble

(Amberley £14.99) ISBN 9781-4466-61520

Complete

with many colour images this a superb account of how simple entertainment has graduated to modern and exciting gravitydefying rides. Of particular interest is the history of many other types of fairs down the years, including steam and agricultural. (96pp, paperback)

THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND’S CATHEDRALS by Nicholas Orme (Impress £20) ISBN 9781-9076-05925

An

excellent chronological account of how our cathedrals developed down the centuries. Well-illustrated throughout, the text is both interesting and informative, making it a real pleasure to dip into, or read from the beginning. (304pp, paperback)

The History of England’s Cathedrals is available by post from This England. For further details see page 88.

THE FORGOTTEN VCS The Far East during WW2 THE DESERT VCS North Africa during WW2 by Brian Best (Frontline £19.99) ISBN 9781-5267-17979 & ISBN 9781-5267-21068

Two

more volumes from a dedicated author who is to be congratulated on his ongoing research and publications relating to our highest military award for gallantry. (200pp, hardback)

CHURCHILL’S THIN GREY LINE British Merchant Ships at War 1939-1945 by Bernard Edwards

(Pen & Sword £19.99) ISBN 9781-5267-11663

Another

brilliant book by a retired sea captain and master wordsmith who recreates the past as though we were there among the frantic nautical action. Nobody does it better. (236pp, hardback)

YORKSHIRE’S SECRET CASTLES A concise guide and companion by Paul C. Levitt (Pen & Sword £12.99) ISBN 9781-5267-06201

This

guide traces obscure earthworks and timber castles erected across our largest county, mainly following the Norman Conquest between 1071 and 1145. The majority are now ruined with several merged into the local landscape but it makes a captivating quest. (148pp, paperback)

WOMEN’S LONDON by Rachel Kolsky (Lifestyle £14.99) ISBN 9781-5048-00822

Subtitled

“A tour guide to great lives” this is a wellillustrated volume although some of the women selected might raise a few eyebrows. However, there are enough examples to please everyone. (264pp, paperback)

SHAKESPEARE’S LONDON ON FIVE GROATS A DAY by Richard Tames

ANCIENT ROME ON FIVE DENARII A DAY by Philip Matyszak (Thames & Hudson £8.99) ISBN 9780-5002-93867 ISBN 9780-5002-93768

These

ingenious guides bring the past to life, by generating an image of the social, political, geographical and economic climate of the time. Previous companion volumes worth looking out for in the series include Ancient Athens on Five Drachmas a Day and Renaissance Florence on Five Florins a Day. Good fun! (160pp, paperback)

TOTAL ROAD CYCLING Ride Like a Pro (Unicorn £16.99) ISBN 9781-7873-90652

Asplendid

DIY guide to serious cycling. Beautifully illustrated in colour with every possible aspect covered in detail, this book will delight everyone interested in cycling, not just road racing. How to choose your bike, where to go for the best possible experience, how to fix a puncture, even a broken chain, it’s all there. (192pp, paperback)

CROOME A creation of genius by Catherine Gordon

(Scala £20) ISBN 9781-7855-11158

Capability

Brown was greater than his nickname implies because, in addition to his many fine landscaped grounds, he somehow found time to completely rebuild a large brickbuilt Jacobean country home at Croome Court in Worcestershire, into what is now a grand neo-palladian country pile and estate. How did he manage to fit everything in? This book goes a long way to answering the questions, not just about Croome but also his many other projects. (208pp, paperback)

THE DUN COW RIB A Very Natural Childhood by John Lister-kaye

(Canongate £20) ISBN 9781-7868-01457

The

author found fame as a naturalist after his friend, Gavin Maxwell, persuaded him to move to Scotland after he himself found fame with “Tarka the Otter”. This gripping account of the young Lister-kaye’s unfolding awareness of the natural world is sheer delight. (356pp, hardback)

Heartbeat and Beyond by John Fairley and Graham Ironside is a potted history covering 50 years of Yorkshire Television, bringing back many memories for those resident in the White Rose county and also for many more around the country. (Pen & Sword, 188pp, hardback, £25) ISBN 9781-4738-48269

Dominic Couzens is an ornithologist and in Songs of Love and War, The Dark Heart of Bird Behaviour he gives a detailed account of bird sound and how it relates to the mysterious world up in the sky. (Bloomsbury, 296pp, hardback, £16.99) ISBN 9781-4729-09916

Everybody knows someone suffering from mental illness which is far more prevalent than most people imagine and much more difficult to diagnose than physical illness. Being a churchgoer does not automatically make one immune and Freed From Shame by Dawn Holmes and Karen Todd is a down-to-earth attempt to help those who feel trapped. It is not intended to be a medical, scientific or clinical book but a publication seeking to help via a series of personal stories, supported by straightforward and beneficial explanations about depression. (Simplicate, 126pp, paperback, £8.99) ISBN 9781-7880-81955

Papiliones is the Latin name for butterflies and this delightful little book is a collection of information and poems about 34 different domestic varieties. The author, Jonathan Bradley, cleverly seeks to define the characteristics and habitat of each, mixed with a humorous twinkle along the way. Any profits go to butterfly conservation. (Choir Press 112pp, hardback, £15.95) ISBN 9781-9115-89211

Lost Lanes West, 36 Glorious Bike Rides in the West Country is a terrific publication and, dare one say, some of the selected routes are also suitable for motorists. Covering Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall the choices include where to stay, eat, enjoy wild swimming or simply take in the natural beauty of the surroundings. The colour photography is stunning and even if you don’t cycle or drive, just turning the pages of this book is a real pleasure. (Wild Things, 256pp, paperback, £16.99) ISBN 9781-9106-36138

Some women believed that militant behaviour delayed women’s suffrage but you can decide the truth for yourself by reading Jane Robinson’s Hearts and Minds, The Untold Story of the Great Pilgrimage and How Women Won the Vote. (Doubleday, 374pp, hardback, £20) ISBN 9780-8575-23914

Mapping Shakespeare by Jeremy Black is a lavishly illustrated colour volume but more about Tudor maps than about the bard himself. If you like old maps, however, then you will enjoy this large book because one can spend hours studying the detail in the many pictures. (Conway, 192pp, hardback, £25) ISBN 9781-4088-92725

Diesel locomotives have been around for more than 100 years but never pulled express trains on a regular basis until the middle of the 20th century. In the rush to preserve steam engines it is often overlooked that a huge number of diesels were also rescued to run on heritage railways. In BR Diesel Locomotives in Preservation, Fred Kerr has put together a marvellous collection of varied colour photos and related text. (Pen & Sword, 126pp, hardback, £25) ISBN 9781-5267-13087

Anyone interested in walking or even mountain biking our long distance footpaths, need look no further than the Trailblazer Guides. The latest is an updated version of the South Downs Way by Jim Manthorpe and Daniel Mccrohan, which explains how to plan your trip, together with a list of places to eat and stay, backed up with splendid hand-drawn maps and helpful information about what flora and fauna you can expect to find along the way. Other guides in this marvellous series include The Ridgeway, North Downs Way, North Devon, South Devon, Dales Way, Cleveland Way, Thames Path, Cotswold Way, Coast to Coast, Pennine Way, and both Cornwall and Dorset Coast Paths. Pocket-sized, these books are a real treat in themselves and probably the most comprehensive ever compiled about our long distance paths. Why not get up and go, even if you only plan to visit sections of the footpaths by car? (Trailblazer, 204pp, paperback, £11.99) ISBN 9781-9058-64935 www.trailblazer-guides.com

England’s Forgotten Past by Richard Tames is a witty and interesting bedtime book, full of unsung heroes and heroines, famous and not so famous battles and people, together with all kinds of other interesting facts — for example who was our most prolific and popular preacher? (Thames & Hudson, 192pp, paperback, £8.99) ISBN 9781-8468-92417

England’s Forgotten Past is available by post from This England. For further details see page 88.

Rex Sly is a Fensman and in Exploring the Fen-edge he traces the route of the Roman Car Dyke from Peterborough to Lincoln, visiting the villages and towns along the way. (Sly, 160pp, paperback, £14.99) ISBN 9781-9098-11416

Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire are a collage of colour pictures and text by photographer Peter Etteridge, available in Kindle. (Etteridge, 116pp, paperback, £2.99) ASIN B071DSHMZN & ASIN B078BLJMLD

Reimagining Britain, Foundations for Hope by Justin Welby is the Archbishop of Canterbury’s campaign to translate Christian theory into daily action. (Bloomsbury, 300pp, hardback, £16.99) ISBN 9781-4729-46972

An artist’s impression of what Croome Court in Worcestershire looked like before Capability Brown completely transformed the original Jacobean house and grounds into the neo-palladian style (see Croome).

If you aspire to becoming a serious pedaller then Road Cycling — Ride Like a Pro is a terrific guide which tells you everything you need to know. Not all rides have this idyllic scenic background though!

Amazingly, the Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui), migrates as far north as the Arctic Circle. “Cardui” means “thistles” on which the larvae feed (see Papiliones).

Hannah Hauxwell farmed alone in the High Pennines and became a reluctant star following a Yorkshire Television documentary (see Heartbeat and Beyond).

One of Henry VIII’S six new cathedrals, the former abbey at Peterborough, which was elevated together with Chester, Gloucester, Oxford, Bristol and Westminster (see The History of England’s Cathedrals).

A traditional Chair-o-plane (see Frost Fairs to Funfairs).

This is what St. Paul’s Cathedral looked like in Shakespeare’s day, the original spire having been destroyed by fire in 1561. In the foreground is St. Paul’s Cross, the most popular pulpit of its time (see Shakespeare’s London on Five Groats a Day).

One of several amusing cartoons illustrating Our Street.

For details of books that can be ordered from us, please see pages 88-89.

One of 2,000 illustrated chuckles in The Best of Punch Cartoons.

Beware eating wild berries which look inviting. This one is Woody Nightshade whose poisonous fruit ripen from green, via orange, to an attractive red (see Plants That Kill).

Toad and his chums outside Toad Hall (see The Making of The Wind in the Willows).