Robert Twigger

The author, an inveterate walker, works out that a straight line drawn north to south through England connects many ancient, historical sites including Stonehenge and Avebury and ending in the semi-island of Lindisfarne off the north east coast. He's not a believer in ley lines but he understands that place can harbour the intangible. Give you a connection to something other worldly. He decides to walk the line. He camps as he goes along, from time to time reluctantly staying in a B and B or a hostel but mostly happily content in his little tent whatever the weather. He has an admirable contempt for 'private, keep out' signs. He sleeps in all sorts of odd little hidden spots in woodlands, farmland or even the front garden of a stately home. An amusing companion with an acerbic, cynical but open and friendly view of the world. He chats to people but prefers his own company. Walking, as it often does, prompts philosophising and reminiscing. As many digressions as descriptions and all the better for it.… (mais)

This was a dreadful disappointment, and quite definitely the worst book I have suffered so far this year. That was frustrating because the potential for it to be a good book was so strong.

I had expected intriguing accounts of the countryside and historical locations that the author's route took him to, but instead there were some desperately unsuccessful attempts at a sort of laddish humour. Well I laughed until I stopped.

I can’t summon the mental energy required to say any more.… (mais)

This book is described as the "fascinating tale of nature, civilization, and history" of the Pere David's deer, in which "Robert Twigger poignantly recounts the story of this strange and rare animal." Those statements are patently false. This book is not an account of the natural and human-related history of the Pere David's deer (or milu), that information is barely a framing device. Instead, the reader will find meandering stories about the difficulty the author had in finding a secondhand book story in Cairo, the various lunches he had with his agent, and how computers are ruining library cataloging.… (mais)