The Gnome King reviewed Meadowland by John Lewis-Stempel
Review of 'Meadowland' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
If you want to read a book about a piece of land where the writer is truly in love with that piece of land then this is the book for you. So many people will probably come across a meadow and see only a field, so few are going to see things through the eyes of John Lewis-Stempel. His knowledge of all the types of animals, flowers, bugs and even grasses is incredible. Whenever I read a nature book I try to remember one thing and then go and identify it in the wild, this time around I am focusing on the awesome sounding "Wolf Spider" I get them in my garden and will now be able to identify them as I save my wife and eldest daughter from being eaten alive by one of them.
You can't help but compare this book with Roger Deakin's Notes from Walnut Tree …
If you want to read a book about a piece of land where the writer is truly in love with that piece of land then this is the book for you. So many people will probably come across a meadow and see only a field, so few are going to see things through the eyes of John Lewis-Stempel. His knowledge of all the types of animals, flowers, bugs and even grasses is incredible. Whenever I read a nature book I try to remember one thing and then go and identify it in the wild, this time around I am focusing on the awesome sounding "Wolf Spider" I get them in my garden and will now be able to identify them as I save my wife and eldest daughter from being eaten alive by one of them.
You can't help but compare this book with Roger Deakin's Notes from Walnut Tree Farm and whilst they are a similar blend of nature, musings, poetry and life on the farm each author has such a strong voice they feel so different. Deakin wrote a lot of his book whilst sat at his desk indoors, John Lewis-Stempel is outside in the meadow for the whole of the book. The level of detail in this book is greater too, who knew there was so much life in a cow pat.
Blog post is here> felcherman.wordpress.com/2018/11/17/meadowland-the-private-life-of-an-english-field-by-john-lewis-stempel/
