I’ve been reading this one for a while, having picked up a copy for myself when I ordered one for my best friend, Emma, for her last birthday. I sort of had it in mind that we might read it together, and that’s indeed what we’ve been doing over quite a chunk of Lockdown. In fact, I just checked, and we started reading it (and sent the photos to each other that I saved as a screenshot; I can’t believe how short my hair is there!) on 19 May, and we finished it on 27 August. We didn’t read it every Thursday evening, but many Thursday evenings, with Messenger on but not a video call, and we both agree that it was a lovely link to each other and a really nice, slow way to read a book we might have rushed through on our own.
Simon Barnes – “Rewild Yourself”
(11 October 2019)
A great book made up of short chapters on how to (re)introduce yourself to nature – starting with the ever-important purchase of a pair of waterproof trousers. There are odd chapter quotes from Lewis and Tolkien which I found a bit disruptive but were obviously important to the author, and lovely illustrations.
Easy-win plants, birds and trees and traces of animals passing by are described, allowing the reader to feel they are getting somewhere. There are lovely descriptions and things I didn’t know as well as those I did, including the fact that seals doze vertically “like a vast bottle” and male blue tits have an ultraviolet crest that allows them to identify each other but is invisible of course to us.
It’s funny on birders, reassuring the reader that they won’t be taken for a ‘proper’ birder unless they have the right equipment:
Birders are as good at identifying each other as they are at identifying a drake smew from the opposite side of the reservoir. (p. 73)
There’s some trespassing on the water with a man in a green polo shirt stopping their progress which (Bookish Beck coincidence alert) reminded me at the time of Nick Hayes’ “The Book of Trespass” which I was reading for Shiny New Books at the time. Barnes does criticise runners, however only seemingly the ones who think they’re out in nature when they’re immersed in the music from their headphones, and I can smugly say I don’t do that (mainly because I wear headphones a lot for work) and do have a lovely time listening to bird song and stopping to peer at naturey stuff when I’m out running.
A good book full of great ideas that can be done very easily, and perfect for a relaxed readalong.
Rebecca Foster
Sep 03, 2020 @ 10:34:21
Yay, you found a book serendipity moment 🙂 I skimmed this one from the library and I remember feeling that too many of his ideas relied on expensive kit…
I’ve enjoyed doing readalongs this year, mostly Carol Shields books with Buried in Print.
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Liz Dexter
Sep 03, 2020 @ 11:49:07
There was a bit when Em felt sad because she hadn’t been to x places to see y birds and I had to explain I had only seen a white-tailed eagle because a) it was pointed out to me b) on a quite expensive birding holiday with my more-committed-birdwatcher-than-me husband. So yes. But it was a good “slow” read. There’s another serendipity moment on Saturday for you to spot!
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wadholloway
Sep 03, 2020 @ 11:43:21
You could probably do nature in Australia without waterproof trousers though boots are a good idea, in case you stand on a snake. But what is a drake smew?
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Liz Dexter
Sep 03, 2020 @ 11:50:18
I bet they’d still come in handy, though. Or maybe that’s just because I’m British so wedded to the waterproof trouser (not literally, but let’s just mention the trip on the RSBP boat at Bempton when the person I am wedded to didn’t wear his and got a wet bottom). A smew is a kind of duck and a drake smew is a boy one.
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Deb Nance at Readerbuzz
Sep 03, 2020 @ 14:30:43
I think this is a marvelous way to read a book together. I enjoyed Rewild Yourself, too, and I fully plan to become more wild in the next year.
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Liz Dexter
Sep 03, 2020 @ 19:40:37
I was glad I already do some of the things but was also glad to find more stuff to do. Certainly just sitting in a natural environment is great.
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kaggsysbookishramblings
Sep 03, 2020 @ 15:12:36
Sounds like an excellent read – I could do with a bit of rewilding myself!!
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Liz Dexter
Sep 03, 2020 @ 19:40:53
Highly recommended!
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Jane
Sep 03, 2020 @ 16:41:03
All good because I’ve bought this as a present for my husband! And I love Simon Barnes.
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Liz Dexter
Sep 03, 2020 @ 19:41:23
Oh, good – I hope he enjoys it as much as we did! I have at least one other book by Barnes on the TBR.
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TravellinPenguin
Sep 03, 2020 @ 21:29:01
I find in these times I am enjoying books about nature too. A lovely way to read it with your friend.
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Liz Dexter
Sep 04, 2020 @ 05:55:11
Yes, it’s a good place to retreat into I think! And it was such fun having time almost each week when we were reading together apart.
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JacquiWine
Sep 04, 2020 @ 07:40:50
It sounds excellent – both practical and inspiring. A good book for gifting, I suspect!
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Liz Dexter
Sep 04, 2020 @ 18:23:02
Yes indeed on all counts!
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heavenali
Sep 04, 2020 @ 15:15:02
A really lovely sounding book. So glad you and Emma shared this reading experience during lockdown what a lovely way to connect.
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Liz Dexter
Sep 04, 2020 @ 18:23:46
It was lovely! A new thing for me and Emma too and a bit more intense bursts but over a long period of time than when you and I mirror books.
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Nov 10, 2020 @ 00:51:25
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Nov 10, 2020 @ 07:30:08
I hope you can find a copy to read, well worth it!
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