Reflections on reading by book lovers
Robert describes himself as “A social entrepreneur, author and Quaker.” He writes… I’m very much an early adopter and am always quick to try something new. Right now, for example, we’re seeking planning consent to build what I think will be the UK’s most energy efficient home. This will be both the subject of a book, and I hope a peaceful and sustainable home in which we can live for the rest of our lives.
What are your earliest memories of books and reading?
The Cat in the Hat books by Dr Seuss appeared in the early 1960s, which is about when I learned to read. Our local library in Needham Market used to keep them back for me, so that I could read each new title as it appeared. I read widely and enthusiastically, and strangely for a child, found poetry particularly captivating.
Who or what inspired you to read for pleasure?
I grew up in a family of introverts, and reading was how we explored the world from the safety of the sofa. While others might have a wide circle of friends and a busy social life, I’ve always preferred my own company (plus of course that of my wife) and a good book.
In adult life, I found that writing was a really good way to organise my thoughts, and so because I was running and advising business start-ups, wrote quite a few books on small business, social enterprise and entrepreneurship, both to help me understand and as guides for others.
Now I am writing full-time, I read all the time. I think that every writer should read.
What one book would you take to a desert island and why?
That’s easy: I’d take Ask the Fellows who Cut the Hay, by George Ewart Evans. It was first published in 1956 and tells the stories of how life was on the land before the First World War. People then were far more self-sufficient than they are today, so the skills described in the book would be perfect for life on a desert island.
What are your favourite authors/ genres?
I read widely, often choosing a book because it is popular, to see if I can work out why. But increasingly, I find myself returning to those almost forgotten Suffolk writers; particular Adrian Bell, Ronald Blythe and of course George Ewart Evans.
Also, what started as research for my latest book has developed and I’ve developed the habit of buying and reading avidly old farming books. I’m building quite a collection!
Apart from the author/theme, what most influences whether you read a book?
I think it’s important as a writer to have a sense of what makes a book popular, so I will often buy a book just because it’s a bestseller, although I draw the line at salacious books or political exposés neither of which interests me. I prefer non-fiction to fiction and best of all, books that are rooted in the countryside.
What book would you recommend to cheer up a friend?
Many of my friends live with depression as I do, and I’ve recommended Tim Cantopher’s Depressive Illness: The Curse of the Strong to several, because it shows the positives that usually lurk unseen behind the illness. I’ve also recently been recommending my friend Richard Hawking’s collection of Adrian Bell Eastern Daily Press columns, titled A Countryman’s Notebook. Of all the Suffolk writers, Bell was I think the most literary; every word he wrote was carefully chosen and works hard to evoke the countryside scenes and events he wrote about.
Tell me about your latest book?
As I said earlier, I’ve been fascinated by the work of oral historian George Ewart Evans since my mid-teens. By coincidence his wife was headmistress at my primary school and my wife’s family all farmed on the Suffolk coast, near to where Evans researched and wrote his books. In 2019 I stopped work to become a full-time student at UEA [University of East Anglia] graduating a year later with a creative writing MA. That amazing course helped me start Where are the Fellows who Cut the Hay, in which I tread in George Ewart Evans footsteps, exploring how rural life continues to evolve. What surprised me was the discovery that much of what I considered new today, regenerative agriculture for example, is considered new today but would have been familiar to those Evans interview 70 years ago.
The book is being published by Unbound, who crowdfund a hardback first edition, so involve readers even before the book is published. I love the way they blend the skills of a mainstream publisher with the urgency of a crowdfunding campaign. The campaign launch right at the end of April, so is only now building momentum. Here’s a link: https://unbound.com/books/where-are-the-fellows-who-cut-the-hay
How would you sum up reading/books in up to five words?
Inspiring, informative, inclusive & often entertaining [OK – we’ll allow the ampersand! Ed]
Thank you Robert http://www.robertashton.co.uk
For other blog posts in the ‘Bookworms’ series, go to https://enterpriseessentials.wordpress.com/category/bookworms
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