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Next to Nature

A Lifetime in the English Countryside

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Next to Nature

By: Ronald Blythe
Narrated by: David Holt
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About this listen

As the celebrated author of Akenfield, Ronald Blythe, turns 100 this year, Next to Nature brings together a seasonal collection from the very best of a lifetime of writing.

Ronald Blythe lives at the end of an overgrown farm track deep in the rolling countryside of the Stour Valley, on the border between Suffolk and Essex. His home is Bottengoms Farm, a sturdy yeoman's house once owned by the artist John Nash. From here, Blythe has spent almost half a century observing the slow turn of the agricultural year, the church year, and village life in a series of rich, lyrical rural diaries.

Beginning with the arrival of snow on New Year's Day and ending with Christmas carols sung in the village church, Next to Nature invites us to witness a simple life richly lived. With gentle wit and keen observation Blythe meditates on his life and faith, on literature, art and history, and on our place in the landscape.

It is a celebration of one of our greatest living writers, and an unforgettable ode to the English countryside.

©2022 Ronald Blythe (P)2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Biological Sciences Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Village Celebration

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Critic reviews

"One of the great prose stylists on the twentieth century...a modern Hazlitt." (Mark Cocker)

"England's greatest living country writer." (Independent)
All stars
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the peace and tranquility, easy listening. The christian aspect of the book and so much more.

His love and knowledge of nature

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Wonderful almost meditative, lesson for us all to live in the now, in peacefully in nature

Beautiful

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This is a lovely book, largely made up of Blythe's columns for the Church Times newspaper. Organised by month, there is inevitably some repetition as he wrote for the paper for 20-odd years, and many of the same events came up each year. It's read well, but perhaps Blythe's voice doesn't really come through. Anyone who met him will remember his singular elegant voice, quite different to this narration. This wouldn't matter with a novel, but Blythe's columns were intimate personal accounts of his experiences. Nothing could be done about that, of course. Also, the occasional mispronounced placename is a bit irritating. But overall it's a delight.

Blythe's ever-circling year

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A mix of nature and church tales,it captures the English country village really well.

Beautiful book

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What a lovely glimpse into the life, thoughts and deep faith, both in the natural world and the Christian life, of Ronald Blythe. Rich, kind and deeply textured.

Such a treat

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I was riveted by this selection of Blythe’s writings ordered by the month of the year in which they appeared. Highly recommended

Charming

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Wasn't sure about the narrator at first but he grew on me. I'm not a Christian but I admire and appreciate Ronald Blythe's deepseated spirituality which is a continuous thread throughout.

Brilliant, thoughtful, intelligent and gentle.

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Having read and enjoyed Akenfield I looked forward to this book. However, I was a little disappointed and wearied by the overwhelming references to the church and sermons and this or that bible story. Nevertheless I did finish the book so maybe not as off putting as I thought

Mixed feelings

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It depends what you’re looking for, despite the title this book is more about religion than nature.

More god than nature

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