Your Book Activiy - October 2022

[willoyd]

On 10/29/2022 at 2:09 PM, Chrissy said:

With this in mind, I decided on a detour into non-fiction, so am currently reading 'Shadowlands - A Journey Through Lost Britain' by Matthew Green. It was 99p on a kindle deal, and the first sentence of the blurb mentioned two 'lost' places I have visited and been intrigued by; Skara Brae, located on Orkney, and Wharram Percy a deserted medieval village in North Yorkshire. How could I NOT buy it.

 

Looks a very interesting book.  Looking forward to finding another 99p copy!

On 10/29/2022 at 2:09 PM, Chrissy said:

 

I also bought a recommended kindle version of Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales', plus a paperback version onto which I intend on making notes. The thought of reading this has been in my mind for absolute years, so I decided to get what I needed for when I am ready to dive in

 

Can strongly recommend The Canterbury Tales - absolutely loved them.  I read them in a parallel 'translation', which meant that could really enjoy the rhythm of the original (especially having learned some of the pronunciation) whilst readily understanding them!  I don't think I've come across any modern version that does sufficient justice for them to be read without the original. The more I read, the less I needed the modern.

[lunababymoonchild]

10 hours ago, willoyd said:

Can strongly recommend The Canterbury Tales - absolutely loved them.  I read them in a parallel 'translation', which meant that could really enjoy the rhythm of the original (especially having learned some of the pronunciation) whilst readily understanding them!  I don't think I've come across any modern version that does sufficient justice for them to be read without the original. The more I read, the less I needed the modern.

I did not know that you could get a translated version. Will look for this.

 

ETA I did! So thanks for that.

Edited November 2, 2022 by lunababymoonchild

[Madeleine]

I remember reading The Knight's Tale at school, and once I got into the rhythm of the original I found it bowled along and actually enjoyed it, great fun (and quite racy for our school at the time!).

[poppy]

15 hours ago, willoyd said:

Finished Mary Colwell's Curlew Moon in the last hour of the month!  The story of the author's walk across Ireland, Wales and England, visiting curlew sites and activists working on trying to turn the tide that has seen this species' numbers crash in the past couple of decades - by over 95% in places.  Extinction of the species in lowland Britain is seriously on the cards before the end of the decade - not really surprising given my own experience locally where the local authority has readily given permission for yet more building on green belt that is prime curlew (and other wader) feeding territory - not even an attempt at mitigation for any aspect of wildlife of any sort.  It's only going to get worse too.

Beautifully written book.  5 stars out of 6.

 

That's very sad, Willoyd. I was somehow under the impression Britain was very careful about the conservation of different species of flora and fauna. Does it more depend on the attitude of the differnt councils? We have very small numbers in NZ but I don't recall ever having  seen one.

[willoyd]

2 hours ago, poppy said:

 

That's very sad, Willoyd. I was somehow under the impression Britain was very careful about the conservation of different species of flora and fauna. Does it more depend on the attitude of the differnt councils? We have very small numbers in NZ but I don't recall ever having  seen one.

The UK is one of the most nature depleted nations in the world (fact, not opinion), which I think says it all really.  We have the worst record in western Europe on water pollution etc.  It's all very much dependent on central government - our funding and our governance is very heavily centralised. Local councils have had funding cut to the bone, and conservation is rarely, if ever, a priority.  There's some fantastic work done by organisations and individuals, but they're up against it.

Edited November 2, 2022 by willoyd

[poppy]

14 hours ago, willoyd said:

The UK is one of the most nature depleted nations in the world (fact, not opinion), which I think says it all really.  We have the worst record in western Europe on water pollution etc.  It's all very much dependent on central government - our funding and our governance is very heavily centralised. Local councils have had funding cut to the bone, and conservation is rarely, if ever, a priority.  There's some fantastic work done by organisations and individuals, but they're up against it.

 

I was watching an episode of Secrets of the Queen's Gardens today and was very impressed with Charles's conservation efforts and organic approach to things. Interestingly they said a large number ( can't remember exactly but over 100, I think) curlew eggs had been rescued from airfields, hatched by conservation groups and released on the Sandringham Estate. Hopefully that will go a little way to rescuing such an endangered species. 

[willoyd]

8 hours ago, poppy said:

 

I was watching an episode of Secrets of the Queen's Gardens today and was very impressed with Charles's conservation efforts and organic approach to things. Interestingly they said a large number ( can't remember exactly but over 100, I think) curlew eggs had been rescued from airfields, hatched by conservation groups and released on the Sandringham Estate. Hopefully that will go a little way to rescuing such an endangered species. 

One can but hope that now Charles is king, the Royal Estates will become much more conservation orientated.  He has a  great opportunity to provide a genuine lead.  To date, RE's  track record hasn't been that great:

 

https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/can-and-should-the-royal-estates-be-rewilded/