Headline Book Publishing A Pub For All Seasons A Yearlong Journey in Search of the Perfect British Local.

by Adrian Tierney-Jones

"A hymn to the unique charms of the British pub ... Elegiac, moving and as satisfying as a cool pint of Harvey's Best on a hot Summer's day." Henry Jeffreys

"Adrian Tierney-Jones doesn't just visit pubs - he inhabits them and gives them a voice, allowing them to tell us how they act as the cornerstones of culture and community." Pete Brown

"Profound, personal and powerful." Beer Insider

Ever since he was old enough to enjoy them, award-winning journalist and beer-expert Adrian Tierney-Jones has been visiting and drinking in pubs all over the country.

As the world opened up post-Covid and we were all finally able to return to our locals, Adrian's love for this British institution burned even brighter and he promised himself he would travel around the UK in search of the best pub he could find.

The story of one man through the year and his travels to all corners of the country, A Pub For All Seasons follows Adrian as he visits far-flung corners of the country. From mellow, gentle pubs in autumn and dim, cosy spots in winter to bright, lively bars in spring and wondrous, buzzing gardens in summer, Adrian speaks to locals and landlords, hears unique sounds and stories, and samples food, drink and atmosphere. He watches the wild and beautiful similarities, differences between pubs, and notices how they all shift, tonally, throughout the year.

And what started as a simple quest to find a nice place to sit and drink, ends up revealing to Adrian so much the secret to what truly makes the perfect British local across the four seasons.

Genres: Beer, Travel, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Published September 12, 2024

Reviews

[Chris Hickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a perfectly accessible bimble around the countryside, with an engaging, if repetitive, way with words. Good to pick up a few new spots to visit for your own travels too.

[Hugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written account of one man’s love affair with the pub. Celebrating the great, the good and the not so good elements of what makes a British pub what it is. The people, the customs and habits and how things change across the seasons as we travel through the year.
Most of all it’s a love affair that centres on beer in all forms, all hail the British pint in all its incarnations.
I was given the book for Christmas & having read similar things in the past I wasn’t expecting much. But I was wrong, this is beautifully written, Adrian’s love & knowledge on the subject is considerable and his eloquent prose marking the passing of the seasons and the setting of each visit is a thing of beauty.
Far more than a simple travelogue, this is a delightful book and one that will surprise you at its emotional depth and wonderful capturing of the spirit & tradition of the boozer and how things have changed over time, and not always badly.
If you’re interested in the pub as a place, as part of British culture and not just somewhere to grab a meal and rush on, then sit back with a pint and enjoy the journey. Definitely best enjoyed in your local, perhaps in a quiet corner near the fire.
Having just retired I have every intention of visiting some of the excellent establishments mentioned on my travels around the UK, not to mention sample the local beers along the way.
Long live the local, use it don’t lose it!

[Alison Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not just a review of a bunch of pubs throughout the UK, it is a wonderful journey to visit various pubs in various places at different times of the year to see why they are special. I found it a very enjoyable read and sooooo wish the U.S. has pubs similar to the UK. He talks to the locals and pub owners and he is able to convey the coziness or inviting atmosphere or whatever to the reader. His analogies are often eye-rolling ridiculous, but I got some good laughs.

[Jonathan Bates · Rating 3 out of 5]

Relaxing and gentle account of visits to a variety of pubs across a year. Very well written though hard to know what the book really is! Sort of philosophy mixed with pub descriptions mixed with diary entries.

Loved reading about the pubs, beer and people. Could have focused more on those elements at times and that would have helped the book move along a bit more.

Definitely worth a read

[Benjamin Wiley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unbelievably dull. I think I got a bit confused when I bought this. I like going to the pub, not reading about going to a pub. My mistake….