Richard Bell's Britain

by Richard Bell

Richard Bell's Britain [May 01, 1981] Bell, Richard

192 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1981

Reviews

[Alex Boon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5. Lovely nostalgic book. Some of the illustrations would benefit from being a little bigger to better see what is going on but it is great to be invited into this artist's field journal. I also thought the ending essay could have been a bit more rounded rather than abruptly stopping.

[Sparks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful cross between Thoreau's "Walden" and Bill Bryson's "Notes from a Small Island" presented in a field journal style. Bell only paints en plein air which can be a challenging and entertaining task in Britain. He creatively finds covered spots everywhere from caves to bus shelters in order to continue painting during the occasional/frequent rain showers.

Although originally published in 1981, readers today will still find the book very relevant. The feelings the book evokes are rather meditative and provide a sensory respite for any Anglophile missing Britain. While initially concerned the book might ignite wistful desires for a bygone era, instead Bell leaves his readers with a sense of optimism regarding the resiliency of nature.