What do you think?
Rate this book
21st-Century Yokel
21st-Century Yokel explores the way we can be tied inescapably to landscape, whether we like it or not, often through our family and our past. It’s not quite a nature book, not quite a humour book, not quite a family memoir, not quite folklore, not quite social history, not quite a collection of essays, but a bit of all six.
Audiobook
First published November 16, 2017
116 people are currently reading
986 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
May 10, 2019
Finishing this books feels like saying farewell to a friend. I've really enjoyed Tom sharing his world with me, he's made me think differently as well as recognsing similar views to my own on nature, the sea, folk horror and the love of grandmothers. An uplifitng and delightful book.
October 31, 2019
It mortifies me to admit that I might prefer Tom Cox's more mainstream, commercially viable writing about cats to his indie outings, but I had to renew 21st-Century Yokel three times at the library to finish it. Three.
This is definitely a case of 'it's not you, it's me' - I picked this up at the start of my busiest fieldwork season and have been too tired at night, when I usually read, to do anything but peruse BuzzFeed cat articles. I'm also not the ideal audience for a book about intimate relationships with the landscapes of Devon and East Anglia - despite being an anglophile who spent a couple years in England, I didn't visit those parts of the country. (Who knew my decision to study abroad at Durham instead of East Anglia would have such lifelong repercussions?) And finally, I might be envious of Tom's wild swimming in rivers where the worst pollution is that of a cow pissing into the water. The urban rivers I work in are not safe to go into without full chest waders due to coliform bacteria, staph, typhoid, hepatitis, etc. I'd take cow piss any day!
Despite the weekend-only reading, I enjoyed a majority of Cox's essay-peregrinations. His loosely organized thoughts are often perceptive and entertainingly random. One essay ('Full Jackdaw') takes him from a quirky hour spent at the local owl club (free advice: 'Always have a plastic bag with you in case you see a car hit a pheasant') to going without power/wifi when a tree comes down on his line ('With no mobile phone signal to be found in most of my house and garden, I spent several not unpleasant days cut off in every technological sense. One morning I also ate an apple. I felt like I was getting a very minor insight into what it would be like to live as a horse'). Also foul-mouthed invasive squirrels, the utter crap that is firewood from petrol stations, and meditative walking classes. In just one essay!
That's fairly representative of what the essays are like, although the topics in each are highly variable (subjects covered include: swimming, scarecrows, bat detectors, terrifying folk art, grandparents, hiking). Peripatetic is the perfect word for these pieces of writing. I must confess I got bogged down in the essays that are mostly about people. I like Tom's dad in small doses ('my mum likens the way he talks to the way a man with two brains might talk, or someone acting as translator for his own words') and love the inclusion of pieces of his art, but reading all caps is a bit...shouty when it goes on too long.
It should come as no surprise that I liked the chapter about Tom's cats best, in which he details his interactions with a stray that he dubs Uncle Fuckykins (later updated to Fuckmittens per discovery of a microchip declaring his name to be Mittens) and his business-like cat's close shave after being mauled by a dog. I just like the way he writes about these small, intensely bossy animals with outsized personalities - he clearly knows cats and loves them despite their asshole tendencies.
The ineffable Britishness about this whole endeavor is uniquely filtered through Tom Cox's brain. This sentence showed up almost randomly in a section about moths and butterflies and almost made me snort my morning coffee:
A fair description, I'd say.
21st-Century Yokel is often quotable, sporadically laugh-out-loud funny, but perhaps more easily digested in small doses than in a single large-ish book. I'm not sure I need it in my personal collection, but I'd be happy to support Tom Cox's next endeavor.
This is definitely a case of 'it's not you, it's me' - I picked this up at the start of my busiest fieldwork season and have been too tired at night, when I usually read, to do anything but peruse BuzzFeed cat articles. I'm also not the ideal audience for a book about intimate relationships with the landscapes of Devon and East Anglia - despite being an anglophile who spent a couple years in England, I didn't visit those parts of the country. (Who knew my decision to study abroad at Durham instead of East Anglia would have such lifelong repercussions?) And finally, I might be envious of Tom's wild swimming in rivers where the worst pollution is that of a cow pissing into the water. The urban rivers I work in are not safe to go into without full chest waders due to coliform bacteria, staph, typhoid, hepatitis, etc. I'd take cow piss any day!
Despite the weekend-only reading, I enjoyed a majority of Cox's essay-peregrinations. His loosely organized thoughts are often perceptive and entertainingly random. One essay ('Full Jackdaw') takes him from a quirky hour spent at the local owl club (free advice: 'Always have a plastic bag with you in case you see a car hit a pheasant') to going without power/wifi when a tree comes down on his line ('With no mobile phone signal to be found in most of my house and garden, I spent several not unpleasant days cut off in every technological sense. One morning I also ate an apple. I felt like I was getting a very minor insight into what it would be like to live as a horse'). Also foul-mouthed invasive squirrels, the utter crap that is firewood from petrol stations, and meditative walking classes. In just one essay!
That's fairly representative of what the essays are like, although the topics in each are highly variable (subjects covered include: swimming, scarecrows, bat detectors, terrifying folk art, grandparents, hiking). Peripatetic is the perfect word for these pieces of writing. I must confess I got bogged down in the essays that are mostly about people. I like Tom's dad in small doses ('my mum likens the way he talks to the way a man with two brains might talk, or someone acting as translator for his own words') and love the inclusion of pieces of his art, but reading all caps is a bit...shouty when it goes on too long.
It should come as no surprise that I liked the chapter about Tom's cats best, in which he details his interactions with a stray that he dubs Uncle Fuckykins (later updated to Fuckmittens per discovery of a microchip declaring his name to be Mittens) and his business-like cat's close shave after being mauled by a dog. I just like the way he writes about these small, intensely bossy animals with outsized personalities - he clearly knows cats and loves them despite their asshole tendencies.
The ineffable Britishness about this whole endeavor is uniquely filtered through Tom Cox's brain. This sentence showed up almost randomly in a section about moths and butterflies and almost made me snort my morning coffee:
You get the feeling Donald Trump could learn a lot about the complexities of genetic identity by spending a day in a never-fertilised, insect-heavy field such as this, but of course, as a massive closedbrain fuckshined pissface, he wouldn't. He'd be too busy nuking it and turning it into a golf course.
A fair description, I'd say.
21st-Century Yokel is often quotable, sporadically laugh-out-loud funny, but perhaps more easily digested in small doses than in a single large-ish book. I'm not sure I need it in my personal collection, but I'd be happy to support Tom Cox's next endeavor.
February 21, 2018
The facets that make up our character are drawn from many sources; our DNA, our family, our culture, our history and as Tom Cox argues in this book, the places where you grow up that can define you as much as these other things. The way that Cox recommends that immerse yourself in the local landscape is to walk through the lanes and paths, climb the hills and the stiles, take in the views and soak up the natural world at walking pace.
The blurb on the cover says: It’s not quite a nature book, not quite a humour book, not quite a family memoir, not quite folklore, not quite social history, not quite a collection of essays, but a bit of all six. But there is a lot more in this book than that; crammed into the covers of the book. He is captivated by all sorts of things that he encounters on his strolls, from bees to beavers, scarecrows to owls and even his cats make an appearance a few times. Keeping his sanity by taking longs walks in the country around his Devon home gives him plenty of time to consider the world. All of the subjects he tackles begin with a narrow focus, before becoming wider ranging and for me, much more interesting.
He is fascinated equally by the ghosts of the past as he concerned by the future of the countryside, but what makes 21st Century such a really good book is that it defies categorisation. Part of this reason behind this is because Cox writes about what he wants to without following any set agenda, and partly this is because this reflects modern life and all its distractions where you start on one project, get distracted by something else, wander off to get an item and arrive back four hours later wondering why you were starting that in the first place. Because of this, the book feels fresh and interesting, it has its poignant moments, the chapter on scarecrows is really quite creepy and is a great example of modern folklore, His VERY LOUD DAD makes me laugh every time he appears in the narrative too. This rich and varied book is not quite many things, but one thing it is, is fantastic.
The blurb on the cover says: It’s not quite a nature book, not quite a humour book, not quite a family memoir, not quite folklore, not quite social history, not quite a collection of essays, but a bit of all six. But there is a lot more in this book than that; crammed into the covers of the book. He is captivated by all sorts of things that he encounters on his strolls, from bees to beavers, scarecrows to owls and even his cats make an appearance a few times. Keeping his sanity by taking longs walks in the country around his Devon home gives him plenty of time to consider the world. All of the subjects he tackles begin with a narrow focus, before becoming wider ranging and for me, much more interesting.
He is fascinated equally by the ghosts of the past as he concerned by the future of the countryside, but what makes 21st Century such a really good book is that it defies categorisation. Part of this reason behind this is because Cox writes about what he wants to without following any set agenda, and partly this is because this reflects modern life and all its distractions where you start on one project, get distracted by something else, wander off to get an item and arrive back four hours later wondering why you were starting that in the first place. Because of this, the book feels fresh and interesting, it has its poignant moments, the chapter on scarecrows is really quite creepy and is a great example of modern folklore, His VERY LOUD DAD makes me laugh every time he appears in the narrative too. This rich and varied book is not quite many things, but one thing it is, is fantastic.
April 22, 2018
3.5
I enjoyed spending time with Tom and his family. I'm using his first name already!
And that's what this book felt like - a series of conversations about Tom's World.
And I have to say his world can sometimes be a little strange (scarecrow obsession?) but always very entertaining. In lesser hands a book such as this could become mere ramblings, but with Tom we usually see where he is going - even though his thoughts twist and turn.
I loved the mixture of personal memoir, local history, nature and walking. His tribute to his much loved Liverpool born Nan was very touching.
Tom has a huge sense of place. His surroundings and where he defines 'home' are hugely important to him. He doesn't have a 9 to 5 job taking him away from a house or village each day. So his home, also his workplace, becomes all encompassing, maybe to an excessive extent.
When I started reading I did assume Tom was a young man, possibly in his late 20s or early 30s. There was a naivety about him - and I was very surprised later on to work out he was actually in his 40s.
I also realised that his Leftie, Green, Hippy tousled haired persona was carefully cultivated. I often felt we weren't really getting the real Tom although there were hints - maybe he is nowhere near as 'interesting'?
What stops me giving the book a higher marking is the constant repetition - he must tell us a dozen times that he moved from East Anglia to Devon.
I also found his VERY LOUD DAD an irritant especially the constant TALKING IN CAPITALS. Quite amusing at first but it soon wore very thin.
Many thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this work.
I enjoyed spending time with Tom and his family. I'm using his first name already!
And that's what this book felt like - a series of conversations about Tom's World.
And I have to say his world can sometimes be a little strange (scarecrow obsession?) but always very entertaining. In lesser hands a book such as this could become mere ramblings, but with Tom we usually see where he is going - even though his thoughts twist and turn.
I loved the mixture of personal memoir, local history, nature and walking. His tribute to his much loved Liverpool born Nan was very touching.
Tom has a huge sense of place. His surroundings and where he defines 'home' are hugely important to him. He doesn't have a 9 to 5 job taking him away from a house or village each day. So his home, also his workplace, becomes all encompassing, maybe to an excessive extent.
When I started reading I did assume Tom was a young man, possibly in his late 20s or early 30s. There was a naivety about him - and I was very surprised later on to work out he was actually in his 40s.
I also realised that his Leftie, Green, Hippy tousled haired persona was carefully cultivated. I often felt we weren't really getting the real Tom although there were hints - maybe he is nowhere near as 'interesting'?
What stops me giving the book a higher marking is the constant repetition - he must tell us a dozen times that he moved from East Anglia to Devon.
I also found his VERY LOUD DAD an irritant especially the constant TALKING IN CAPITALS. Quite amusing at first but it soon wore very thin.
Many thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this work.
March 20, 2019
Well what can I tell you about this terrific book, except that I absolutely loved it and that I’ve discovered a new favourite author. Just thinking about writing this review is making me smile as I remember some of the anecdotes. Fortunately I’d recently stocked up on new post -it notes so I could mark all the parts that made me think, laugh out loud and smile as I was reading.
There are so many great stories in this wonderful collection and here are some of my favourites. His recollection of his Dad’s way of telling him stories as ‘someone acting as a translator for his own words’, likening a male tawny owl’s call to that of the Fonz from Happy Days, Bad Weird and Good Weird (you’ll have to read it to understand), ‘hello people’ when out walking, how unreliable phone apps are for identifying caterpillars, bees mating on his flares, and his wonderful account of watching the beavers. I could go on as I’ve remembered some more, but that would spoil it, and I definitely don’t want to do that as you really do need to discover this fab book for yourself.
I also love his thoughts on social media and the internet, of how we’re so focussed on sharing stuff that we don’t enjoy the actual moment we’ve just witnessed. I’m very guilty of this, so it was good to be reminded to just enjoy nature and wildlife without thinking that I need to be sharing it online.
I thoroughly recommend this if you like reading nonfiction, in fact even if nonfiction is not your thing, give this a try as I’m certain you’ll enjoy this fantastic book.
There are so many great stories in this wonderful collection and here are some of my favourites. His recollection of his Dad’s way of telling him stories as ‘someone acting as a translator for his own words’, likening a male tawny owl’s call to that of the Fonz from Happy Days, Bad Weird and Good Weird (you’ll have to read it to understand), ‘hello people’ when out walking, how unreliable phone apps are for identifying caterpillars, bees mating on his flares, and his wonderful account of watching the beavers. I could go on as I’ve remembered some more, but that would spoil it, and I definitely don’t want to do that as you really do need to discover this fab book for yourself.
I also love his thoughts on social media and the internet, of how we’re so focussed on sharing stuff that we don’t enjoy the actual moment we’ve just witnessed. I’m very guilty of this, so it was good to be reminded to just enjoy nature and wildlife without thinking that I need to be sharing it online.
I thoroughly recommend this if you like reading nonfiction, in fact even if nonfiction is not your thing, give this a try as I’m certain you’ll enjoy this fantastic book.
May 14, 2021
I loved this book. I recommended it to a friend when I was only a couple of chapters in and I have no doubt I will recommend it to many more people. I’ve already bored a work colleague almost to death by going on about how wonderful and funny and clever it is. I will certainly be looking out for more from the delightful cat and countryside loving Mr Cox.
October 10, 2024
This book made me LOL. There's something special about reading about an area with which you're familiar.
December 20, 2019
I enjoyed this mix of nature writing, journal and human study of Cox's own family members (including cats) and their heritage.
His writing style is conversational and jokey; jokey to the point that I note other people have reviewed his books and said the constant humour is distracting. Whilst it didn't bother me too much, I can see what people mean. It feels sometimes like he's trying too hard to make an anecdote amusing. Nevertheless there were some genuine actual laugh out loud moments in this tale.
His imparting knowledge of local legends in Devon is impressive, and I particularly like his reminiscing about random conversations with his Dad. His dad's part of the conversation are written always in capitals as apparently his dad is super loud!! I liked that!
Generally an enjoyable meander through someone's random mind whilst they tramp outdoors, look after funny cats and visit eccentric relatives.
**The only thing that spoiled this book for me has nothing to do with the author but the complete arsehole who borrowed this from the public library prior to me, and has insisted on crossing out grammatical errors and re-writing over them in biro!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVERY SINGLE TIME!!! What a tosser!!!! **
His writing style is conversational and jokey; jokey to the point that I note other people have reviewed his books and said the constant humour is distracting. Whilst it didn't bother me too much, I can see what people mean. It feels sometimes like he's trying too hard to make an anecdote amusing. Nevertheless there were some genuine actual laugh out loud moments in this tale.
His imparting knowledge of local legends in Devon is impressive, and I particularly like his reminiscing about random conversations with his Dad. His dad's part of the conversation are written always in capitals as apparently his dad is super loud!! I liked that!
Generally an enjoyable meander through someone's random mind whilst they tramp outdoors, look after funny cats and visit eccentric relatives.
**The only thing that spoiled this book for me has nothing to do with the author but the complete arsehole who borrowed this from the public library prior to me, and has insisted on crossing out grammatical errors and re-writing over them in biro!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVERY SINGLE TIME!!! What a tosser!!!! **
March 13, 2018
As a huge fan of Tom Cox’s writing I helped fund this book to be published. However, he had said that this was going to be different from what had gone before because it was the book he had always wanted to write, free from the restrictions put on him by publishers. So I was curious to see whether I would love it as much as the others I’d read. The answer is yes, and even more so. There’s a real mix of subject matter and the style is rambling, like listening to an old friend tell you their fascinating stories. Tom’s passion for the countryside around where he has lived is clear, and he combines beautiful descriptions of his walks there with folklore and humour. Interweaved with the places are tales of family past and present, his cats, his borrowed dog, and other wildlife he encounters. All accompanied by his mum’s gorgeous drawings and a few of his own photos. Some books you rush through, and I could have done that with this, but I loved savouring the writing and tried to put off the inevitable end. It’s a precious treasure trove, one I shall enjoy revisiting again and again.
January 31, 2021
“Cats are ardent creatures of habit but they also do not like to get into a rut. Cats only sleep regularly in one place for a month. After that, by law they must move or they stop being cats”
.
.
.
I first came across Tom Cox’s writing with The Good, The Bad and The Furry. I fell in love with Bear, his rescue cat, named for a Teddy Bear but more reminiscent “of a sad owl”
His 2017 book, 21st-Century Yokel, is a delightful ramble around the British countryside searching out scarecrows, rescuing bees from swimming pools and finding otters in Devon. In and amongst are cat stories, family memories and photographs of sheep (and scarecrows). It all adds up to one joyous collage of a life led in the country
.
.
.
I first came across Tom Cox’s writing with The Good, The Bad and The Furry. I fell in love with Bear, his rescue cat, named for a Teddy Bear but more reminiscent “of a sad owl”
His 2017 book, 21st-Century Yokel, is a delightful ramble around the British countryside searching out scarecrows, rescuing bees from swimming pools and finding otters in Devon. In and amongst are cat stories, family memories and photographs of sheep (and scarecrows). It all adds up to one joyous collage of a life led in the country
May 20, 2024
This has the same witty and relaxed writing style as Tom's cat books but it incorporates more of his other interests, such as landscape, epic walks and some of his family history. But it doesn't forget his cats and his parents. There were sections that interested me more than others: for instance, for someone that doesn't know the UK well, it's less interesting to be comparing different regions on various degrees but I'm sure that would be relevant to locals. I liked his grandparents' stories, his dog walks, the cat episodes, his dad's rambles. I laughed out loud a few times.
January 2, 2018
21st Century Yokel - Lovely Man
I first came across Tom Cox when a friend alerted me to one of his Twitter feeds - My Sad Cat. I had a black cat at the time called Puzzle and my friend saw some kind of similarity between them, although now I would say that Puzzle was a composite of both The Bear and Shipley, another black cat that Tom had at the time. The puzzle was an existentialist potty mouth and could silence anyone with a look! But I followed the feed and immensely enjoyed the photos and captions. I remember showing my sister the feed whereupon she promptly found the My Sweary Cat and the My Smug Cat feeds too. Eventually, I explored the whole Tom Cox internet concept more and more and found that I liked it! A lot.
I love Tom Cox and his books. I love the conversational style that can belie the truths contained within the words. I love his sincere realism and the sense of humour that runs through all his work. I love his honesty. Perhaps best known for his ‘cat’ books this latest offering is a genre-defiant piece of writing that is joyous to read. To laugh, to think, to experience, to learn are not often found in one book.
What I am puzzled about is why Tom had to turn to crowdfunding to finance this work given the success of his other books? But he did and so Unbound (crowdfunding publisher) was brought into my consciousness and, I am sure, the consciousness of many others. All to the good. I felt proud and, given the hours of enjoyment Mr Cox’s online presence has given me, obliged almost to support this project.
It would possibly be required to have a love of the countryside to truly appreciate this book but maybe it could foster such a love in those without. Certainly, the easy style of writing makes it very readable and accessible. Existing lovers of Tom Cox’s work will be familiar with all of the cats and be happy to read about them. Full details of poor, sweet Roscoe cat’s dreadful encounter with a dog and subsequent recovery are well documented here as well.
The world needs people like Tom Cox. If there were more Tom Coxes I doubt the world would be in such a mess. Maybe by reading this book, we can all get a little closer.
Whizz (who pledged financially to the publishing of this book}
I first came across Tom Cox when a friend alerted me to one of his Twitter feeds - My Sad Cat. I had a black cat at the time called Puzzle and my friend saw some kind of similarity between them, although now I would say that Puzzle was a composite of both The Bear and Shipley, another black cat that Tom had at the time. The puzzle was an existentialist potty mouth and could silence anyone with a look! But I followed the feed and immensely enjoyed the photos and captions. I remember showing my sister the feed whereupon she promptly found the My Sweary Cat and the My Smug Cat feeds too. Eventually, I explored the whole Tom Cox internet concept more and more and found that I liked it! A lot.
I love Tom Cox and his books. I love the conversational style that can belie the truths contained within the words. I love his sincere realism and the sense of humour that runs through all his work. I love his honesty. Perhaps best known for his ‘cat’ books this latest offering is a genre-defiant piece of writing that is joyous to read. To laugh, to think, to experience, to learn are not often found in one book.
What I am puzzled about is why Tom had to turn to crowdfunding to finance this work given the success of his other books? But he did and so Unbound (crowdfunding publisher) was brought into my consciousness and, I am sure, the consciousness of many others. All to the good. I felt proud and, given the hours of enjoyment Mr Cox’s online presence has given me, obliged almost to support this project.
It would possibly be required to have a love of the countryside to truly appreciate this book but maybe it could foster such a love in those without. Certainly, the easy style of writing makes it very readable and accessible. Existing lovers of Tom Cox’s work will be familiar with all of the cats and be happy to read about them. Full details of poor, sweet Roscoe cat’s dreadful encounter with a dog and subsequent recovery are well documented here as well.
The world needs people like Tom Cox. If there were more Tom Coxes I doubt the world would be in such a mess. Maybe by reading this book, we can all get a little closer.
Whizz (who pledged financially to the publishing of this book}
November 12, 2017
Mr. Cox is a modern-day bard with a unique voice. It may not be for everyone, but I sure enjoy it.
April 25, 2019
This is miles better than Cox’s earlier memoirs about his cats. Never fear, there are still mentions of his many feline companions, but there’s so much more to this hybrid book: the landscape and wildlife of the British places he knows best (Nottinghamshire, Norfolk and Devon), local folklore and superstitions, the distancing effect of technology, his family history, and so on.
Looking back now, I have a hard time summing up what these long essays are actually about, because they are suitably rambling in a way that mirrors Cox’s approach to his exploration of the countryside: There’s not really a plan, just a loose itinerary that may or may not change completely before the end. But there are a lot of laughs along the way, many of them provided by his delightfully nutty father, Mick, whose speech is all in capital letters and whose catchphrase is “WATCH OUT FOR FOOKWITS AND LOONIES.”
The variety of the book speaks to Cox’s wide-ranging curiosity about life, an enthusiasm that doubles as gratitude for all that he has access to. “I believe it is my duty to get to know my immediate natural world thoroughly, to not be complacent about it, as it’s the least I can do as a gesture of thanks to it for being kind enough to allow me to live within it.” It may not be fashionable to be passionate about nature (Jonathan Franzen writes a lot about this, too), but it should be encouraged as a way of combating short-sighted thinking: “This view – seeing a love of nature as Bad Weird – seems to be at the root of so many of the ecologically damaging decisions made, big and small, by humans.”
Looking back now, I have a hard time summing up what these long essays are actually about, because they are suitably rambling in a way that mirrors Cox’s approach to his exploration of the countryside: There’s not really a plan, just a loose itinerary that may or may not change completely before the end. But there are a lot of laughs along the way, many of them provided by his delightfully nutty father, Mick, whose speech is all in capital letters and whose catchphrase is “WATCH OUT FOR FOOKWITS AND LOONIES.”
The variety of the book speaks to Cox’s wide-ranging curiosity about life, an enthusiasm that doubles as gratitude for all that he has access to. “I believe it is my duty to get to know my immediate natural world thoroughly, to not be complacent about it, as it’s the least I can do as a gesture of thanks to it for being kind enough to allow me to live within it.” It may not be fashionable to be passionate about nature (Jonathan Franzen writes a lot about this, too), but it should be encouraged as a way of combating short-sighted thinking: “This view – seeing a love of nature as Bad Weird – seems to be at the root of so many of the ecologically damaging decisions made, big and small, by humans.”
March 27, 2022
I loved this book. It is quirky, funny, informative and written in a way that appeals to me, but maybe not to everyone.
The author has written a sort of memoir, covering, as it does, some parts of his childhood, growing up in Nottinghamshire. But also spends a lot of time talking about East Anglia (the badlands as he describes it at one point) and Devon, where he now lives. It is almost a love letter to the British countryside, particularly hills (and I am very much looking forward to reading Ring the Hill which I also have on my shelf).
As well as describing the vastness of East Anglia, and the weather in Devon, it also is about the joy of everyday experiences. From going to the Owl Club in Torbay, to visiting his parents in Nottinghamshire (who never quite made it to living over the border in Derbyshire). It made me laugh, made me worry about his cat (savaged by a dog), appreciate hills, and the joy of discovery. It was the right book to read when the world outside is unpredictable and fraught.
The author has written a sort of memoir, covering, as it does, some parts of his childhood, growing up in Nottinghamshire. But also spends a lot of time talking about East Anglia (the badlands as he describes it at one point) and Devon, where he now lives. It is almost a love letter to the British countryside, particularly hills (and I am very much looking forward to reading Ring the Hill which I also have on my shelf).
As well as describing the vastness of East Anglia, and the weather in Devon, it also is about the joy of everyday experiences. From going to the Owl Club in Torbay, to visiting his parents in Nottinghamshire (who never quite made it to living over the border in Derbyshire). It made me laugh, made me worry about his cat (savaged by a dog), appreciate hills, and the joy of discovery. It was the right book to read when the world outside is unpredictable and fraught.
October 24, 2018
Reading 21st Century Yokel is like going for a long rambling walk with Tom Cox, chatting all the way. He is a lover of landscape and place, taking us around places where he has lived and walked from the Peak District to his current home on the edge of Dartmoor, digressing on the way about the local folklore and wildlife, his cats and his somewhat eclectic taste in music. His anecdotes about his family often steal the stage though, particularly his father, who is larger (and louder) than life. Interesting and entertaining, it will make you want to get your walking boots on.
Read
June 2, 2019Highlights included: learning the Irish phrase for the bits of black bin liner that snag on barbed wire - 'witches' knickers'
And ‘the sun went down…like a party balloon losing the friction that had attached it to a wall and gently falling to rest behind a squishy sofa’
And, best of all, ‘"My mind is heavy and troubled today,” you’ll say to the sea. “Properly stare at me for a moment and get a grip on yourself,” the sea will reply. “Do I honestly look like I care? I’m the fucking sea”’
And ‘the sun went down…like a party balloon losing the friction that had attached it to a wall and gently falling to rest behind a squishy sofa’
And, best of all, ‘"My mind is heavy and troubled today,” you’ll say to the sea. “Properly stare at me for a moment and get a grip on yourself,” the sea will reply. “Do I honestly look like I care? I’m the fucking sea”’
maybe
March 22, 2019"For a long time, lots of people told me I shouldn't write this book - which is about wildlife, landscape, family, folklore, but much more - & that it was unpublishable, & unsellable. It's out in paperback today."
February 14, 2018
A collection of long essays, that like Tom, ramble around before reaching a conclusion. I enjoyed it, but not quite as much as his cat books.
November 27, 2022
4🌟 for literal and literary ramblings.
April 29, 2019
We’re great Tom Cox fans. We love him, in fact. He first came into our lives on Twitter, when we, like many, many others, followed the hilarious, poignant and sometimes quite daft escapades of his feline friends. This essay collection, 21st-Century Yokel, is, in fact, dedicated to two of them, his (and our) beloved The Bear and Shipley, both no longer with us.
As with Cox’s other books, the wide-ranging essays in 21st-Century Yokel showcase the conversational style which makes his writing so appealing: it’s as if we’re old friends and he’s gifting us with his most intimate thoughts on the world, on nature, swimming, walking, feline interlopers and the people whom he loves best. We’re personally enamoured with his shouty dad, who makes his presence known in essays such as ‘WOFFAL’ and ‘Dawn of the Dad’, but then that’s hardly surprisingly given most Tom Cox fans are.
We were talking with a friend the other day about the rhythms of writing and how quite often the authors one likes most have a particular beat to their works. Cox’s is very steady, yet surprisingly fast-paced given that whatever his subject matter, his tone is often reflective, his humour wry, affectionate – rather lovely really.
Cox was a music journalist and music features quite prominently in all his writing. He says that while 21st-Century Yokel isn’t a music book, ‘music found its way in there … and I tended to think of it as an album in some ways: one of those that aren’t quite a concept album but where the track sequence is crucial and sustains a sort of mood and overall coherence.’
If that’s the case, it’s certainly an album that works.
See: http://www.theliteraryshed.co.uk/read...
This review originally appeared as part of the book's virtual book tour. Thanks to the publisher for supply a review copy. All opinions are our own. All rights reserved.
March 25, 2020
I loved this book. Tom Cox has a cheerful natural style of writing and his descriptions of the English landscapes he walks around are engaging. He is the sort of person you would like to meet in an English pub and know you were going to enjoy the conversation. In this book, Tom describes the eccentric members of his family, the walks he goes on, the swimming he takes risks with and the animals who share his life. Roscoe the cat looks just like my cat so it is easy for me to empathise with her when she is wounded by a local dog. This is the perfect book to read while socially isolated due to the Covid19 crisis. I was given this book by an English friend and I am looking forward to lending it to Anglophiles of my acquaintance.
August 22, 2023
"Watch out for fuckwits and loonies." I saw a Tom Cox novel on our new books shelf and liked the cover and made note of it. This audiobook was available on Hoopla when I needed a new fix last week and let me just tell you, as a part-time pedestrian and enjoyer of nature hiking, British accents, and exaggerated impressions of one's loveable but annoying relatives, this was a big ol' delight. It also had a fair amount of cat, dog, and badger content, and I'd actually rate the badger content most highly.
May 6, 2025
I really enjoyed this, especially doing it as an audiobook. I read this after reading ring the hill and really enjoying it and I'm now a big fan of Tom Cox's writing. This was great, very funny in places and serious in others and great musings about British wildlife and countryside.
February 2, 2018
Listened to the audio book read by Tom Cox. I didn't love chapter one too wordy for me but after that it was great. I loved hearing all the family stories, stories about places, animal, insects and birds stories and general reminisce. Its like having a marvellous conversation with an old friend about everything and nothing where at the end you feel genuinely happy.
August 12, 2020
Review to come :)
April 30, 2023
Wow; I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book. I listened to the audio, available on Hoopla, delightfully read by the author. I've never read any of Tom Cox's books before, and look forward to enjoying the rest of them. Very funny, vivid descriptions of landscape, richly detailed; just a real pleasure from start to finish.
May 31, 2019
Loved this second time round but as a library audiobook. Really enjoyed his interview at the end especially when he said he loves audiobooks and really enjoyed reading his own book! :-)
January 18, 2019
This was the first audiobook I have heard by Tom Cox, and I wasn't really sure what to expect. Initially I thought it might have been a mistake to have it narrated by the author (4 words that can strike fear into the heart of any audiobook enthusiast, unless followed by 'Neil Gaiman'). But as I settled into the book I found Tom's narration quite endearing, and doubt that it would have felt as personal a memoir if delivered by anyone else. His habit of repeating phrases irked me a little at first but it soon became less irritating as I familiarised myself with his style. The book turned out to be a charming stream-of-consciousness set against lush landscapes, and as someone who is often housebound by illness I really found myself enjoying the images he conjured of his many walks, especially those with the black poodle, Billy, who so reminded me of my own curly little black poodle cross. (Who would also leap onto a chair at the sight of a mouse rather than doing anything more practical or dog-like.)
Although the book sometimes feels as though it is wandering through Tom's recollections as much as it is wandering through the countryside, his humour and warmth meant that it at no point felt as dull as such a memoir really ought to have. It was like visiting an elderly relative in a nursing home, and discovering that you don't really mind the fact that the heating is up too high or the smell of cabbages, because one of the other residents always has an interesting story to tell about his life, and before you know it he's reminiscing about his grandfather and you're on your fourth cup of tea.
I will certainly look out for other books by this author, and hope he narrates those too.
Although the book sometimes feels as though it is wandering through Tom's recollections as much as it is wandering through the countryside, his humour and warmth meant that it at no point felt as dull as such a memoir really ought to have. It was like visiting an elderly relative in a nursing home, and discovering that you don't really mind the fact that the heating is up too high or the smell of cabbages, because one of the other residents always has an interesting story to tell about his life, and before you know it he's reminiscing about his grandfather and you're on your fourth cup of tea.
I will certainly look out for other books by this author, and hope he narrates those too.
April 4, 2021
21st Century Yokel by Tom Cox is a wonderful and eclectic collection of thoughts, observations, nature descriptions, and local musings that kept me entertained throughout.
I was initially drawn to this book by Mr. Cox in the hopes that I would be able to read a few essays, journal entries, and observations not only of nature, but also of local village life and culture. I was able to read plenty of these things, but so much more.
Through this collection, the author tells of his natural surroundings, local customs, events, internal thoughts, family, interactions, and the list goes on. At first, one thinks that all of these entries would be hodgepodge, but they oddly fit together rather nicely. I was able to learn about the landscapes, culture, history, folklore of Devon and the surround English lands and culture, and the author’s thoughts, family, and well everything really.
The toss-up of what each page might bring kept me coming back to find out more. It was highly entertaining, and oddly relaxing...like catching up with a friend at the end of a long work week.
I learned a few things, but also enjoyed myself.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and Unbound for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/3/21.
I was initially drawn to this book by Mr. Cox in the hopes that I would be able to read a few essays, journal entries, and observations not only of nature, but also of local village life and culture. I was able to read plenty of these things, but so much more.
Through this collection, the author tells of his natural surroundings, local customs, events, internal thoughts, family, interactions, and the list goes on. At first, one thinks that all of these entries would be hodgepodge, but they oddly fit together rather nicely. I was able to learn about the landscapes, culture, history, folklore of Devon and the surround English lands and culture, and the author’s thoughts, family, and well everything really.
The toss-up of what each page might bring kept me coming back to find out more. It was highly entertaining, and oddly relaxing...like catching up with a friend at the end of a long work week.
I learned a few things, but also enjoyed myself.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and Unbound for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/3/21.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews