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The Easternmost Sky: Adapting to Change in the 21st Century
The Easternmost Sky is part memoir, part elegy and part warning. It was written on the Suffolk coast, in a place known for its farmland, nature reserves and the fastest coastal erosion in Europe. By exploring how climate change and social change are already affecting this agriculturally important part of the world, it is possible to imagine a very different landscape, to glimpse the future and to understand how these changes will affect us all.
- GenresNonfiction
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 31, 2021
This is one of those books that sneaks up on you and sinks it’s teeth in, before you know it you are hooked and planning a way of selling your house and moving into the countryside to become more attuned to nature…but then you remember you got kids and the countryside doesn’t have WiFi and your life will become hell if you move, imagine life without YouTube! This book starts soon after Blaxland gets the letter saying they have to move as their house is being dismantled, the sea is getting closer and closer to Easternmost house and when it is 9metres away, that is when they have to look for a new home. Not wanting to move too far away, in their new house they will still have concerns of the sea reaching them again, the questions are how long have they got and what can they do to delay the inevitable?
The English coastline is shrinking and the rate of lost land each year is mind boggling, Blaxland give you the figures but living in a town I can’t get my head around the numbers….to me it sounds like the UK only has a few years left, I know that’s not true but that’s the feeling I got from the book. What can be done? Nothing much at the moment, one idea is Mangroves but that will spoil the view, other sea defences just ain’t up to the job. The book then moves on to our connection with the country/land and Blaxland shares moments in her life with us, she has had such a close connection with the land and that gives her very strong opinions on subjects that are certain to gain her a few 1star reviews, what you got to remember is she has a vast amount of knowledge in these areas and has done a lot of research and whilst her opinions do come across strongly she does a good job of showing both sides of an argument. I have learnt a huge amount about hunting and how it has changed big time over the last couple of decades, I understand that great numbers of birds are no longer shot and that a fox doesn’t get hunted down and ripped apart but it is still something for the rich to do, there is no way that the homeless are going to get invited onto a shoot and to then take part in a feast, until it becomes more open it isn’t going to be accepted by the masses.
I found her thoughts on vegetarianism interesting, I’ve always thought the being a vegan isn’t very practical due to global footprint and finding food that uses sustainable palm oil, you got to believe what they write on the packaging….bit like when you purchase meat where they “say” the animal has been treated well, the advantage of buying local is you see the little piggy running around having fun before it becomes sausages….of course then it is pretty harrowing to then actually each those sausages.
Blaxland has produced a really good book here full of riveting writing, her love for each subject shows vividly on the pages and she gives you a lot of food for thought, the list of books I need to read after finishing this one almost feels like homework but she has inspired me to look into the world of Rewilding, it sounds like a fascinating topic. Brilliant book by a brilliant writer.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2021...
The English coastline is shrinking and the rate of lost land each year is mind boggling, Blaxland give you the figures but living in a town I can’t get my head around the numbers….to me it sounds like the UK only has a few years left, I know that’s not true but that’s the feeling I got from the book. What can be done? Nothing much at the moment, one idea is Mangroves but that will spoil the view, other sea defences just ain’t up to the job. The book then moves on to our connection with the country/land and Blaxland shares moments in her life with us, she has had such a close connection with the land and that gives her very strong opinions on subjects that are certain to gain her a few 1star reviews, what you got to remember is she has a vast amount of knowledge in these areas and has done a lot of research and whilst her opinions do come across strongly she does a good job of showing both sides of an argument. I have learnt a huge amount about hunting and how it has changed big time over the last couple of decades, I understand that great numbers of birds are no longer shot and that a fox doesn’t get hunted down and ripped apart but it is still something for the rich to do, there is no way that the homeless are going to get invited onto a shoot and to then take part in a feast, until it becomes more open it isn’t going to be accepted by the masses.
I found her thoughts on vegetarianism interesting, I’ve always thought the being a vegan isn’t very practical due to global footprint and finding food that uses sustainable palm oil, you got to believe what they write on the packaging….bit like when you purchase meat where they “say” the animal has been treated well, the advantage of buying local is you see the little piggy running around having fun before it becomes sausages….of course then it is pretty harrowing to then actually each those sausages.
Blaxland has produced a really good book here full of riveting writing, her love for each subject shows vividly on the pages and she gives you a lot of food for thought, the list of books I need to read after finishing this one almost feels like homework but she has inspired me to look into the world of Rewilding, it sounds like a fascinating topic. Brilliant book by a brilliant writer.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2021...
December 7, 2021
Enjoyed the snippets about the aftermath of the loss of the house, and the local information and stories. I found some of the rest of it heavy going though. Much preferred the first book.
June 29, 2021
Described as part memoir, part elegy, and part warning 'The Easternmost Sky' should be a must-read for a post-2020 world. Juliet Blaxland writes with elegance and conviction about how the lessons we learned from the pandemic can help us to change our relationship with the environment. I found the book fascinating from the outset as Blaxland seamlessly weaves together personal anecdotes with important statistics and evidence about how change is not only needed but is inevitable. By encouraging the reader to consider subjects such as rewilding, farming, and hunting, from multiple perspectives, Blaxland highlights how when it comes to real life, nothing is ever purely black and white. For me, this is exactly what I look for in a nonfiction book. I want to be introduced to perspectives I haven't come across before and forced to reexamine my own actions and opinions. This book definitely did both of these things in ample amounts. Although Blaxland does not shy away from terrifying statistics, she also manages to maintain a sense of hope. Her optimism is particularly pertinent in the 'Imminent imagined near-future inventions and/ or likely situations, in no particular order' found at the end of the book. As much as 'The Easternmost Sky' brought home the reality and danger of climate change, I also finished the book inspired to make changes in my own life and this is why I can't possibly recommend it enough.
June 28, 2021
'It is oddly calming to think ahead, and to realise that the default position of nature and of life is one of constant adaptation and change' (p138).
Gentle, evocative, powerful. As the year turns, the author shares with you her reflections, her memories and her clearly-reasoned hopes, offering eloquent insight into a deeply felt 21st century rurality. Juliet swings seamlessly from small things like copper replacing lead shot, and lamenting over a £1 pineapple, to the big picture of climate change, coastal erosion, the authenticity and scruffiness of rural life ('by doing nothing we are actually doing everything for nature'), the veganism debate, the truths of hunting and shooting. And if, like me, you know Suffolk well, the local descriptions are an added bonus.
Without despairing over theft from honesty boxes, ecotourism, or plastic dog poo bags left dangling on trees, Juliet seeks common ground, sometimes finding it in unlikely places. Landowners and urban lefties can unite over rewilding. Thatchers and hedgelayers can share their ancient skills through social media, and the engineering of mangrove swamps off the Suffolk coast could create fresh opportunities.
'Century dysphoria', what a splendid phrase, coined by the author to refer to those of us who do not fit in the present day, with its cyberspeak, sky lanterns and ecoparlance.
There are so many current, pertinent and innovative ideas in this book, that it is worth dwelling on the pages, enjoying the 'authenticity and country credibility'. I certainly didn't agree with everything, but each chapter is carefully reasoned, with an effortless calm, which is persuasive. I will reflect, and read the book again because a second visit will no doubt be rewarding. That is, when my husband returns the book, as he has already disappeared with it!
Gentle, evocative, powerful. As the year turns, the author shares with you her reflections, her memories and her clearly-reasoned hopes, offering eloquent insight into a deeply felt 21st century rurality. Juliet swings seamlessly from small things like copper replacing lead shot, and lamenting over a £1 pineapple, to the big picture of climate change, coastal erosion, the authenticity and scruffiness of rural life ('by doing nothing we are actually doing everything for nature'), the veganism debate, the truths of hunting and shooting. And if, like me, you know Suffolk well, the local descriptions are an added bonus.
Without despairing over theft from honesty boxes, ecotourism, or plastic dog poo bags left dangling on trees, Juliet seeks common ground, sometimes finding it in unlikely places. Landowners and urban lefties can unite over rewilding. Thatchers and hedgelayers can share their ancient skills through social media, and the engineering of mangrove swamps off the Suffolk coast could create fresh opportunities.
'Century dysphoria', what a splendid phrase, coined by the author to refer to those of us who do not fit in the present day, with its cyberspeak, sky lanterns and ecoparlance.
There are so many current, pertinent and innovative ideas in this book, that it is worth dwelling on the pages, enjoying the 'authenticity and country credibility'. I certainly didn't agree with everything, but each chapter is carefully reasoned, with an effortless calm, which is persuasive. I will reflect, and read the book again because a second visit will no doubt be rewarding. That is, when my husband returns the book, as he has already disappeared with it!
May 23, 2022
Thought-provoking book about climate change and possible future paths for our relationship with nature. The follow-up to a book about the author’s home being lost to coastal erosion. The first chapters cover the demise of this house and its aftermath. Some lovely nature writing.
The global/local perspective inspired by the old Powers of Ten short film zooming in and out of a scene is an interesting one which the author returns to throughout. The chapters follow a year and cover different topics. I loved the look at rewilding, but found the chapter ardently defending hunting snd shooting a little unexpected.
The author is very much of the country and has a deep unsentimental live of it. There are perhaps elements of her social privilege that emerge unquestioned.
Having visited that part of the country I would be sad to see it lost to the waves. Especially Southwold where I’ve drunk in the harbour pub and paddled in the sea.
The global/local perspective inspired by the old Powers of Ten short film zooming in and out of a scene is an interesting one which the author returns to throughout. The chapters follow a year and cover different topics. I loved the look at rewilding, but found the chapter ardently defending hunting snd shooting a little unexpected.
The author is very much of the country and has a deep unsentimental live of it. There are perhaps elements of her social privilege that emerge unquestioned.
Having visited that part of the country I would be sad to see it lost to the waves. Especially Southwold where I’ve drunk in the harbour pub and paddled in the sea.
April 29, 2022
A superbly-written nature book, and a balanced and thoughtful conservationist book.
January 2, 2022
I'll be honest, to start with I was disappointed with this book. The Easternmost House was such a lovely read, a celebration of the Suffolk coast, even when we knew the house wasn't destined for longevity.
Number two is hard hitting and less gentle. Once I reset my expectations I enjoyed it and found myself being challenged by some of Juliet's thinking around issues such as hunting and climate change. The Easternmost Sky is a series of essays, which both inform and inspire. It's refreshing to hear from an author who puts both sides of the story across, and who isn't trying to label herself as one thing or another. We could all learn a thing or two from this approach.
Number two is hard hitting and less gentle. Once I reset my expectations I enjoyed it and found myself being challenged by some of Juliet's thinking around issues such as hunting and climate change. The Easternmost Sky is a series of essays, which both inform and inspire. It's refreshing to hear from an author who puts both sides of the story across, and who isn't trying to label herself as one thing or another. We could all learn a thing or two from this approach.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews