Outsiders: A Book of Garden Friends

by Ronald Blythe

Genres: Nature

178 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2009

About the author

Ronald Blythe CBE was one of the UK's greatest living writers. His work, which won countless awards, includes Akenfield (a Penguin 20th-Century Classic and a feature film), Private Words, Field Work, Outsiders: A Book of Garden Friends and numerous other titles. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was awarded their prestigious Benson Medal in 2006. In 2017, he was appointed CBE for services to literature

Reviews

[Karen Floyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book of essays, long and short, revolving around gardens and gardening. Blythe muses on the seasons, on his own garden at Bottengoms Farm, on gardens he has known and visited, on changes in farming in Britain, of gardens long gone and seen only through the eyes of their creators. Many friends wander through these pages, friends known personally, as well as friends met only through their books. The book is wonderfully illustrated with line drawings, paintings and photographs by his friends, particularly those by John Nash and Sir Cedric Morris. Blythe's writing is superb at evoking the atmosphere of places he has been and the details of what he has seen. The people he writes about are viewed sympathetically and generously, but with clear sight.

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[David Seligman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ronald Blythe still lives alone in an isolated cottage in the Suffolk countryside where he has spent most of his life, gardened, watched wildlife and written many books about rural England including the celebrated 'Akenfield'. Outsiders is a miscellany of pieces about his connection to nature, plants and the landscape. For those of us who share this spiritual life, it is just a delightful read