Landscape, People and Books

David St John Thomas

For three years David St John Thomas travelled through Britain, exploring the fascinating and diverse character of Britain today. The result is a 700-page travelogue/commentary in the tradition of J.B. Priestley’s English Journey. Sometimes erudite, constantly perceptive and always eye opening and sympathetic to Britain’s national condition, this is a breezy and entertaining account of Britain as it really is.

From spending an evening with Patrick Moore or touring the Hebridean islands by ship, to travelling round the Lake District’s coast by stopping train or savouring the continuing individuality of deepest Northumberland, the reader will quickly find the author a good companion and a reliable guide. David St John Thomas knows the nation well, both the familiar and the totally unexpected. He meets both famous and unknown people: old friends, authors, great gardeners, railwaymen, and many of those involved in the book business. Many seem to grow out of their landscape and all enrich the journey with their own stories and observations.

Journey Through Britain is a rich and fertile collection of people, organisations, books, art galleries, crafts, cliffs and beaches, canals, county bus services, mountain moors, cruise ships and cycle ways. There are glimpses of Britain’s industrial history, old seaside towns, early Christian sites, great hotels and restaurants, as well as its small islands, craft industries and rural revivals of many kinds.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David St John Thomas is a well-known writer and publisher, running Writers News magazine in the UK for many years. Before that, David established and ran the renowned publishing house David & Charles. David currently has well over a million copies of his previous books in print, many of which were bestsellers.

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Reviews

‘I don’t think this is a book to be read at one sitting but rather one journey at a time. And if you’re ever heading to Britain with the time to be able to ramble through its delightful byways, then it’s hard to think of a better guide.’ New Zealand Herald

‘It’s the quintessential armchair travel book, a picture of contemporary Britain. I imagine it will become a classic. Thomas writes in a leisurely but compelling style, full of interesting conversation and anecdotes.’ Otago Daily Times

‘Although this is quite a dense read it will delight any Anglopile with its unique mixture of the familiar and the unexpected throughout the British Isles. The author knows the country well.’ AA Traveller

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SPECIFICATIONS
Size: 240 x 160mm
Format: Paperback
Extent: 700 pages
16 pages of photos
Fully indexed
Weight: 700 gms
Published: March 2006
ISBN: 978-0-711225-68-8
Hardcover version: 978-0-711223-69-1