Lots of Words

Keswick had everything today – sunshine, blue sky, lots of books and lots of words.
 
It’s Words by the Water time again and I will be spending some time in Keswick this week.
 
Today Gordon went to a talk by Melvyn Bragg – The North. Based on his Radio 4 series and celebrating the history and culture of the North of England, this was apparently stunningly brilliant and very well received by a packed theatre audience.
 
I chose to go to a talk by Madeleine Bunting – A Hebridean Journey. This was based on her book, Love of Country, A Hebridean Journey, which featured in a blip of mine earlier this year. I got the book at Christmas, have now read it and loved it. A brilliant, many layered book, exploring deep into the history and landscape of the Hebrides, the talk was as inspiring as the book. As the author makes pilgrimages to the farthest edge of Britain, she covers history, archaeology, geology, wildlife, culture, even contemporary politics, and asks questions about home, belonging, country, relationships between countries and lots more. Thoughtful and thought-provoking. (This photo was taken after the talk, just as a book-signing queue was forming. I didn't join it!)
 
A wonderful start to what promises to be a good week – only one book bought so far!!