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The Grassling

Exploring memory, identity, and the connection to nature

Elizabeth-Jane Burnett author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd

Published:23rd Apr '20

Should be back in stock very soon

The Grassling cover

Through The Grassling, Burnett intertwines personal loss with a deep connection to the land, exploring themes of memory, identity, and belonging.

In The Grassling, Elizabeth-Jane Burnett explores the deep connections between people and the land they inhabit. As she navigates her father's declining health, she reflects on the history of her small Devon village, revealing how the landscape and its history intertwine with personal memory. The narrative is rich with imagery and emotion, inviting readers to consider the ways in which our surroundings shape our identity and experiences.

The author delves into the concept of belonging, examining what it means to be rooted in a place that is ever-changing. Through lyrical prose, Burnett captures the essence of grief and loss, portraying the struggle of holding onto the past while confronting the inevitability of change. The landscape becomes a character in itself, echoing the complexities of human emotion and connection.

The Grassling is not just a memoir; it is a meditation on the natural world and our place within it. Burnett's evocative writing encourages readers to reflect on their own relationships with the land, urging them to appreciate the beauty and fragility of their surroundings. This book serves as both a tribute to the countryside and a poignant exploration of the ties that bind us to our roots.

Burnett manages the delicate feat of maintaining our sense of reverence for the nebulous Anglo-Saxon romanticism..., but twins it with astute scientific nous which never strays into the esoteric. She does this with such joy that we cannot help but want to join in... a heartening read. * The Quietus *
With a blend of poetry, memoir and a uniquely experimental, sensory style of nature writing, The Grasslingcelebrates the lusciousness of both land and language ... Ideas that might in a lesser writer have seemed whimsical are grounded by the rich layers of Burnett's prose. -- Clare Saxby * TLS *
A poetic, lyrical tribute to the earth beneath our feet . . . Burnett is one of the freshest voices in the current crop of nature writers -- Ben Hoare * Countryfile *
This astonishingly beautiful ode to the sights, sounds and smells of the countryside . . . [evokes] a richly immersive sense of the natural world and our place within it. * Country Living *

ISBN: 9780141989624

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 12mm

Weight: 155g

208 pages