Of Thorn & Briar

‘[A] beguiling book about a year in the life of a 21st-century hedgelayer . . . Written without a hint of the pretentiousness that sometimes mars nature books, this spare but elegant account is an unexpected delight, and as soothing as a walk down a tree-dappled lane at sunset.’ -- Constance Craig Smith * Daily Mail *
‘Gentle and timeless, Paul is the authentic voice of the countryside. This is the story of a man at one with the land.’ -- Lara Maiklem, author of Mudlarking
‘At times it reads like a travelogue of another place, if not another time, before remembering that it is the southwest of our own country . . . it is impossible not to like Lamb, or this book, which is already a bestseller. He is self-made, and he speaks of his trade and his associates with charm, veneration and conviction.’  -- Adam Weymouth * Sunday Times  *
‘A love letter to the British countryside, Of Thorn & Briar combines vivid and beautiful nature writing with an enchanting portrait of the ancient art of hedgelaying. Paul’s passion for his craft is woven into every page, making for a radiant, warm-hearted and life-affirming read.’  -- Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters
‘This is a delightful book and one that deserves to enter the pantheon of distinguished Nature writing’  * Country Life *
‘Paul’s writing has transformed the way I view and connect with our local landscape. As a fellow West Country dweller and avid gardener, it is an immense privilege to learn from such authentic local insights and traditional knowledge.’ -- Ramona Jones, @monalogue, author of Growing
‘A beautiful and rare book written by a man who has earned his knowledge the hard way – working woods and field edges over years. There is love and grace here. The authenticity sings.’ -- Ben Short, author of Burn
‘Paul Lamb has written a book of truth about a hidden world. A book to be read slowly to savour every last ounce of its magnificent storytelling. A hymn to a world we all need to know and care more about. I loved it.’  -- John Connell, number one bestselling author of The Cow Book and Twelve Sheep. 
‘It’s as if the Green Man himself had written a hymn to the English countryside, its natural history, its rural craftsmen and those who continue, against all odds, to work this ancient land. Pleasingly old-fashioned, immersive, honest, informative and true, Of Thorn & Briar is written by a master craftsman and a true countryman, a man who has had the courage to tread his own path. Paul Lamb lives it, touches it – the land, its trees, its plants and its people. His world is the cycling of day into night, of winter into summer and back again; he writes about outdoor living and the hard physical graft of the rural labourer, out in all weathers, all seasons. He is part of this land’s story, and after reading his book you’ll not look at a hedge, or small farm, or our land, in the same way again.’   -- Dan Boothby, author of Island of Dreams
‘Evoking landscapes that often recall the novels of Thomas Hardy, [Lamb’s] book – charmingly illustrated by woodcuts by Robin Mackenzie – beautifully conveys the rhythm of the seasons as he describes how the British countryside is shaped by these ancient boundaries and ecological treasure troves.’   -- Caroline Sanderson * Bookseller *