A Countryman’s Winter Notebook: Mr Hawking publishes second book

This week, Mr Richard Hawking, Teacher of English and Head of Year Eleven, celebrates the publication of his second book, A Countryman’s Winter Notebook.

The book is a selection of beautifully crafted essays by Adrian Bell, gathered together from Bell’s archives and introduced by Richard, to form the first of a quartet of Bell’s writings on the seasons. Adrian Bell, most well-known for Corduroy and his ‘Rural Trilogy’, was a farmer-writer whose work reflects the changes in farming between 1920 and 1980 and which vividly describe a time before machinery took over much of the work of men and beasts, altering the landscape and the face of farming forever. The book also includes a preface by the ex-BBC journalist and MP, Martin Bell (Adrian’s son) as well as specially commissioned illustrations by the Suffolk artist, Beth Knight.

Richard’s interest in the writing of Adrian Bell, stems from his experience of growing up in Somerset where his father and grandfather ran small mixed-method farms in the manner of Bell himself. Richard said: “It has been a joy compiling these little-known essays by Adrian Bell, and a pleasure to work with the publishers Slightly Foxed. It is great to have the opportunity of bringing the best of Bell’s writing to a new audience”. 

There will be a book launch in Suffolk over Half-term, where Richard will be in conversation with Jules Pretty, Professor of Environment and Society at the University of Essex. For more information, please click here.