Symptom: Tired of the City / Longing for the Countryside
Cure: Books to Transport you to a Green and Pleasant Land
Mostly, living in a busy town or city is energising and life affirming. Occasionally though, even the most committed, card carrying urbanite will long for the smell of clean fresh air, the feel of soft grass beneath their feet and the musical accompaniment from the sounds of nature. Sometimes the city despite its excitement and diversity, the thick fug of it and the lack of disregard for personal space can become just too much. Finding a park or garden or a quiet space in the city to escape to sometimes just doesn’t cut it. Hopping on a train or jumping in a car and following signs to ‘rural’ may just not be possible. It is at times like this, when the longing becomes almost unbearable that you must, take a breath, pause and then immediately dive head first into books which will transport you to the longed for bucolic land.
These books I believe, will do just that.
The Darling Buds of May by H.E Bates
The Larkin Family headed up by Pop and Ma Larkin live life at the end of a rambling country lane in Kent, the aptly named garden of England. There they live on the fat of the land, potatoes fresh and warm from the rich soil, verdant green beans plucked form the plant and bowls of wild strawberries hidden under a mound of buttery, thick cream. Fresh eggs from their chickens are in abundance, and wine flows from the grapes of the rambling vines. Lunches are large and long and enjoyed under the shade of the apple tree. The beautiful Larkin children frolic in carpets of bluebells and hide in trees. Even the tax man is seduced by this this rural idyll, where life really is just ‘perfick’
“The strong May sunlight, the first hot sun of the year, made the bonnet of the truck gleam like brilliant blue enamel. All down the road winding through the valley, miles of pink apple orchards were in late bloom, showing petals like light confetti”
The Darling Buds of May is without doubt on my reading list for May.
Country Bunch by Miss Read
Read anything by Miss Read and you will be transported to the rural Cotswolds where the residents of villages make the most of the weather, enjoying the produce from their gardens, and the tranquility that comes with warm summer days. The Nature and the weather is as important in Miss Reads writings as are arguably, the characters themselves.
However, for a complete immersion in country life then I recommend A Country Bunch. This is a beautiful collection of poems and diary extracts, stories, recipes and musings from men and women who have all lived and loved in the English countryside. This book is a delightful insight into a way of life lost for so many of us. You will find yourself bathed in golden sunshine and drunk on the descriptions of country affairs. With Miss Read at you side, slowly make your way down winding lanes, frequently stopping to smell the blossom or observe a local farmer tending his wayward crops. Take your time to feel the sun and the wind and the brush of the long grass, until you find yourself suitably soothed and restored to make you way back to urban life.
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
Transport yourself to the Lake District and set sail with the Walker and the Blackett children. Make camps in the woods, swim in the lake. Catch fish for your supper, drink home make lemonade and enjoy the long lazy days of summer under blue skies and whispering clouds. The perfect remedy for city weary souls.
Also read the poetry of Mary Oliver, for she describes the natural world more thoughtfully than most.
“Whatever it is I am saying, I always
need a leaf or a flower, if not an
entire field.” – Mary Oliver
You can read my other reading cures here.
I’ve watched the TV series the Darling Buds of May as a kid, loved it:)