Scan barcode
A review by kizzia
England's Villages An Extraordinary Journey Through Time by Dr Ben Robinson
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
This was so well written and filled to the brim with interesting facts that once I’d finished listening to the audio book I went and found myself a copy of the paper back to make it easier to re-read and take notes. This is not something I normally do (although this is the second audiobook in a row this year, clearly I’m picking them extra well) so that should tell you just how much I found of value in the pages and how much I enjoyed it.
The blurb really doesn’t do justice to just how much information is packed into the 416 pages/12 hours and certainly doesn’t show how well and clearly written it is. Ben Robinson’s ability to talk in detail about the archaeology without making it incomprehensible to anyone who hasn’t studied the subject and to ensure he isn’t speaking down to his audience is unparalleled. His deft handling of the chronology and the sheer variety of information that villages can give us was a joy to read and I found some the later chapters about new villages, modern housing issues, climate change and the political, economical, and cultural issues these engenger exemplary.
My only complaint, purely about the audiobook, is that the narrator speaks like a childrens tv presenter on acid and although he did become more bearable the further through the book I got it still grated on my nerves. It did not stop me listening until the very end, which is another indication of how good the book is.
The blurb really doesn’t do justice to just how much information is packed into the 416 pages/12 hours and certainly doesn’t show how well and clearly written it is. Ben Robinson’s ability to talk in detail about the archaeology without making it incomprehensible to anyone who hasn’t studied the subject and to ensure he isn’t speaking down to his audience is unparalleled. His deft handling of the chronology and the sheer variety of information that villages can give us was a joy to read and I found some the later chapters about new villages, modern housing issues, climate change and the political, economical, and cultural issues these engenger exemplary.
My only complaint, purely about the audiobook, is that the narrator speaks like a childrens tv presenter on acid and although he did become more bearable the further through the book I got it still grated on my nerves. It did not stop me listening until the very end, which is another indication of how good the book is.