Robert Macfarlane

Isn't that amazing when it happens MayBee70.

That has happened to me a couple of times. We have a charity bookshop in our town which is more like a commercial book shop. Beautifully laid out. And I found two books recently which I had on my list to read. I was so pleased.

I’ve just listened to one of the utube interviews with him. To be quite honest he’s so clever I don’t know what he’s talking about most of the time! However, he is still quite self effacing, too.

youtu.be/WfsKMvgklpE?si=roLSyjK2hpRmVRJf
Just found this on utube: Robert Macfarlane with Susan Cooper discussing the BBC Sounds adaptation of The Dark is Rising….

When I began to read Green Witch I found out that it was imagined in a village I'd lived in & some of the scenes felt so eerie. Have just finished The Grey King which I 'knew' as well as I've spent a little time near Cader Idris. I think Susan Cooper's writing taps into an almost forgotten longing for a sort of 'otherness' that feels just beyond. I watched that talk too maybee70, you could just feel the joy that Robert felt talking to Susan!
I borrowed The Old Ways from the library, but need to get my own copy to keep dipping into. Landmarks came from ebay.
Thankyou for setting me off on this life enhancing voyage of discovery Maybee70

I still can’t decide whether to continue listening to The Dark is Rising on BBC Sounds before I read the book ( I’m terrible at making decisions). I was going to order The Dark is Rising but then couldn’t decide whether or not to buy the complete set of books! Robert Macfarlane did a readathon of TDIR on twitter during lockdown but I don’t do twitter. Maybe now is the time to bite the bullet and subscribe to audible and listen to the whole book? I hadn’t realised how complicated it had been to make the Sounds adaptation.Just imagine having Robert as your tutor at uni! He must be inspiring a whole new generation of writers.

Oh Maybee70 decisions, decisions. I found that the soundcast enhanced the story after I'd read it as a way to re live the magic and enjoyed it as an extra experience but don't think I'd have got as much out of the scenes the other way round. I like the places and people to be 'mine' first if that make sense.
There are guides online to suggest what times of the year to read the books too!

I know this thread is really about RMacfarlane, but Johnny Flynn was in a film called Beast starring Jessie Buckley just a few days ago
It was a dark thriller/adult fantasy.
If anyone is interested, I think it was on channel 4.

Thank you for starting this thread MayBee70 I have a few Johnny Flynn cd's, but not any of the RM books, but I have now ordered 2 , and I will follow up your links too.

I saw a clip from Beast. When I discover someone new I tend to watch everything on utube about them, including film promotional interviews. I’m not sure about seeing him in such a role: he’s such a gentle person!My daughter stayed with us last week and she brought Emma. with her so we could watch it. And my SIL was able to let me watch The Dig with his Netflix subscription. I also want to watch Operation Mincemeat and One Life. Robert and Johnny are complete soul mates. After listening to the Desert Island discs with Robert Macfarlane I listened to an old one with Richard Mabey who I’ve always admired and it was so dull compared the Robert’s ( sorry Richard).

Oh crikey: I miss read what you’d written. Yes it is on catchup. I haven’t got catchup for Ch4 where I am at the moment but I’m back home on Sunday. I will watch it. Thanks!

Be prepared, MayBee70 it is a very different part for him to play. But actors like to be 'stretched' or so they say.

Yes I too will be searching Netflix for all the recommended programs now

This author has plainly captured your imagination Maybee .
It's wonderful when that happens .
Thank you very much for the recommendation .

Namsnanny

Be prepared, MayBee70 it is a very different part for him to play. But actors like to be 'stretched' or so they say.

Yes I too will be searching Netflix for all the recommended programs now

Managed to watch it last night but did fall asleep as we’d been travelling all day. I do like weird films like that. Need to rewatch the bit in the middle now. Even then I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make sense of it even though I have Wikipedia’d it!

Having now read The Old Ways & Landmarks I feel as if a secret world has been given, his writing just transports me. Underland arrived just this morning !
"The way into the underlands is through the riven trunk of an old ash tree."
Lead on Robert

My ex used to run marathons. He then switched to cycling and had cycled Lands End to Scotland and Scotland to Lands End. Now finally realising that, when you cycle on roads you’re at the mercy of dangerous drivers he’s taken to walking and is going to walk The Pennine Way. I’m going to buy the books for him, too. I haven’t really got stuck into them yet as I’m a bit distracted by my dog being poorly. It wouldn’t surprise me if he and Johnny did Glastonbury this year. I wish I could see them on tour!

Oh Johnny & Robert are made for Glastonbury!
Hope your darling dog feels better & is enjoying life again soon Maybee70, nothing feels right when they're poorly does it.

From past experience I always stop listening to favourite music etc if I’m a bit worried about something because of the association. I’d love to see them on tour. Show of Hands did a small tour with Michael Wood last year which I would have loved to go to. No one seems to bring out DVD’s of things these days, it’s all streaming which I’m not very good at accessing.

I’ve just discovered the folk group Planxty recently. No idea why I’ve never come across them before given that I’ve always loved folk music! Methinks I need to start a folk music thread…

My family sponsored and initiated the Lost Words and Lost Spells projects. It was my DD's idea! They chose and employed the musicians, facilitated a week's retreat where they wrote the music, and organised the performance tours. It has been a delight for so many people and spawned community and school music a poetry projects. Needless to say I am pretty proud of them all! www.thelostwords.org/spell-songs/

Oh wow! No wonder you are proud of them. What a truly amazing thing, to create something that has brought so much joy to so many people. Please thank them from me!

MayBee70

I’ve just discovered the folk group Planxty recently. No idea why I’ve never come across them before given that I’ve always loved folk music! Methinks I need to start a folk music thread…

Go for it Maybee70
My daughter set me up with Spotify( I've yet to become techno savvy) and I find heaps of things I like on there, you just type in whatever you are looking for-Johnny Flynn or something like Autumn listening/ Dark academia and up comes hours of music. All of Johnny and Robert's are there!

Luckygirl3

My family sponsored and initiated the Lost Words and Lost Spells projects. It was my DD's idea! They chose and employed the musicians, facilitated a week's retreat where they wrote the music, and organised the performance tours. It has been a delight for so many people and spawned community and school music a poetry projects. Needless to say I am pretty proud of them all! www.thelostwords.org/spell-songs/

Oh Luckygirl13 Please, please, please thank your amazing family for bringing this wonderful experience into people's hearts. Magical xxx

I will! They are imaginative and enterprising people ... they run the annual Folk by the Oak festival ... full of family friendly activities as well as great music. Another of my DDs works for them ... so a real family affair!