specialists in local books and authors inc. Hardy & Fowles

John Payne came to 'The Book Shop' saturday 19 September, to sign copies of his new book "The West Country: A Cultural History". The book explores the five south-western counties of England: Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, in the process discovering what distinguishes them one from another and what links them together.

Each county merits two chapters, and for our county these are headed "Traditional Dorset" and "Modern Dorset". In the former topics such as The Tolpuddle Martyrs and Chapels in the Landscape are covered, along with Hardy’s Wessex and Lyme Regis. In "Modern Dorset" the author gives consideration to Rolf Gardiner at Springhead, A Den of Writers at East Chaldon, Laurence Whistler at Moreton , T.E. Laurence at Clouds Hill and Occupied Territory (concerning the takeover of large tracts of land by the Ministry of Defence).

The book is a beautifully produced paperback, in Signal Books’ "Landscapes of the Imagination" series and retails at £12.00.

John Payne was born in Bath in 1945. Educated at the City of Bath Boys School and the universities of Manchester, Glasgow and London, he worked for many years in adult education, including the Open University.