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Max Adams

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Born

in London, The United Kingdom

Website

http://www.theambulist.co.uk

Genre

History, Travel, Fiction

Influences

William Golding; Zola; Patrick O'Brien; Joseph Conrad ...more

Member Since

September 2013

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I am an archaeologist, woodsman and traveller. I live in the North-east of England where I write about landscape and history. My next non-fiction work, to be published in Autumn 2017, is called Alfred's Britain - a history and archaeology of the British Isles in the Viking Age. The King in the North has been a non-fiction bestseller since its publication. In the Land of Giants, my latest non-fiction book, is a series of journeys, mostly on foot, through Dark Age landscapes.

In May 2016 I published my first novel, The Ambulist.
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Saw King in the North in Seahouses tourist info shop in the summer and the reference to Cadwallon caught my eye (I also like Welsh history), really brought the period to life. Now reading in the land of giants, learnt what a 'lee shore' is! Have you got to Bradwell yet? very special place. you might find Afordir Cymru on S4C interesting - available on S4C catchup (with subs) focuses on placenames along Llyn coast

Max Adams Hi Colin,
thanks for your question. No, I still haven't made it to Bradwell: I'm deep into a portrait of Britain in the Viking Age, due out next year, …moreHi Colin,
thanks for your question. No, I still haven't made it to Bradwell: I'm deep into a portrait of Britain in the Viking Age, due out next year, and it's swallowed much of my travel time this year. Thanks for that tip on Afordir Cymru; I dare say I'll find I got a few things wrong! (less)

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I am reading Land of Giants and in referring to Notes and their page references, I am finding no connection. It is driving me nuts. I.e. Notes page 39 explains Light +raDar. does it refer to first graph on that page somehow? Others are even more oblique if not totally impossible. I have walked many of your paths over my 78 years and this book is riveting. Your explanation is appreciated to increase my enjoyment.

Max Adams Dear Chris, I am sorry that you are confused, but it's easily solved. The note numbers are not page references, but endnotes, referring to numbered no…moreDear Chris, I am sorry that you are confused, but it's easily solved. The note numbers are not page references, but endnotes, referring to numbered notes in the text. So, when you see a note number in the text - page 142 for example (of the paperback), you will find mention of LiDAR, and a superscript number 39; the note of what it means is on p.437 (note 39). I hope that explains. In retrospect, we should have provided an index; that's my fault: I just wanted it to be read as a complete flow. But anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed it.(less)

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Max Adams’s books

Average rating: 3.77 · 4,044 ratings · 601 reviews · 23 distinct works • Similar authors

	The King in the North: The Life and Times of Oswald of Northumbria 3.80 avg rating — 1,047 ratings — published 2005 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The First Kingdom: Britain in the Age of Arthur 3.75 avg rating — 726 ratings — published 2021 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ælfred’s Britain: War and Peace in the Viking Age 3.70 avg rating — 611 ratings — published 2017 — 14 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	In the Land of Giants: A Journey Through the Dark Ages 3.73 avg rating — 592 ratings — published 2015 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Wisdom of Trees 3.99 avg rating — 371 ratings — published 2014 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Unquiet Women 3.45 avg rating — 309 ratings — published 2018 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Birth of the Anglo-Saxons: Three Kings and a History of Britain at the Dawn of the Viking Age 3.62 avg rating — 136 ratings — published 2025 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Admiral Collingwood: Nelson's own hero 4.23 avg rating — 101 ratings — published 2005 — 16 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Little Book of Planting Trees 4.11 avg rating — 36 ratings — published 2019 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Trees of Life 4.03 avg rating — 29 ratings — published 2019 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Max Adams's Blog

The Ambulist

My debut novel, a literary thriller called The Ambulist, has just been released by Beat&track - my own publishing enterprise. It's a limited edition, and if readers buy it from my own website www.theambulist.uk, they get a signed and numbered copy; it's also out on Kindle on Amazon.

The Ambulist is the man who walks forever.
Through the plains and vales of Northumberland,
across fell and river, mount Read more of this blog post »

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Published on June 04, 2016 02:13

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The Ambulist

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“One might just as well try to reconstruct the idea of a tree from its leaves, or an ocean wave from a dripping tap. So much is lost; truth is a chimera.”
― Max Adams, The First Kingdom: Britain in the Age of Arthur

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“More exotic still was Wulfstan's account of travels in the eastern Baltic and along the River Vistula; of a land of honey and plentiful fishing, of the habits of foreign kings and their burial rites and inheritance practices. In a time of war the Angelcynn were, at heart, still curious about the world beyond their shores.”
― Max Adams, Ælfred’s Britain: War and Peace in the Viking Age

tags: curiosity, viking-age

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“of Scotland’,”
― Max Adams, The First Kingdom: Britain in the Age of Arthur

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