Betjeman's Cornwall

by John Betjeman

John Betjeman first fell in love with Cornwall during his childhood holidays and returned to it yearly until his death. As this collection shows, it has inspired some of his best poems and most evocative prose.

Genres: Poetry

95 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1964

Reviews

[Timothy Ferguson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can you be sentimental about a place which you have never visited? I do not know Cornwall, but I know a bit about Cornwall, at least about how it was in a very brief historical period. It has been a core part of the setting of some books I write for some other people who I try not to mention on the blog too much. I know it enough that the names and places and some of the customs are familiar, and I, listening, wish I could see them, even though I have never seen them before. I enjoyed, particularly, the prose portions, which were read by Geoffrey Palmer (Lionel in As Time Goes By).

The poetry is about Cornwall, beset by tourists, who are wrecking the place, as seen by aloving outsider who accepts that he, too is a tourist. When the profound judgement, which he seems to hope for, descends on the tourists and washes away all of their works, he knows he too will be destroyed. In this he reminded me of Corwin from the Amber Chronicles, who, declaiming being a hero, states that on the day of judgement which holy men preach but do not believe, he will be cast into hell, but until then he will be an evil which fights other evils. An odd note to strike, and enjoyable when living in a tourist mecca like the Gold Coast which is debating its identity.


This review originally appeared on book coasters.

[Pat Morris-jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Read as an audiobook. One criticism was that different voices all seemed to pronounce Rough Tor correctly, except one. Grating. Thought an editor ought to have noticed the difference between correct and incorrect pronunciation between voices.
Interesting book too as many of train journeys and bike journeys would not be possible today. Lovely if they were. Also he was very fit. Some of those casual bike journeys would be considered exhausting nowadays. How we have lost our everyday fitness.
Also many topics remain contemporary. Second home owners. How Cornish dislike people from upcountry ( in his day were known as foreigners). He seems to agree with Cornish. How much house building in those days too. Something like if they could build on the sea they would. Interesting re history of area and certain churches too. How in October people and places are exhausted after the season and look forward to time for themselves. Not this year but previously.
Also how many empty, lonely and untouched villages are now soooo busy. Port Isaac quiet? Not even in winter nowadays. Maybe lockdown has saved them a little.