The Running Hare discussion

[Becky]

Please enter your comments about the Nov. 2017 Book of the Month here.

Thanks,
Becky

[Sher]

Hello Everyone:
I won't be able to join you for this discussion. I'll try to check in though.

Thanks, Sher

[Rachel]

I have just started reading - am looking forward to discussing it over the coming days/weeks.

[Rachel]

I’ve just finished the first chapter. It reminds me a lot of A Buzz in the Meadow by Dave Goulson, who also experimented with allowing wild flowers back into a farm in France, although his focus was insects rather than birds. It is also interesting that the author frequently mentions the corncrake, as I have recently read The Outrun, in which Amy Liptrot spends a season monitoring corncrakes in the Orkneys. It is a promising first chapter. I love the cover art too.

[Rachel]

I’ve just finished chapter 3 - still enjoying very much although as he is now describing April it seems a world away from our autumnal present! It is very sad how the everyday bird species have changed so much even in decades. However, as the author says: ‘It is still countryside worth fighting for.’

[Rachel]

About three-quarters of the way through the book now. It is a very gentle book, in that it doesn’t require too much investment of time and focus to read a few pages at a time. This is great for me as it means I can dip in for 10 minutes each breakfast. After that I don’t get much time to read at the moment. I love the way that he mixes his journal-style anecdotes with poems and lists of scientific data - I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like that before.

[Sher]

Rachel wrote: "About three-quarters of the way through the book now. It is a very gentle book, in that it doesn’t require too much investment of time and focus to read a few pages at a time. This is great for me ..."

Hi Rachel:
I like how you describe the book. It seems easy and welcoming. Sorry I could not join you of this one. :)

Sher

[Paul]

I read this a little while ago and thought it was absolutely brilliant. Not only is Lewis-Stempel a write of depth and nuance, but what he does here to prove that the current agricultural system is deeply flawed is something that should send shockwaves through governments. Sadly it won't as the political parties take the donations from the agri-chemical businesses. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...