The Book of Trespass: Crossing the Lines That Divide Us

Book
No Media

This item doesn’t have any media yet

The Book of Trespass: Crossing the Lines That Divide Us

2020 | History & Politics | Natural World

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

'Brilliant, passionate and political . . . The Book of Trespass will make you see landscapes differently' Robert Macfarlane

'A remarkable and truly radical work, loaded with resonant truths' George Monbiot

The vast majority of our country is entirely unknown to us because we are banned from setting foot on it. By law of trespass, we are excluded from 92 per cent of the land and 97 per cent of its waterways, blocked by walls whose legitimacy is rarely questioned. But behind them lies a story of enclosure, exploitation and dispossession of public rights whose effects last to this day.

The Book of Trespass takes us on a journey over the walls of England, into the thousands of square miles of rivers, woodland, lakes and meadows that are blocked from public access. By trespassing the land of the media magnates, Lords, politicians and private corporations that own England, Nick Hayes argues that the root of social inequality is the uneven distribution of land.

Weaving together the stories of poachers, vagabonds, gypsies, witches, hippies, ravers, ramblers, migrants and protestors, and charting acts of civil disobedience that challenge orthodox power at its heart, The Book of Trespass will transform the way you see the land.



Published by Bloomsbury Circus

Non-Fiction

Main Image Courtesy: Goodreads.
Images And Data Courtesy Of: Bloomsbury Circus.
This content (including text, images, videos and other media) is published and used in accordance with Fair Use.

Added By

ClareR

Added this item on Sep 6, 2020

The Book of Trespass: Crossing the Lines That Divide Us Reviews & Ratings (1)
9-10
100.0% (1)
7-8
0.0% (0)
5-6
0.0% (0)
3-4
0.0% (0)
1-2
0.0% (0)

Post Type

Hidden Post

Archived Post

The Book of Trespass: Crossing the Lines That Divide Us reviews from people you don't follow
40x40

ClareR (5874 KP) rated

Sep 6, 2020  
The Book of Trespass: Crossing the Lines That Divide Us
The Book of Trespass: Crossing the Lines That Divide Us
Nick Hayes | 2020 | History & Politics, Natural World
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Book of Trespass is a non-fiction book that looks at how the land and waterways in England used to belong to everyone as Common Land, and afternoon various acts of Parliament, they were enclosed and sold to the highest bidder. People who were able to previously eke out a living on shared, common land, found themselves without income, food, a place to live, and forced to work for the family that now owned what had been everyone’s.

Fast forward a few centuries, the few rich people still own the majority of the land in the UK, and seem to guard it jealously. There’s no way that they can use all that land, but they won’t share it. In fact, the law backs them up - if you trespass, you could be prosecuted.

Nick Hayes has written a book where he charts the history of how land has changed ownership from the many to the few, the links to colonisation and the slave trade, those who have fought to keep us and our world safe and he stages his own rebellions throughout the book. He takes us over the fences and walls to look at the land we wouldn’t otherwise see (and the descriptions are beautiful, you can feel the love he has for the countryside). He shows us that this is not a communist ideal, as some would think. In countries such as Sweden, Norway and closer to home, Scotland, there is a culture of space for all. Maybe if we could all use this land, we would learn how to best look after it.

The added bonus were the pictures (woodcuts) - bold and beautiful.

I’m already trying to think of people who would appreciate this book as a gift. It’s definitely a book to share.

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and Nick Hayes for making this book available for us to read!
(1)