Product Description

The Slow Food revolution is upon us and this guide celebrates the Slow philosophy of life with a terrific selection of the places, recipes and people who take their time to enjoy life at its most enriching. In this beautiful book, that goes beyond the mere ‘glossy’, you will discover an unusual emphasis on the people who live in Special Slow Places and what they do. You will meet farmers, literary people, wine-makers and the craftsmen- all with rich stories to tell. Go Slow England celebrates fascinating people, fine architecture, history, landscape and real food. A counter-balance to our culture of haste.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18046 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Rosie Boycott
A lovely book

The Bookseller
Recipes, lists of vineyards and pubs, and suggestions for "slow days" - what's not to like?

About the Author
A pioneer in the environmental world, Alastair Sawday is the founder of the first carbon-neutral publishing company, planting trees to compensate for air travel, promoting environmental awareness and sustainable living. Alastair ran as parliamentary candidate for the Green Party in 1992, and was vice-chair of the Soil Association. He was the founder Chairman and Director of Avon Friends of the Earth. Alastair has had a miscellaneous and varied career which has taken him to the most far-flung corners of the globe: he headed up a VSO programme in Papua New Guinea, worked in St Lucia, ran a disaster relief team for Oxfam in Turkey, has taught French and Spanish, and has run a small travel company, conducting walking and cycling tours throughout Europe and pioneering ‘ethical’ travel. An essential ingredient of this was being with, eating with, local people – putting money into the local economy. It was this that inspired him to publish the much-loved Special Places to Stay series. “No traveller”, he says “needs to sleep in those impersonal and banal hotels and B&Bs that litter the world. And it is silly to spend money on being ‘chic’ and ‘exclusive’. There is such diverse humanity out there, so many richly rewarding and unexpected experiences to enjoy. I want to encourage people to travel lightly, with open minds – and slowly.”

Customer Reviews

Slow and green
First impression is what a lovely book this is - physically - an alluring photograph of an old-fashioned bicycle in a summer meadow, framed in subdued olive tones, positively exuding Slow and green. Pick it up, feel its weight and connect with its seriousness; hold and turn the pages gently as all good book-lovers do. Then see that this is not mere presentation but the paper and printer are FSC/ISO 14001 certified for low ecological impact. You are in familiar Alastair Sawday territory; principles worn on the sleeve, backed up with real commitment and action.

Inside, we are invited to Go Slow too. After a concise and beautifully illustrated introduction to Slow values and a few of the well-known names of English Slow such as Riverford and Fordhall Farm, we are then taken on a geographical tour of England. The rest of the book is structured around seven clusters of counties such the expected Cornwall and Devon and the unfamiliar - not to mention unconnected - grouping of Suffolk, Norfolk and Northamptonshire. These seven sections are all structured alike with a clear & useful map followed firstly by Slow Travel, a gazetteer of attractions from gardens and farmers' markets to walks and cycleways, then Slow Food which has short entries for cafés, markets and pubs, and finally the bulk of the text which is Special Places to Stay.

And this is the real pleasure of the book. We are introduced to the forty-eight Special Places across England through the owners of the properties and are shown how they have put their values into practice as well. In substantial and well-illustrated entries we meet families and pets, hear the stories and most importantly, what qualifies these them as Special and Slow places - and can almost smell the hand-made bread, touch the quilt and hear the laughter. These are the true heroes of Slow in England, who are rightly celebrated in this book.

It is not a tome for the backpack or panniers but one for poring over at home: dreaming and planning. And that is what I intended when I dipped back into it for Slow ideas for a trip to friends. This was when I had a disappointment and my only quibble with the book - albeit a major one - there is a whole swathe of the midlands from Lincolnshire in the East to Cheshire in the West, including the delightful county of Derbyshire where my friends reside, with no entries in the book at all. This is an omission to be rectified next time and a challenge to discover the hidden Slow heroes who are surely out there.

Go Slow England
Probably the best travel book I've read. This book inspires me to explore areas of England that I've not previously visited. The insight into how and why the home owners became 'Slow'is fascinating, particularly as some of them have been so for many years. Having read most of the book whilst being in France has shown that we don't have to escape too far to enjoy being 'Slow'.

5* Relaxation
A superb book, beautifully presented with fantastic photos. Alastair Sawday's "Go Slow England" captures the spirit of each special place to stay, their environment and personality. Moreover, he suggests particular special eateries and places to visit locally. It is perfect for those who want to find a place to get away from the hustle and the bustle, and to explore an area with the confidence that you are not going to be rushed and ultimately disappointed.

I tested this book by looking at Alistair Sawday's section on Devon, where my parents live, to see what was recommended. He spoke of all the best places to visit and eat that I know of (including Sharpham vineyard for delicious wine and cheese tasting) plus a few more which I intend to go and try now! This book is a must have for anyone who likes relaxing breaks away.