Yvonne
THE AUTUMN TRANSHUMANCE
Applying the handbrake, she sat back and watched the passing tide.
They were streaming down the hillside to the right, above the road, a bobbing phalanx maybe twenty or thirty animals wide, before slowing and spreading wider as they reached the brief plateau of tarmac, the way water pools below a flight of rapids. A few stragglers circled off on to the grass verges and began to graze. But the central current continued its course and began to pick up momentum again as it narrowed to siphon through a gateway gap in the drystone wall on the left …’
…
This first, descriptive paragraph, already has me, in my mind’s eye, bowling along country lanes, window down to absorb the scents and smells of the countryside. It needs to be a lovely warm sunny day, the only sound being the incessant bleating of the flock of sheep, as they move on to pastures new, without a care in the world and completely oblivious to the more pressing demands of their fellow road users ….. oops sorry!!! getting carried away there !!
…
I also loved these lines from the prologue ..
‘ It was perhaps the wildest view of all my journey. Peak upon peak, chain upon chain of hills ran surging south-ward, channelled and sculptured by the winter streams, feathered from head to foot with chestnuts …’
Robert Louis Stevenson, ‘Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes’
—
I have noticed that many of you have read and reviewed this book, over the last few weeks, so was therefore surprised and pleased when Rosy contacted me with a similar request.
The book has met with almost universal acclaim and many 4 and 5 star ratings, so I can’t wait to get started on it and hopefully write an original review that will adequately do it justice, although with most of the superlative adjectives having already been used on more than one occasion, it’s going to be a tall order.
…
Want to take part in ‘Book Beginnings’?
If you want to share the first lines of a book you are reading, click on the link and visit Katy, at ‘A Few Pages More’, then make your way to the ‘Book Beginnings’ page.
You can then leave a link to your own book beginnings post, or just browse for some great new reads.
Don’t forget that Katy loves to hear from you, so why not leave a comment for her, at the same time.
…
Update 13th May 2011
My thoughts about this book can now be found by clicking here:
Looking forward to hearing what you think of this one. I’d quite like to read that RLS ‘Travels with Donkey’ book too.
Currently reading The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen. Nuff said… 😉
Hi Cath,
Yes, that RLS book looks amazing, duly noted reading for a later date.
I’m up to page 65 of ‘Tapestry Of Love’ just now and have to say that I am loving it so far.
I am not sure that I could live so reclusive a life, although having said that, I am usually quite happy with my own company and many of my hobbies are quite solitary.
I am still trying to pre-empt whether Catherine’s choice of business venture is successful or disastrous, on the face of it, disaster seems the probable outcome!!
Mind you, I think I am a little biased in my judgement, as sewing is not one of the solitary hobbies I enjoy. I am useless at it !!, although I do dabble a little in basic embroidery from time to time ..
I put that RLS on my wishlist… was hoping it might be free on Kindle as his South Sea travels are… but these are not unfortunately.
I think I would be okay with that kind of reclusive life but only up to a point. And I couldn’t do it in a foreign country like that. So very brave! Like you, many of my hobbies are solitary, reading, computer stuff like blogging or reading blogs etc. And I do need quite a lot of quiet during the day but on a permanent basis? Probably not.
I used to love to do x-stitch and tapestry work but did so much I’m now arthriticky in my neck, shoulders and wrists so I gave it up. There’s a limit to how many pictures you can frame to put on the all anyway.
Hi Cath,
Actually I never thought about the foreign country aspect of the story at all, makes Catherine very brave, especially at 50 something.
I don’t know many single women of that age, who would be quite so daring, definitely doesn’t appeal to me. Somewhere like Cornwall, would be about my limit of adventureness!!
There would just need to be space for my jigsaws, knitting wool, embroidery hoops, a television to follow all the detective/thriller shows and of course my books …. a mansion may well come in handy!!!