100 Days On Holy Island: A Writer's Exile
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Product Description
Product Description
It was the worst winter in a decade, the winter of foot-and-mouth, when island power cuts ran for up to 72 hours - and two days before Peter Mortimer's planned departure, his father died.100 DAYS ON HOLY ISLAND is a quirky and often moving account of one man's self-imposed exile to a remote island off the coast of North-east England. Eschewing the usual historical or religious portrayal, Mortimer gives a vivid, humourous and often dramatic account of a confirmed urbanite in a small, tight-knit community cut off twice daily by the tides. Throwing himself into island life, he explores the landscape, people and myths that surround this remote `cradle of Chrisianity'. All of Mortimer's experiences within this unique island community are depicted with warmth and humour. The bleak winter scenery and idiosyncrasies of the island's inhabitants are described with an insight and understanding that could only have been achieved from personal experience. He helped in the local school, worked on the land, was the first person to be voluntarily cut off in the island refuge box and spent three tides isolated on the exposed outcrop, St Cuthbert's Island. The 100 days changed him - and probably changed the island. 100 DAYS ON HOLY ISLAND is a personal homage to the island and a remarkable account of a micro-society unique in modern Britain.
About the Author
Peter Mortimer is a writer and poet whose previous works include CROAK THE KING and A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER, LAST OF THE HUNTERS, UTTER NONSENSE and the hugely successful BROKE THROUGH BRITAIN.
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First Sentence
The idea to spend 100 days on Holy Island took root in February 2000 when my partner, the writer Kitty Fitzgerald, and I rented a cottage on Lindisfarne (the island's alternative name) one ferociously windy winter weekend. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
The idea to spend 100 days on Holy Island took root in February 2000 when my partner, the writer Kitty Fitzgerald, and I rented a cottage on Lindisfarne (the island's alternative name) one ferociously windy winter weekend. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book takes the form of a diary of the hundred days Peter Mortimer spent on Holy Island. It is a very different book to the usual on this subject, there is no historical/romantic gloss; no religious piety of pilgrim fervour. This is a book about a real place and real people. The character descriptions are wonderful, the humanity of the place, warts and all, make it all the more real. A working place where people struggle, where there are disputes between people and where Peter Mortimer found it hard to be accepted. In no way did it destroy, or indeed, set out to destroy the special place that it is for many, rather it enhances it because of its humanity. The writing has a clarity and ease that makes the book very readable. I actually bought the book on a visit to Holy Island never having heard of the author but I will certainly be reading his other books now.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I had to comment as this was the first book I had read by this author, and I would contradict the other reviewers' views in that I preferred it to 'Broke through Britain' (although I enjoyed that book also). 100 Days imparts a very personal sense of place, a poet's individual reaction to Lindisfarne, honest and refreshingly different to the sometimes gushing tourist-pleasing reviews of the island. This is not to denigrate Holy Island, simply to applaud one man's frank, and to me, very enjoyable account of his experience. It holds a special place on my bookshelf.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is not an exposition of one of Europe's most important Christian centres, nor a passionate account of the Holy Island's idyllic setting, nor a great diary account of people and relationships on Holy Island 2001.
To be fair Peter Mortimer warns the reader that his book will not delve into the spiritual heritage. He concentrates on the people there today, but the impression I get is that they avoided him like the plaque to a large extent as they knew he would write about them.
I read it through but found it a highly disappointing read.
The character and relationship narratives were poor and the writing was disjointed. He says in the book that he aimed to write 1,000 words a day and at times I felt he was struggling to do this with any substance or quality.
Knowing Holy Island, although no doubt true to Mortimer's experience, he simply fails to capture the warmth, beauty and magic of the place and its people.
He was only there 100 days and given the severe illness of his Mother at the time of writing, I was left feeling 'edgy', as I simply felt that he should have left the island to dedicate more time caring for her.
Unless you're a big fan of his previous material, I would give this one a miss and seek out better books on Holy Island.
To be fair Peter Mortimer warns the reader that his book will not delve into the spiritual heritage. He concentrates on the people there today, but the impression I get is that they avoided him like the plaque to a large extent as they knew he would write about them.
I read it through but found it a highly disappointing read.
The character and relationship narratives were poor and the writing was disjointed. He says in the book that he aimed to write 1,000 words a day and at times I felt he was struggling to do this with any substance or quality.
Knowing Holy Island, although no doubt true to Mortimer's experience, he simply fails to capture the warmth, beauty and magic of the place and its people.
He was only there 100 days and given the severe illness of his Mother at the time of writing, I was left feeling 'edgy', as I simply felt that he should have left the island to dedicate more time caring for her.
Unless you're a big fan of his previous material, I would give this one a miss and seek out better books on Holy Island.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Best book for 100 days
I only bought the book because I had met his partner, (Kitty Fitzgerald, and I bought one of her books too). Read more
Published 23 months ago by GiGi
hard work ! or was it just me....
well perhaps it's just me and that i was expecting too much after 'Broke through Britain', but '100 days' seemed to take an eternity to get through. Read more
Published on 2 Mar 2003 by Roger J. Markham
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