Liz Jones lived the perfect urban life. The immaculate Georgian townhouse in a leafy London square. The glamorous career where she would hob nob (not the right word: these people don't eat biscuits) with models and movie stars and fashion designers. The Italian wardrobe stuffed with designer bags and shoes. The much younger novelist husband. But then it all goes horribly wrong. She discovers her husband has been having numerous affairs (with women who are younger, dimmer, slimmer) and realises that her pursuit of perfection has never made her happy, and probably never will. And so she decides to start all over again, burying herself alive in the middle of the bleak, unforgiving wilderness that is Exmoor National Park. She buys a wreck of a farmhouse, with an original stable block, 46 acres, an ancient wood and a lake. She rescues a nervous and abused but breathtakingly beautiful racehorse, nursing the dream that she will be able to ride her thoroughbred bareback on the beach, spend her days wafting through flower-filled meadows, harvest her own organic produce and generally live out the rural dream. The reality, of course, is much, much harder. 'The Exmoor Files' is a funny, honest, often brutal real-life account of what it is like to start all over again in an alien environment. It is about discovering that you cannot find peace just by moving somewhere peaceful. It is about mourning for a relationship and letting go of the life you thought you deserved. And most of all it is about how Liz and her racehorse finally learn to trust, and to love, and to live, again.
The Exmoor Files: How I Lost A Husband And Found Rural Bliss
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"As an example of 'the truth about country life' genre, her book is brightly written and often funny" (Christopher Hart THE SUNDAY TIMES )
"Jones is a brilliant, witty writer" (Amber Cowan LONDON LITE )
"there lies a sort of steely courage: of a woman facing the process of ageing and mortality on her own, as best she can" (Jane Shilling DAILY MAIL )
"squirm-inducing, savagely funny.. you end up admiring her determined efforts to be happy, despite everything" (Claire Allfree METRO )
"Finding new friends, ruminating on her mistakes, looking back on a life of shopping and media-hugging, Jones finds a kind of solace in the bleak moors of Somerset" (Marla Jones CATHOLIC HERALD )
"a great tale and so very well told" (Paul Blezard THE LADY )
"Jones is a brilliant, witty writer" (Amber Cowan LONDON LITE )
"there lies a sort of steely courage: of a woman facing the process of ageing and mortality on her own, as best she can" (Jane Shilling DAILY MAIL )
"squirm-inducing, savagely funny.. you end up admiring her determined efforts to be happy, despite everything" (Claire Allfree METRO )
"Finding new friends, ruminating on her mistakes, looking back on a life of shopping and media-hugging, Jones finds a kind of solace in the bleak moors of Somerset" (Marla Jones CATHOLIC HERALD )
"a great tale and so very well told" (Paul Blezard THE LADY )
Book Description
Moving from Islington to Exmoor; one small step for mankind but a very large one for MAIL ON SUNDAY columnist Liz Jones.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By S. Clark
Format:Paperback
Far too much name dropping and information about expensive alternative horse care.
Having read Liz's column in The Mail On Sunday over the past few years, I did not feel this book contained a great deal of new material, and yes, the ex husband does get mentioned a lot (he is in the book's title after all).
Not a 'feel good' book, in fact towards the end I was desperately hoping to read that she had decided to move back to London, as her constant negativity and mounting financial problems became quite depressing.
Having read Liz's column in The Mail On Sunday over the past few years, I did not feel this book contained a great deal of new material, and yes, the ex husband does get mentioned a lot (he is in the book's title after all).
Not a 'feel good' book, in fact towards the end I was desperately hoping to read that she had decided to move back to London, as her constant negativity and mounting financial problems became quite depressing.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By M. Snowball
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I like Liz Jones. I read her columns and enjoyed her previous book ("How One Single Girl..."). This book, on the other hand, I found padded out and depressing in equal measure.
I read for enjoyment and relaxation not to be ranted at about the injustice of a world that uses animals instead of befriending them. Liz tells us about the plight of horses, which is very sad, and then gives us a list of charities where we can adopt a horse (this is funny since a lot of the book is taken up by how difficult/expensive/prone to keel over dead rescue horses are). It's very preachy and got on my nerves.
Here's a woman who lives in a beautiful (in reality, it is not a run down dump - it is a gorgeous manor) house in one of the most spectacularly scenic parts of England where she rescues animals. For many people, this would be fulfilling but not Liz. Suddenly, after leaving London she wants to go back and slot back into her old life. Then on her trips back into London, she wants to be in Exmoor again.
I know she's a bit eccentric and I enjoy a good moan now and again but this was just a depressing collection of "sketches" that all have a tone of "woe is me". The tone of the book would be easier to believe if she wasn't sitting wrapped in designer cashmire on her designer couch typing it on her expensive laptop while her gardener and friend Nic took care of the animals, house and garden.
I read for enjoyment and relaxation not to be ranted at about the injustice of a world that uses animals instead of befriending them. Liz tells us about the plight of horses, which is very sad, and then gives us a list of charities where we can adopt a horse (this is funny since a lot of the book is taken up by how difficult/expensive/prone to keel over dead rescue horses are). It's very preachy and got on my nerves.
Here's a woman who lives in a beautiful (in reality, it is not a run down dump - it is a gorgeous manor) house in one of the most spectacularly scenic parts of England where she rescues animals. For many people, this would be fulfilling but not Liz. Suddenly, after leaving London she wants to go back and slot back into her old life. Then on her trips back into London, she wants to be in Exmoor again.
I know she's a bit eccentric and I enjoy a good moan now and again but this was just a depressing collection of "sketches" that all have a tone of "woe is me". The tone of the book would be easier to believe if she wasn't sitting wrapped in designer cashmire on her designer couch typing it on her expensive laptop while her gardener and friend Nic took care of the animals, house and garden.
40 of 46 people found the following review helpful
By C. Wright
Format:Hardcover
When I picked this book up I thought it might be an amusing rural equivalent of Bridget Jones' Diary, instead it is pages of her whinging about her ex-husband and how awful life in the countryside is. This tedium would be hard enough to endure, without the trotting out of dated rural stereotypes - if Ms Jones had written about any other minority group in such an unfair and untruthful manner then it wouldn't have been published. Rural folk obviously don't get the same courtesy.
If it were possible I wouldn't have awarded this any stars at all. This book is one to avoid at all costs, tedious moaning and blatant untruths about modern rural life.
If it were possible I wouldn't have awarded this any stars at all. This book is one to avoid at all costs, tedious moaning and blatant untruths about modern rural life.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
miss jones
love Liz Jones and loved the book...found her life isnt such a bed of roses and she is a human being after all..
Published 25 days ago by lesley
1.0 out of 5 stars
A self indulgent and depressing book
I got half way through this book before I had to give up. It was just too depressing. Essentially it is a book about horses and bitterness, a woman with a lot of money who is never... Read more
Published 1 month ago by GJ McCullough
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Exmoor Files How I Lost a Husband and Found Rural Bliss
An excellent read, saw this book advertised and enjoy Liz Jones's writing, so bought it and wasn't disappointed. Fully recommend.
Published 2 months ago by mrs g wood
2.0 out of 5 stars
disappointing
The writing is just too crass for me. I would like to hear more about her move to the country and a lot less about her sad marriage. Maybe that will come - I am still reading it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Julie B.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well written and a joy to read.
This book kept me interested from start to finish.
The book is honest, funny and sometimes sad but mostly inspirational as Liz takes on challenge, after challenge.
The book is honest, funny and sometimes sad but mostly inspirational as Liz takes on challenge, after challenge.
Published 8 months ago by Hampshire
1.0 out of 5 stars
Self indulgent!
I started reading this book in the hope that it would be an enjoyable "How I rebuilt my life after divorce" but it was "how I couldn't re build my life after divorce" , what a... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Tamar Piskie
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent
absolutely brilliant loved every page of it and i definately think we need a follow on. liz jones always makes me laugh i think she is fab
Published 9 months ago by Mrs. La Dudley
1.0 out of 5 stars
This book made me angry...theres a first for everything!
IF YOU ARE FROM EXMOOR..DONT READ THIS BOOK!
Way too much moaning about blood sports/cruelty to animals etc its ridiculous! Read more
Way too much moaning about blood sports/cruelty to animals etc its ridiculous! Read more
Published 12 months ago by EmmaTucker3
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Exmoor Files reviewed
The voice in this book is a bit like nails on a blackboard but it is none the less compelling, not least for its acute perception, clarity of expression and almost naive honesty. Read more
Published on 8 May 2011 by Ishora
4.0 out of 5 stars
A 'Curates Egg' - good in parts,
This has been on my shelf for a while since receiving it for Christmas. I really didn't think I wanted to read it but on getting stuck in a began to feel the budding of a creeping... Read more
Published on 4 April 2011 by Mrs. Katharine Kirby
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