Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
Urban Dreams Rural Realities: In Pursuit of the Good Life
 
See larger image
 

Urban Dreams Rural Realities: In Pursuit of the Good Life (Paperback)

by Daniel Butler (Author), Bel Crewe (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


7 used from £3.00

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The New Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency: The Classic Guide for Realists and Dreamers

The New Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency: The Classic Guide for Realists and Dreamers

by John Seymour
4.6 out of 5 stars (38)  £17.00
Scenes from a Smallholding: From the Popular Series in the HDRA Magazine the "Organic Way"

Scenes from a Smallholding: From the Popular Series in the HDRA Magazine the "Organic Way"

by Chas Griffin
4.8 out of 5 stars (9)  £5.99
More Scenes from a Smallholding

More Scenes from a Smallholding

by Chas Griffin
4.7 out of 5 stars (3)  £5.49
Out Of Your Townie Mind : " The Reality Behind The Dream Of Country Living"

Out Of Your Townie Mind : " The Reality Behind The Dream Of Country Living"

by Richard Craze
3.6 out of 5 stars (13)  £5.49
How to Store Your Garden Produce: The Key to Self-sufficiency

How to Store Your Garden Produce: The Key to Self-sufficiency

by Piers Warren
4.2 out of 5 stars (19)  £4.98
Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 308 pages
  • Publisher: Pocket Books; New Ed edition (1 April 1999)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 067101580X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0671015800
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 176,036 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Product Description

Synopsis

Told in contrasting voices by each of the pair in turn, this is a humorous account of a couple's first year in the wilds of Wales, for which they had left London in pursuit of a rural idyll. It juxtaposes the fantasy and the reality of an attempt to live "The Good Life".


From the Author

Author's Comment
Bel and I wrote this in a humorous attempt to counter some of the rosy-tinted guff about the endless joys of ‘downshifting’. In fact swapping urban comforts for rural isolation proves a major culture shock, with Bel particularly depressed by the lack of exotic food and central heating. Meanwhile I am in seventh heaven, living out Quixotic dreams of self-sufficiency. All this leads to understandable arguments and by the time our first child arrives, we are in danger of having little in common. The summer comes to our rescue. Helped by a range of eccentric friends (such as Olek the Polish ad-director, ‘the Major’ and Evan the Poacher), we begin first to survive and later to thrive in this strange new environment. The book is written in diary format and has two ‘voices’ – with Bel’s pessimism/realism countered by my ludicrous optimism. As the story unfolds, our development is charted by the recipes which end each chapter.

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?


 

Customer Reviews

23 Reviews
5 star:
 (16)
4 star:
 (5)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (23 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Not quite "Tom & Barbara"!, 27 Oct 1999
By A Customer
I bought this book for my husband and couldn't wait for him to finish - head buried deep in it's pages he would chuckle every now and again, bursting to read me a bit! It's so much more than just a story of a couple having a go at "The Good Life". The 'diary' approach is excellent, contasting Daniel's rose-tinted specs with Bel's realism and practicality. I for one have been tempted with the thoughts of life in the middle of nowhere with a bit of land but this book brings you right back down to earth - in the nicest possible way! I'm sure this book will serve as a 'bible' for anyone considering a change of lifestyle, every bit as good as any reference book you could find. I'm sure Daniel and Bel will be an inspiration to many, even if it's planting a few veg or keeping a couple of hens in the back garden. Informative but very entertaining.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favourite books, EVER!, 23 Jun 2001
By A Customer
This book really is wonderful. I too have dreams of moving to a smallholding - soon to becaome true in a matter of weeks, and this book really makes you think of the pitfalls and remind you to be wary. I am like Daniel, full of Barbara and Tom inspired optimism, whereas my husband is just like Bel - A tad cynical yet prepared to give in for a quiet life and this book has really opened our eyes to the reality of smallholder living. Even if you have no intention of getting a smallholding, this book is an hilarious read - and I guarantee that by the time you have read it you'll be rushing off to plant something, even in a window box. Word of advice - Don't read about Bel's Spielberg attempts whilst eating your dinner - You'll be vegetarian in minutes.....
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars totally enjoyable and far more than a downshifting diary, 26 Feb 2005
rather than being pompous and pusillanimous I think it's partly Bel's wicked sense of self-parody that makes this book so enjoyable. I was quite sad to finish reading it and have to depart from their life in the Welsh Hills...left me longing for a sequel.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and riveting.
Hoping to make the 'leap' in the future, I bought this book expecting it to be full of the woes and pitfalls of living the Good Life. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Primary teacher

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book, Worth A Read!
This book is brilliant, the way it is written, each of the partners (Daniel & Bel) doing a chapter each. I have read many books on buying a farm (including The Great John! Read more
Published on 6 Mar 2006 by robertaxholme2

1.0 out of 5 stars Did I read the same book?
I may have liked this book had the people been likeable.Dan comes across as a wimpy bore and the best I can say about Bel is that she comes across has selfish and uncaring. Read more
Published on 30 Aug 2005

5.0 out of 5 stars A total reality check!
When I bought this book I was in the middle of moving to a mountain smallholding with no electric, from a 3 bed semi in a cul-de-sac. Read more
Published on 18 Jan 2005 by mrsmckellar

1.0 out of 5 stars No, no, no!
I don't know if the contents of this book were vastly exaggerated for literary effect but I certainly hope so. Read more
Published on 19 Aug 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars Amusing --- and Cautionary...
As someone who has visited Wales on occasion (trekking and also working one time on an organic farm for a couple of weeks) as well as having lived in major cities (central London,... Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2004 by ianrmillard

5.0 out of 5 stars Welsh Downshifting: Armchair Dwellers Uplifted!
Butler and Crewe's entertaining narrative twists up from the pages like the young shoots in their ever expanding small holding, the book is both enchanting and daunting, giving... Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2004 by Julie Watt

4.0 out of 5 stars Perfect partners
The book is about a couple who leave the rat-race of London to live in rural tranquility in Wales. They share the narrative and are the perfect foil to each other. Read more
Published on 3 Feb 2004 by Lulama

5.0 out of 5 stars A light hearted tale of downshifting to Wales
Writen as a monthly account of the successes and failures of downshifting to 'wet' Wales. Bel and Dan take turns in writing each chapter and the contrast of seeing the move... Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2003 by peter38067

5.0 out of 5 stars Just mad enough to e sane!
This book, written in a monthly journal fashion gives an insight into the reality of giving up a snug, suburban lifestyle and moving to the depths of deepest, darkest Wales to... Read more
Published on 9 Sep 2003 by David Ekins

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Look for similar items by subject








i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Ad

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.