Annette Shaw is a freelance journalist with 30 years of experience, and has a regular column in Devon Life, sharing her pick of brilliant books with Devon connections. With her reputation for championing books and authors around the county, we’re delighted to have the opportunity to showcase her reviews here.

How To Live in The Country by Tom Hodgkinson
Lockdown has caused many of us to re-evaluate our lives. Pondering more self-reliance and living in closer harmony with nature, priorities have shifted and this book is definitely one to have to hand. Tom Hodgkinson, founder and editor of The Idler, guides us through each month of the year, offering tips and short cuts, and weaving in stories about his own experience of raising a young family in rural Devon. What I particularly enjoyed is the sheer range of subjects covered with appropriate historical and cultural notes. In September we have wine harvests, gathering fruit from hedgerows with nods to Keats, Lewis and the Romans. It’s a remarkable and very mentally stimulating read. Moving on to references from the Reverend Gilbert White, author of The Natural History of Selborne written in 1774, Tom visits husbandry, lunar influence, Michaelmas rituals and ordering wood for the winter.

Work From Shed
As Rowan Moor writes: “Remote working is here to stay. More people than ever before are finding it’s not just possible to work from home but much more productive, affordable and – as this book will show you – inspiring.” My WFH adventure started 35 years ago, before basic pods or posher versions had been invented. Now, innovative structures begin at £5,000 for a tiny module that can be built in a day. Sounds blissful. Commuting across the landing has much to commend it, as does having defended space. For decades, overnight guests to my own spare room/office have said it’s like going to bed in a bookshop. Insomniacs browse recipes, pass the night with esteemed novelists or potter on Dartmoor in print. Then at 9am, in the best seaside landlady tradition, I shoo them out into the sea fret and reclaim my desk. A new WFS plan could be a defining moment…

The Sheep’s Tale by John Lewis-Stempel
It’s a good idea to know the neighbours. And the chances are if you do relocate to Devon or any rural county, sheep will be close by. But they’re not what you may think. John is a farmer and an award winning nature writer. In the introduction he recounts how sheep have given him some of the best moments of his life, be it lambing under spring moonlight or tending a flock in a winter storm. “Our island story is also the story of our sheep.” Why one wonders? It’s fascinating. He covers all the language and sayings that involve these complex creatures, from red skies to wolves cross-dressing in sheep’s clothing. Hard to believe it’s possible to be totally engrossed in the chapter How Sheep Live: The Body and Mind of Sheep but it is a revelation and leads to a new respect for animals that may well be among the smartest on the farm.

Raining Sideways by Sally Vincent
As the holiday season winds down and city dwellers return to urban base camps, that’s when there’s a collective wondering: can we do that? Can we move to the West Country? How would we make a living? Sally Vincent took the leap of faith, left London for a quiet valley in Devon, and with her husband found themselves with more than a property renovation. Raining Sideways is Sally’s heart warming journey in the direction of a fully-fledged Devonshire farmer. From her Whiteface Dartmoor sheep, rare breed pigs and Araucana chickens, to donkeys and cows, she embraces the farm and all its inhabitants. However, what sets this book apart is the traditional recipes, foodie notes and culinary traditions. Yes, it has all the ups and downs of country life complete with sometimes grim reality, but as a former chef, Sally’s writing is pure joy. Love this personal foray into Cassoulet, Tortilla, Povidle and so much more…

The People Of Devon 1918 – 1930: From War To Peace by David Parker
I feel that to know something of the history of one’s homeland adds to the richness of living there. Backed up by some amazing photographs, David’s book is a thorough account of Devon life, and charts the massive changes. It’s a record of how we got from there to here via village fairs, harvest festivals and evolving communities. In the case of health, pre-NHS, there was a struggle to fund an x-ray machine in Axminster and more nurses were needed. Some things are a work in progress…The chapter on towns and tourism is interesting. In the 1920s the cost of a week’s stay in an ordinary’ hotel was four guineas – which I think is just over a decimal fiver. But taking a bath was an extra! David was a headteacher in Hertfordshire before becoming UK and European Masters Programme Director at the University of Plymouth. He lives in Exeter.