Still a wonderful book

I first read this back in 1972 as a young airman. the poignancy of the life of leisure as a fox hunting man and the eventual horrors during the Great War should not be lost on anyone. A superb insight into that time in history. Well delivered by a narrator who is clearly part of the story. Highly recommended.

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Loved it all!

Great classic expertly read by James Wilby who encaptures the authors character and personality perfectly.

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Excellent

Brilliantly narrated classic that takes you into the world of a privileged but lonely boy, his love of fox hunting and the countryside and his journey into the "officer class" and the Somme.

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One of my best choices

Siegfried Sassoon's moving and beautifully written account of a life with horses in a not quite vanished world, just before WW1. James Wilby is a perfect choice to read this much loved semi-autographical account.

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Excellent

Quite excellent. Cannot praise it highly enough, both the book and the narrator. With minimal words and simple language you can feel the cold early morning of each winter day, and what follows thereafter. Economical and beautiful. Lyrical.

Can we have the other two of the trilogy please?

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2 people found this helpful

A Postcard from the Green and Pleasant Land.

An odd but enjoyable book. Contains more horse riding than actual fox hunting although the hunt does feature prominently. It follows the life and formative years in "Jolly old England" of a young man with what he calls "An unearned income." Despite this he continually runs into cash trouble trying to buy horses, with his faithful groom Dickson at his side right till the end.
The last chapter however turns into a WWI war story then ends rather abruptly without the greatest amount of closure.
Performance is excellent. Obviously copied from a CD version though the instrumental strings and "End of CD 2" messages lend it a certain charm.
Would reccomend.

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Stunning

What did you like most about Memoirs of a Fox-hunting Man?

The book has been one of my favourites for years. The naivety of the young boy contrasting so vividly with what we know is ahead of him (see/hear his war memoirs)

What was one of the most memorable moments of Memoirs of a Fox-hunting Man?

When he called out " don't they will catch him" as a fox cub breaks cover.
His relationship with his groom/mentor is charming.

What does James Wilby bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Very good at bringing out the nuances between the main characters. Allows you to see between the lines by gentle inflection

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, it flows effortlessly

Any additional comments?

Anyone that lives in the countryside and is interested in fox hunting (and the bygone age of pre WW1) will surely have read this. Any parent that has thinks their child has/might have the slightest interest in Hunting and the countryside should read / play this to them. It is a gem of a book. Along with Newby's "The Last Grain Race" and Gilbert's "Pattern of Islands" should be compulsory reading for any teenager.

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Surprisingly excellent

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this.
The Narrative is excellent.
I was sorry when it came to an end.

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sweet

sweet comfortable summers..
Privileged life of youthful indolence
Brought painfully to manhood by the muck of the great war..
Fantastic listen...

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