Interview with Sally Coulthard, author of A Short History of the World According to Sheep
Sally Coulthard, author of A Short History of the World According to Sheep recommends an interesting group of books! Before jumping into the interview, please check out Sally's book:
Review from Book Depository:
From the plains of ancient Mesopotamia to the vast sheep farms of modern-day Australia, sheep have been central to the human story. Since our our Neolithic ancestors' first forays into sheep-rearing nearly 11,000 years ago, these remarkable animals have fed us, clothed us, changed our diet and language and financed the conquest of large swathes of the earth.
(All links earn commission from purchases. Prices accurate at time of writing)
A Short History of the World According to Sheep
Sally Coulthard weaves this fascinating story into a vivid and colourful tapestry of engaging anecdotes and extraordinary ovine facts, whose multiple strands celebrate just how pivotal these woolly animals are to almost every aspect of human society and culture.
Buy On:
Easons €14.00
Book Depository €12.79
Waterstones £9.99
Wordery $12.15
Q. Do you have a favourite smart thinking book (and why that book)?
The best books are like friendships - they often come along at key points in your life when you need them the most, whether that’s going through grief, finding love, having kids, work difficulties, mid-research etc - they speak to you at different times. I come across plenty of wonderfully obscure non-fiction books in my research - they’re often forgotten gems or books that speak from a different era. I’m reading one at the moment called The Classic Slum: Salford Life in the First Quarter of the Century - it’s a first hand account of life in one of the poorest towns in northern England and brilliantly written - it’s so direct. What’s amazing about that book is that it’s written about a time that wasn’t that long ago - the early twentieth century - and yet people’s lives were immeasurably more difficult. We often forget how far we’ve come. Whatever I’m reading at the time is usually my favourite until it gets usurped...
Review From Book Depository: A study which combines personal reminiscences with careful historical research, the myth of the 'good old days' is summarily dispensed with; Robert Roberts describes the period of his childhood, when the main affect of poverty in Edwardian Salford was degredation, and, despite great resources of human courage, few could escape such a prison.. (All links earn commission from purchases. Prices accurate at time of writing)
The Classic Slum: Salford Life in the First Quarter of the Century
Buy On:
Book Depository €13.76
Waterstones £14.99
Wordery $14.38
Q. What's the most recent smart thinking book you've read (and how would you rate it)?
This is going to make you laugh but I found an old book from my university days called The Bog Man and the Archaeology of People by Don Brothwell. I hadn’t picked it up for years but re-reading it instantly transported me back to my degree in Archaeology and Anthropology and that sense of possibility. Reading that book the first time made me realise just how much knowledge there was to explore and how I couldn’t wait to get started. I’ve always been interested in archaeology and history, but this book took me to another place, of macabre, long-lost rituals and beliefs. That really switched me on to just how fascinating and unusual history can be.
Describes the discovery of a two-thousand-year-old body in a Chesire peat field, discusses the scientific analysis of the body, and explains how mummies reveal information about the past.
(All links earn commission from purchases. Prices accurate at time of writing)
The Bog Man and the Archaeology of People
Buy On:
Book Depository $57.00
Q. Do you have a favourite childhood book?
I devoured the Judy Blume books - she was the only person who really knew how to talk to children about growing up, feelings, relationships. Non-fiction, I loved my parents’ Book of the Human Body - it had lots of exciting pictures in it and I’d pour through it looking for rude bits. Nothing’s changed.
Review From Book Depository
A fabulously illustrated and fact-packed introduction to the human body and how it works. Each topic is explained with engaging and informative text alongside extraordinary photographs and diagrams, plus simple experiments to try. Internet links take readers to selected websites to find out more, and there's a contents page and an index.
(All links earn commission from purchases. Prices accurate at time of writing)
The Usborne Complete Book of the Human Body
Buy On:
Book Depository €9.81
Waterstones £9.99
Wordery $11.06
Q. Do you prefer reading on paper, Kindle or listening to an audiobook?
Kindle for night-time, otherwise husband can’t get to sleep and I have to read for half an hour otherwise I won’t. For book research, either. For inspiration, art, interiors, craft, photos - it’s got to be paper. Audio I rarely listen to - I find the sound of someone reading out loud so soothing it sends me straight to sleep.
Q. Do you have a favourite bookshop (and why that shop)?
Kemps in Malton, North Yorkshire - fantastic selection, brilliantly erudite owner, friendly staff. I often put lots of thought into the cover, texture of the paper and illustrations in my books and that’s largely lost when you buy online. Nothing beats browsing in person - that’s where the happy accidents happen.
Many thanks to Sally for recommending an interesting group of books! Please don't forget to check out Sally's book A Short History of the World According to Sheep.
Daryl
Image Copyrights: Head of Zeus (A Short History of the World According to Sheep), Penguin Books Ltd (The Classic Slum), British Museum Publications (The Bog Man and the Archaeology of People), Usborne Publishing Ltd (The Usborne Complete Book of the Human Body).
< Home
