A Waterstones Travel Book of the Year 2023 A funny, warm and timely meditation on identity and belonging, following the scenic route along the England-Wales border: Britain's deepest faultline. There is a line on the map: to one side Wales, small, rugged and stubborn; on the other England, crucible of the most expansionist culture the world has ever seen. It is a line that has been dug, debated, defined and defended for twenty centuries. All the Wide Border is a personal journey through the places, amongst the people, and across the divides of the border between England and Wales. Taking in some of our loveliest landscapes, and our darkest secrets, this is a region of immeasurable wonder and interest. It is here that the deepest roots and thorniest paradoxes of Britishness lie. The border between the countries, even as a concept, is ragged, jagged and many-layered. Garlanded author Mike Parker has adored and explored these places his entire life.
Born in England but settled in Wales, he finds himself typical of many in being pulled in both directions. His journey is divided into three legs, corresponding with the watersheds of the three great border rivers: the Dee in the north, the Severn in the centre, the Wye in the south. Neither quite England nor Wales, the furzy borderland he uncovers -- the March -- is another country. Picking apart the many notions and clichés of Englishness, Welshness and indeed Britishness, Mike Parker plays with the very idea of borders: our fascination with them, our need for them, and our response to their power. In his hands, the England-Wales frontier is revealed to be a border within us all, and it is fraying, fast. Gold title The book highlights the fusion of traditions, languages, and customs, showcasing how this cultural exchange has given birth to a distinctive and vibrant borderland identity. From the rugged mountains of Snowdonia to the picturesque Wye Valley, this book captures the beauty of the natural surroundings that have both divided and connected communities throughout history. Mike is very strong on the influence of the borderlands on literature and art.
From poetic works inspired by the rugged landscapes to visual depictions of border life, this book explores how the region has been a muse for artists and writers throughout history. Mike Parker's previous book, 'On the Red Hill', was 2020 Highly Commended by the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing and won Wales Book of the Year Award 2020 'Map Addict', Mike's first book, was published by Collins and has sold over 50k copies Mike is an experienced radio broadcaster and has appeared on TV many times The Wales-England border came under scrutiny as rarely before in living memory during the Pandemic and ensuing wrangling A Waterstones Travel Book of the Year 2023 St David's day is Friday 1 March 2024 and provides a good opportunity for promotion to the Welsh audience Border bookshops Mike knows well include: Booka (Oswestry and Bridgnorth), Castle Bookshop (Ludlow), Burway Books (Church Stretton), Pengwern Books (Shrewsbury), Aardvark Books (Brampton Bryan), Eaves & Lord (Montgomery), Bookish (Crickhowell and Abergavenny), The Hours (Brecon), Rossiter's (Ross-on-Wye), Chepstow Books, Stanfords (Bristol), Ledbury Books & Maps, Hardy;s (Welshpool), Great Oak Bookshop (Llanidloes), The Mold Bookshop. Competition: The Wild Places;The Marches;Notes From a Small Island;The Northumbrians;A History of Wales;Islander;Frayed Atlantic Edge;Sarn Helen;Brittle With Relics. By;Bruce Chatwin;Rory Stewart;Jon Gower;Patrick Barkham;David Gange;Robert Macfarlane;Jan Morris;Bill Bryson;Dan Jackson;Tom Bullough;Richard King.