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Return to Akenfield

Portrait of an English Village in the 21st Century

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Return to Akenfield

By: Craig Taylor
Narrated by: Stephen Thorne
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About this listen

 Thirty-five years after the publication of Ronald Blythe's classic portrait of an English village, Akenfield, Craig Taylor returned to the Suffolk village on which the book was based. He sought out locals who appeared in the original book to learn how their lives had changed, met newcomers, and interviewed Ronald Blythe himself.

The result reverberates with the voices of the villagers: young farmers, retired orchardmen, and Eastern European migrant workers talk about farming in an age of globalisation; commuters, weekenders, and retirees discuss the realities behind the rural idyll; and the local priest, teacher, and pub owner describe the daily pleasures and tribulations of village life.

©2006 Craig Taylor (P)2007 Soundings 21st Century Europe European Great Britain Literary History & Criticism Modern Rural Sociology World Literature Village England

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Unfortunately the reader had not done his research so as a local to the area it was jarring hearing placenames pronounced wrongly, & the Suffolk accent was a bit dodgy sorry! I ended up quitting the audio book before the end & will read it instead.

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