Originally Posted by Mud
Bill Smith wrote for the love of fellrunning and did not make a penny from his book even though every copy was bought.
Askwith wrote for money and has made a lot.
Bill Smith wrote for the love of fellrunning and did not make a penny from his book even though every copy was bought.
Askwith wrote for money and has made a lot.
There seems to be an undertone that him making money from the book is a bad thing - I thought it was well written and a pleasure to read, and thus had no problem shelling out for a copy. I don't really expect anyone to write a book for free!
Whatever his motives, by the simple act of writing it he has performed the inestimable service of making the lives of many people on this miserable planet slightly less unbearable, and not many of us can say that.
I thoroughly enjoyed Feet in the Clouds (as much for the attitude as for the veracity). Some think it a little bit too caught up in Cumbrian mythology, which maybe it is - but only in parts - and to these I would heartily recommend another book called Wild Trails to Far Horizons which more than adequately redresses the balance.
I would love to see more books of this kind - especially from other areas of the country.
As to money-making, who cares? The sport certainly wasn't robbed - in fact it ultimately benefits, I'm sure.
Are you a slow reader or are you copying it out for future reference?
Re: Feet in the Clouds
This book really highlights the great close-knit spirit of the fell running community. Fantastic read even for non-fell runners.
Given the choice between writing a book for a minority audience or one aimed at the general public, which would you pitch at a publisher?
Any such venture has to balance being pedantic enough to satisfy the cognoscenti but lively enough to be readable by the "man in the street". I think the book succeeds on both counts. As a Cumbrian, I did find his take on Cumbrian dialect somewhat amusing, especially in the section on Bill Teasdale since I was reading it in my head in Cumbrian!
Essentially it is two narratives: his attempts on the Bob Graham and a typical racing year with various walk-on parts for certain characters and an occasional insert of history. Neither narrative on its own would have been as interesting; Bill Smith has already done the history and the cameo appearances on their own would make for an interesting Country Diary column in the Guardian.
I've only read it the once BTW.
"by the simple act of writing it he has performed the inestimable service of making the lives of many people on this miserable planet slightly less unbearable, and not many of us can say that."
Bloody Hell Deejay. Is it really that bad?
Do you think that was maybe a little pretentious!!
Seriously, it's the best "sports" book I've read and maybe beats my long time favourite, WH Murray's "Mountaineering in Scotland" It's certainly the only one I read again immediately after I'd finishing it
Surely you read the last couple of pages first!
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