Customer Reviews:
 Once hooked, followers of Alistair Sawday remain committed for life June 10, 2008
Foodlovers Britain Ltd (UK)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Once hooked, followers of Alistair Sawday remain committed for life. They doubtlessly will welcome his new book Go Slow England with booking forms to the ready, but for the uninitiated, let me explain.
Alistair Sawday is to where to stay as Nigel Slater is to what to cook. In other words both are enthusiasts, know, love and care passionately about their respective worlds, never - or hardly ever - put a pen wrong and - here's the salient point - understand the wants, needs and desires of their fans. As travellers, we all are faced with certain choices. What really matters when booking a hotel or B&B is as much about lifestyle and taste as it is about budget.
Certainly I'm not adverse to a bit (well, actually more than a bit) of luxury but there are other important considerations. As Nigel Slater writes in the foreword, "....it means everything that the building is made of local stone or wood or brick, that it has a history and has been restored or repaired with sympathetic materials. It matters that the vegetables on my plate were grown in the owner's garden or allotment, that lamb came from the farm over the hill and the proprietor had a hand in making my supper. .......I need to know the effect that my choice of accommodation will have on the local environment; how it enriches the community and the lives of those who work there".
Go Slow England encompasses all these values and more. Divided into seven areas, it details, with very alluring photographs, 48 houses selected because they are "especially beautiful or slow or inspiring or all three" where travellers can rest their weary heads. Each region also includes Slow travel - places to visit and Slow food - producers, shops and markets, most of whom are FoodLovers Approved.
This is travelling at its slowest and its best. Chosen with authority and conviction and highlighting local distinctiveness, it cannot fail to make every Food Lover a committed fan
Slow and green April 1, 2008
Hugo Schonbeck
12 out of 13 found this review helpful
First impression is what a lovely book this is - physically - an alluring photograph of an old-fashioned bicycle in a summer meadow, framed in subdued olive tones, positively exuding Slow and green. Pick it up, feel its weight and connect with its seriousness; hold and turn the pages gently as all good book-lovers do. Then see that this is not mere presentation but the paper and printer are FSC/ISO 14001 certified for low ecological impact. You are in familiar Alastair Sawday territory; principles worn on the sleeve, backed up with real commitment and action.
Inside, we are invited to Go Slow too. After a concise and beautifully illustrated introduction to Slow values and a few of the well-known names of English Slow such as Riverford and Fordhall Farm, we are then taken on a geographical tour of England. The rest of the book is structured around seven clusters of counties such the expected Cornwall and Devon and the unfamiliar - not to mention unconnected - grouping of Suffolk, Norfolk and Northamptonshire. These seven sections are all structured alike with a clear & useful map followed firstly by Slow Travel, a gazetteer of attractions from gardens and farmers' markets to walks and cycleways, then Slow Food which has short entries for cafés, markets and pubs, and finally the bulk of the text which is Special Places to Stay.
And this is the real pleasure of the book. We are introduced to the forty-eight Special Places across England through the owners of the properties and are shown how they have put their values into practice as well. In substantial and well-illustrated entries we meet families and pets, hear the stories and most importantly, what qualifies these them as Special and Slow places - and can almost smell the hand-made bread, touch the quilt and hear the laughter. These are the true heroes of Slow in England, who are rightly celebrated in this book.
It is not a tome for the backpack or panniers but one for poring over at home: dreaming and planning. And that is what I intended when I dipped back into it for Slow ideas for a trip to friends. This was when I had a disappointment and my only quibble with the book - albeit a major one - there is a whole swathe of the midlands from Lincolnshire in the East to Cheshire in the West, including the delightful county of Derbyshire where my friends reside, with no entries in the book at all. This is an omission to be rectified next time and a challenge to discover the hidden Slow heroes who are surely out there.
Go Slow England March 30, 2008
Jeanette Leyland (Worcestershire, UK)
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
Probably the best travel book I've read. This book inspires me to explore areas of England that I've not previously visited. The insight into how and why the home owners became 'Slow'is fascinating, particularly as some of them have been so for many years. Having read most of the book whilst being in France has shown that we don't have to escape too far to enjoy being 'Slow'.
A feast for the eyes and food for the mind! March 28, 2008
Robert Ashton (www.robertashton.co.uk)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Having long been a great fan of the Sawday 'Great Places to Stay' guides I knew this book would be a real treat.
Better suited to the coffee table than the glove box it is a delight to browse, being packed with colourful reminders that outside the 'fast lane' there's another England just begging to be explored.
Buy the book, plan some journeys and take your time. Savour life, savour England and savour this super book!
5* Relaxation March 15, 2008
A. Mussen (UK)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
A superb book, beautifully presented with fantastic photos. Alastair Sawday's "Go Slow England" captures the spirit of each special place to stay, their environment and personality. Moreover, he suggests particular special eateries and places to visit locally. It is perfect for those who want to find a place to get away from the hustle and the bustle, and to explore an area with the confidence that you are not going to be rushed and ultimately disappointed.
I tested this book by looking at Alistair Sawday's section on Devon, where my parents live, to see what was recommended. He spoke of all the best places to visit and eat that I know of (including Sharpham vineyard for delicious wine and cheese tasting) plus a few more which I intend to go and try now! This book is a must have for anyone who likes relaxing breaks away.
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