Watling Street - Nov 2023 Book Group dicussion thread

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Chrisull
Chrisull
Nov 2023
11:14am, 21 Nov 2023
20,880 posts
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Chrisull
Let's throw in another book - Christopher Hadley's "The road - A story of Romans and ways to the past", which I think is superior to both aforementioned books. I agree with McG, Higgs doesn't intend Watling Street to be a travelogue, and Hadley's is probably closer to be a travelogue, but is also another beast entirely, questioning what history is, quoting philosophers, ghost stories, roman scholars while going on a treasure hunt with no treasure, merely attempting to map the route of an obscure, forgotten Roman road.

bishopsstortfordindependent.co.uk
McGoohan
McGoohan
Nov 2023
11:18am, 21 Nov 2023
53,360 posts
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McGoohan
Thanks for the recommendation Chris - Now that looks *exactly* up my street and is going on the Christmas list :-)
Diogenes
Diogenes
Nov 2023
11:41am, 21 Nov 2023
82,775 posts
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Diogenes
I've recommended this before, and it is neither a travelogue or a history, but I enjoyed it a lot, and that is The Old Weird Albion, by Justin Hopper.

This is a series of different outings in across the south downs in which Hopper looks at the history and myths of the region, in particular those caught up in alternative cultures. The author is an interested skeptic, but not judgemental. I think it might appeal to you especially, McG, as you have walked most of the places he visits.
McGoohan
McGoohan
Nov 2023
11:46am, 21 Nov 2023
53,361 posts
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McGoohan
That looks interesting as well. This Christmas list is getting a bit long.

*Looks nervously at towering TBR pile*
LazyDaisy
LazyDaisy
Nov 2023
2:05pm, 27 Nov 2023
39,227 posts
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LazyDaisy
Before I forget, and before I read what anyone else has said, I'd better add my two-penn'orth.
I am astonished that I bothered to finish this book. Had it not been a book club choice I'd have given up on it by half way at the latest. I'm very glad I bought a second-hand copy and didn't pay full whack.

It's got long boring passages (The Man in the High Castle? Who cares - not me, that's another book I couldn't finish) and is very self indulgent. Why attach this series of musings to Watling Street? Much of it was tenuous at best and possibly even wrong.
This could have been the basis for a much better book but maybe the aftermath of the Brexit vote discombobulated him too much. That's the kindest thing I can think of to say.
LazyDaisy
LazyDaisy
Nov 2023
2:10pm, 27 Nov 2023
39,228 posts
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LazyDaisy
Ah, it looks like Columba and I had similar feelings about this book. I forgot to give it a score - let's be generous and say 4/10
westmoors
westmoors
Dec 2023
1:08pm, 2 Dec 2023
7,948 posts
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westmoors
Mixed feelings on this. Some parts I loved (Dover, Bletchley), others I found tedious. Felt it a bit too political in places as well.

Gave it a 6 as I didn't hate it.
Hanneke
Hanneke
Dec 2023
7:45pm, 4 Dec 2023
115,496 posts
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Hanneke
Very mixed feelings.
Bit boring.
Lots of factual errors annoyed me.
Started skip-reading the boring bits.
Didn't trust him any more.
Nearly gave up.
Finished for the hell of it.
Liked it more than I disliked: 6/10
Little Nemo
Little Nemo
Dec 2023
8:21pm, 7 Dec 2023
14,150 posts
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Little Nemo
A mixed read for me. Some parts were fun and some were educational, but other parts were a real slog.

I get that due to when it was written Brexit loomed large but I found the framing of a lot of book through this lens profoundly depressing. The fact that it's still dragging on and has been such a disaster means that it's just too raw to have someone go "Well, maybe it will be OK?" I suppose that it will be useful as a historic artefact to prevailing views in years to come so with a bit more distance this might not have bothered me so much.

My favourite section was the Bletchley Park visit - it was nice to get a slice of his family life and I liked the extra info I learned here. I also liked the 2 chapters on the different Moores at either end of the road. Both seem as mad as boxes of frogs but I liked learning about their weirdness. And for some reason I found the description of St Alban's execution kind of hysterical so that was fun!

My least favourite section was the London one, something about it was mean spirited. Maybe this is because I live in London and I didn't like the bits he chose to write about.

Overall it was a worthwhile read and if I see another book by him I'd give it a go. Thanks to columba for choosing it, would never be the sort of thing I would have found for myself :-)

I gave this book a 7
Diogenes
Diogenes
Dec 2023
11:27pm, 7 Dec 2023
83,156 posts
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Diogenes
I didn’t find it boring at all, and I enjoyed the London section. I thought it was all pretty fascinating. I liked that it was opinionated, possibly because it echoed by own opinions.

About This Thread

Maintained by McGoohan
As chosen by Columba, the November book is Watling Street by John Higgs.

The author travelled the length of this ancient road from Dover to Angelsey and still had time to *glances at notes* invent the Higgs Boson on his day off. (Remind me to check that later.)

Please carefully arrange your thoughts below much as you would a prize-winning flower arrangement.

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