I Bought a Mountain

by Thomas Firbank

Book Overview

Reissue of a bestselling classic that inspired a generation of 'good life' nature books 'I first saw Dyffryn in a November gale... the old house was quivering under the thrusts of the wind, and the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1871083052
• ISBN13: 9781871083057
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Drake International Services
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.

Customer Reviews

I Bought a Mountain

A chance to imagine the kind experience you wish had been yours in a venue you feel is a part of your soul but have only read and heard stories of.

Good biography, but a bit patronizing toward the Welsh

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, having grown up less than 20 miles from the farm. As a child, I used to go on walks with my father in many of the locations he mentioned - the Snowdon range, the Glyders, Carneddau, Cwm Idwal, Cwm Ffynnon and so on. What makes the story for me is the struggle against nature - the wins and losses against the elements and the terrain. A good balance of fun-loving individuals and hard-working, entrepreneurial spirit makes the book very readable. I don't claim to be knowledgeable on sheep farming, but the author does seem to capture well his journey from ignorance to competence with regards to the details of farming - purchasing livestock, keeping them alive, breeding them and selling them on. I used to attend the local agricultural shows as a boy and the depictions of the local markets certainly bring back some memories. The book does have a tendency toward a patronizing attitude regarding the Welsh and I can see how a Welsh person local to the area would be annoyed by the tone in many places. There are several hot buttons there - the author was obviously a highly privileged man, arriving at a young age with a good education and able to buy a 2,400 acre farm - yet there does not seem to have been much of an effort to learn the language. A bit of an old colonial attitude perhaps. Having said that, the author and his wife have made great strides in protecting the area and recently bequeathed the farm to the National Trust to protect the landscape. In other words, the negatives are more than outweighed by the positives. If you have spent any time in North Wales, you will be sure to enjoy this book - if not, it may be a bit strange, but is worth the read and might even spark enough curiosity for you to pay a visit. If you do, remember the author's warnings about the weather in the area - take your waterproofs with you!

A perfect capture of the spirit of Wales

The previous reviewer has the great misfortune of not having been to Wales. I could never truly recommend this book to anyone who has not been to the area where this is set, in Snowdonia, one of the most beautiful and amazing places on earth. Until one has been there for brilliantly clear days where you can see forever, or spent an afternoon in a pub with a real fire watching the steam rise off your socks following a soaking hill walk, you won't begin to understand the trials and the joys of Firbank.This is a classic book. I highly recommend it, and a visit to North Wales.