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Publisher's Summary

Ben Law has lived as a woodsman in Prickly Nut Wood for over 20 years. His authentic, incredible sense of the land and the wildlife, and his respect for age-old traditions and how to sustain them offers a wonderful, inviting insight into the life and character of Prickly Nut Wood. Having travelled to Papua New Guinea and the Amazon, observing age-old techniques for living in, working in and preserving forests and woodland, Ben Law felt compelled to return home and apply his learning to a 400-year-old plot of woodland near where he grew up - Prickly Nut Wood.
This is the story of how he came to know and love his woodland, how he lived off the land, how he coppiced and hedged and created charcoal, how he puddled and built shelter, and finally how he carved out his famous, characterful woodland home that Kevin McCloud has cited as his favourite ever Grand Design. And it’s the story of the wood itself - how it lives and breathes and affects all those who encounter it, and how it’s developed over the 20 incredible years Ben has shared in its lifespan. It’s an incredibly transporting tale that will make you long to hear the dawn chorus, and appreciate the beauty of Britain’s pockets of woodland.
©2013 Ben Law (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
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Critic Reviews

"Ben Law is an extraordinary man." (Kevin McCloud)
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful
1 out of 5 stars
By Josh van der vlugt on 06-08-16

Read this before buying

The description in the publishers summary makes this book out to sound MUCH better than it really is. If like me you are after a book regarding how a man can carve a life out of building his own home and living of the land by means of hunting and fishing and all that good stuff we think we want to do but really we just live vicariously through other people then this is not the book for you. perhaps instead look in to Norman Dietz "One man's wilderness" which was actually just that.
But if you are interested in a book regarding how one, no "a village" should live self sustainable in a possible future without oil (even during the current glut) and wish to hear how much Ben Law has an appreciation for the nature surrounding him then this is the book for you! better yet record your self saying coppices trees and play that back for 4 hrs and 10 min.

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5 out of 5 stars
By Jeff Wren on 05-01-15

Awesome!!!

Amazing, I really enjoyed this book 10/10 all around. Highly suggest you pick this up and give it a listen.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful
5 out of 5 stars
By Big Ayd on 04-13-13

Might not be what you expect but a great listen

I was expecting a more typical biography with lots of coverage of Ben's early life but this is more of a description of what living in a wood is like and Ben's views on the World in general.



Absolutely fascinating stuff if you have any interest at all in sustainable living and the future of mankind.

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2 of 2 people found this review helpful

5 out of 5 stars
By Steven on 01-26-14

Very enjoyable

After seeing this man on grand designs , i was interested when i heard he was bring out a book , i'm glad i bought it , go's into great about his work living in the wood and his roll in looking after the area and trying to make a living off the land , also tells the story about being involved and building his house for grand designs , a great listen for anyone interested in his story from grand designs or about work go's into managing a woodland

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1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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