` Not a cosy series of reminiscences but a slice of bygone reality. This delightful collection of country curiosities shows rural life in the raw a hundred or more years ago. Hugely enjoyable, a real eye-opener & surprisingly useful!` Alan Titchmarsh A perfectly formed & beautifully presented collection of titbits from the ever-surprising pages of Country Life. Flitting from observations on cheese rolling in Gloucestershire to smuggling silk in Sussex, from Shakespeare`s Avon to the vanishing sign language of country tramps.. .and all by way of a charming rumination on the origins of the simnel cake. Within these lovely pages there will indeed be something for everyone. Classic writing on the idyllic British countryside, Wodehousian ruminations on fishing & golf, & moving accounts of beloved (and unusual) pets. With a highly entertaining blend of expert views & humorous asides, Curious Observations is a perfect Christmas gift.