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The Book of Pebbles

From Prehistory to the Pet Shop Boys
4.13 goodreads logo

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( 172 ratings, 19 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Book of Pebbles explores the fascination with pebbles, delving into why people collect these small stones and cherish them. Christopher Stocks combines social history and personal insight to reveal how our appreciation of pebbles has been shaped by artists, authors, and archaeologists. Complemented by Angie Lewin's stylish natural world prints, the book captures the beauty and cultural significance of pebbles found along the British coastline.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers interested in arts, culture, natural history, and those who enjoy collecting or admiring natural objects. Also suitable for lovers of coastal walks and artistic interpretations of nature.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The perfect seaside and armchair companion to the pebbles of the British Isles.

The perfect seaside and armchair companion to the pebbles of the British Isles

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Why do we pick up pebbles on the beach? What is it we see in them, and why do we take them home to display on our shelves? Is it their inherent beauty, their infinite variation, or simply their associations with a happy time and place?

In this book - part social history and part practical guide - writer and pebble collector Christopher Stocks unearths the sometimes surprising story of our love-affair with pebbles, and considers how the way we see them today has been influenced over the years by artists, authors and even archaeologists.

Printmaker Angie Lewin is widely admired for her alluringly stylish images of the natural world. She celebrates the experience of walking and sketching along the British coastline, often incorporating pebbles in her limited edition prints and paintings. Many of these feature in the book alongside a series of new images.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Scotsman praises Christopher Stocks for his insightful connection to Chesil Beach and his vivid descriptions of the physical appeal of pebbles, highlighting their sensory qualities. Country Life recommends the book as a perfect companion for beachcombers who treasure collecting stones washed by the tide.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780500023754

Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 April 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Thames & Hudson Ltd

Illustration: 44 Illustrations, color

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 148.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 116

About the Author

Christopher Stocks is an author, journalist and trainee bell-ringer. His first book, Forgotten Fruits, a social history of British fruit and vegetables, became an unlikely success, with Monty Don choosing it as his favourite book of the year. Angie Lewin studied fine art at the Central School of Art and has become a highly regarded artist and printmaker.

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  • The Book of Wild Flowers
    'A beautiful little book in every way ... Lyrical and eye-catching on the one hand, informative on the other, their work encourages us to look more closely at the nature around us ... A treasure of a book' House & Garden The perfect countryside and armchair companion to the wild flowers of the British Isles. Illustrator Angie Lewin and author...
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  • The Book of Garden Flowers
    The perfect armchair and gardening companion to the garden flowers of the British Isles. Christopher Stocks tells the fascinating tales of nineteen cultivated flowers and their journeys from distant corners of the world to British gardens, illustrated by the painter and printmaker Angie Lewin in this charming companion guide. The Book of Garden Flowers builds on the success of Angie...
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  • The Book of Wild Flowers
    'A beautiful little book in every way ... Lyrical and eye-catching on the one hand, informative on the other, their work encourages us to look more closely at the nature around us ... A treasure of a book' House & Garden The perfect countryside and armchair companion to the wild flowers of the British Isles. Illustrator Angie Lewin and author...
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  • The Book of Garden Flowers
    The perfect armchair and gardening companion to the garden flowers of the British Isles. Christopher Stocks tells the fascinating tales of nineteen cultivated flowers and their journeys from distant corners of the world to British gardens, illustrated by the painter and printmaker Angie Lewin in this charming companion guide. The Book of Garden Flowers builds on the success of Angie...
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