Ring the Hill

By: Tom Cox

Narrated by: Tom Cox

Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's Summary

A hill is not a mountain. You climb it for you, then you put it quietly inside you, in a cupboard marked 'Quite a Lot of Hills' where it makes its infinitesimal mark on who you are.

Ring the Hill is a book written around, and about, hills: it includes a northern hill, a hill that never ends and the smallest hill in England. Each chapter takes a type of hill – whether it's a knoll, cap, cliff, tor, or even a mere bump – as a starting point for one of Tom's characteristically unpredictable and wide-ranging explorations.

Tom's lyrical, candid prose roams from an intimate relationship with a particular cove on the south coast, to meditations on his great-grandmother, and a lesson on what goes into the mapping of hills themselves. Because a good walk in the hills is never just about the hills: you never know where it might lead.

©2019 Tom Cox (P)2020 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic Reviews

"Always engaging, charming, funny and often moving.... It made me want to pull on my stoutest boots and follow in his footsteps." (Stephen Fry)

"Beautiful, funny, fascinating, impossible-to-categorise.... Like going on a great ramble with a knowledgeable, witty, engaging friend. Tom Cox brings magic to the most mundane of subjects." (Marian Keyes)

"Sheer bloody genius...I loved it. Then I loved it more." (John Lewis-Stempel, author of Meadowland)

Very good book about the English countryside

This is a beautiful book of recollections of living in the Southwest of England. Detailed descriptions of walks in Devon, Dorset and Somerset including local stories and history. Just really interesting. Well read. I enjoyed listening to it. I live in Dorset so it was especially meaningful but anyone who has a love of countryside will like this.

Inimitable Tom

As one of Tom's many followers from the days of his My Sad Cat tweets, I've come to know that I am in for an eclectic treat when reading or listening to his books.

'Ring the Hill' is his experience of living in the beautiful area around Dartington, Devon told, as only Tom can, with his irreverent humour and deep love and compassion for nature. Add to that, Tom's cats, his hilarious VERY LOUD dad, the 1970's rock scene, walking, wild swimming, local characters, folklore and a touch of the supernatural.

I knew I'd love it, now I feel the need to buy the actual book, to appreciate the rest of it - especially the artwork by Tom's extremely talented mum, Jo.

stories that captivate as the nights draw in

I didn't want this book to end and Tom Cox's narration made eveything come alive.

Wonderful

I Absolutely loved this book. A lovely ramble through the countryside, filled with fascinating encounters.

wonderful, lose yourself and enjoy.

could listen to Tom's tales endlessly. one of those listens you don't want to end
recommend to anyone who wants to forget lifes cares and niggles.

Wonderful and nostalgic

Tom Cox's ramblings about landscape, animals, people - I was very happy to hear him talking about Kenneth Allsop, whose book In The Country was one of my regular reads in the 70s - and even the interests I don't share, like wild swimming - are excellent for listening while I do various things around house and garden, or equally good for falling asleep to (though his dad's shouting can be a bit surprising then, and lead to sudden awakenings).
While Tom lived in the magic house I was living a mile or two away across the river. My stepfather was at Dartington in its heyday and it was wonderful to hear the story of its beginnings again.
When I miss Dartmoor - which is often - this is the book I turn to.