Some of you out there might know that I also have another blog called 'From Weeds to Seeds' which is about turning a patch of land near where I live into a proper, working allotment. It's been running for three years now although I have to admit I've not been very good at keeping it up to date this year.
However, this lunchtime, after getting back from doing some much needed strimming and weeding (I've not been for many weeks and what with all this wet weather, the grass has got ideas above its station...) I found an email from a lady at Profile Books complimenting me on my allotment blog (which hasn't been updated since June...) and asking if I'd be willing to review a book called "Weeds: How vagabond plants gatecrashed civilisation and changed the way we think about nature" by someone called Richard Mabey!
Blimey.
Not only did she say unwarranted nice things about my allotment blog but she went to the trouble of finding an email address for me via my VenerableBead website! She must really want my opinion....
Now, no-one ever offers me free stuff so of course I've said I'd do it. The book itself sounds quite interesting in any case although I doubt if I would have bought it for myself, but if someone's going to give it to me for free, well, I'm not about to turn it down. I'll obviously do an honest review but, I'll be frank, a book (any kind of book) has to be really, really shite before I'll decide it's not worth my time so I'll probably rave about it. So if there are any other PR types out there who think that I'm some kind of opinion-maker (ha!), can I just say 'yes' (not whoring myself out in any way at all.....)
[I'll post the review over at the other blog rather than this one as well, unless it's really bloody brilliant.....]
3 comments:
ooh! Your fame is spreading. You'll be on Gardener's Question Time before you know it. I hope it's good. I am keeping my woefully ungreen fingers crossed for you.x
Ms Boo - I KNOW! It's so exciting! What she said about it actually made it sound quite interesting - here: "The book is an exploration of the cultural history and significance of weeds, and examines how civilisation has relied upon and yet also reviled weeds. Mabey argues that our reckless treatment of nature has caused plants to become ‘weeds’, and that there is much to appreciate about them despite their image as invaders." I'm interested to see what he says about the 'cultural history' of weeds, although that's probably a MASSIVE area, especially if you replace the word 'weeds' with 'plants'.... I'll keep you posted!
Ooh, I look forward to hearing what you think of it. A weed is just a plant in the wrong place really so it sounds as if he may have a point there.
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