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The Granite Kingdom

A Cornish Journey

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The Granite Kingdom

By: Tim Hannigan
Narrated by: Stephen Perring
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Bloomsbury presents The Granite Kingdom: A Cornish Journey by Tim Hannigan, read by Stephen Perring.

Shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Book of the Year Award 2024

Tim Hannigan undertakes an epic east–west journey on foot through his own homeland, from the woodlands of the Tamar Valley to the remote western region of Penwith. As he walks, he explores how the Cornwall of the popular imagination has been constructed by writers, artists and others, and how myths, projections and tropes intersect with the real Cornwall – its landscapes, histories, communities and sense of self.

A richly informative tour of one of the most popular regions of Britain, The Granite Kingdom can be read as an evocative travelogue, a celebration of Cornwall’s landscapes, a fascinating account of its history and cultural significance, and an unflinching exploration of uneasy questions about regional identity.©2023 Tim Hannigan (P)2024 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Ecosystems & Habitats Europe Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Travel Writing & Commentary Royalty
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Critic reviews

This deep dive into Cornwall's history, landscape and identity should be stacked on service-station counters all along the A303 this summer.
A magnificent work of travel and historical deconstruction – deeply personal, meticulously researched and hugely enjoyable.
Tim Hannigan writes with an authentic Cornish voice and a true internationalist’s breadth of understanding.
Anyone – tourist or resident – who has been seduced by the beauty and strangeness of Cornwall will find Tim Hannigan a congenial guide and companion.
Beautifully researched and written with care.
Hannigan roams the country on foot, stitching together not only its geography but its histories and communities, while disentangling fact from myth, folk from folklore'
Absorbing and insightful... skilfully interweaves geography, geology, travel memoir and history with an overview of the ways in which Cornwall has been portrayed in art and literature. There’s a lot to explore.
The best kind of traveller, Hannigan is brimful of boundless curiosity... a beguiling book that throbs with passion, Hannigan has captured a portrait of a hidden and often mysterious Cornwall, conveying it with style, ternderness and passion
PRAISE FOR TIM HANNIGAN:

'An excellent and thought-provoking book... What could have been a scholarly theoretical discourse is thoroughly enlivened by Tim Hannigan's decision to turn it into a travel odyssey' TLS.

'Travel writing used to be dominated by Old Etonians with colonialist tendencies; but [Tim Hannigan's] well-researched critique shows that the "travellees" are writing back' Guardian.

'A highly readable and entertaining narrative' Lonely Planet.

'A deft piece of genre-hopping' Telegraph.

'A timely look at the genre – why we travel, and why and how we write about it'
All stars
Most relevant
Absolutely loved this book. Living in Cornwall for 20 years it has introduced me to many places. Thank you

Wonderful!

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To be able to view a place from the outside is obvious, but to see it as and insider looking in is quite spectacular.
Loved recognising places that I have visited, without previously knowing its history. Gives a really good measured sense of place without being too waffly.

A love of Cornwall

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I really enjoyed this. It's part history lesson and part travel journal, with a great deal of thought on what it means to be Cornish and Cornish identity. As someone from Cornwall who's lived abroad and travelled a lot, I found this aspect of it very engaging.

The narrator is excellent.

What does it mean to be Cornish?

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Beautifully read at a perfect pace, this journey across Cornwall is immersive and enthralling. Written with erudition and humour - highly recommended.

Exceptional

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A rich and interesting travelogue, with each leg of the journey exploring a different cultural or historical theme.

Love Letter to a unique county

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