The Art of Camping: The History and Practice of Sleeping Under the Stars

Description

Print Length: 312 pages Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd Publication Date: July 7, 2011 ISBN: 978-0-14-196895-7 Request #1562349041.43503 Could there be another way of life? Can I survive with less stuff? Should I run for the hills? These are all good questions that people have asked before, throughout history, and which have inspired people to set up camp. But now camping is part of the drive for self-sufficiency, a reaction against mass tourism, a chance to connect with the land, to experience a community, to leave no trace . . . From packing to pitching, with hikes into the deep history of the subject and encounters with the great campers and camping movements of the past, this is the only book you'll need to pack when you next head off to sleep under the stars. IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT CAMPERS LIKE MORE THAN CAMPING, IT'S DREAMING ABOUT THEIR NEXT TRIP Why camp? What inspired people to start? And how do you do it properly? From packing to pitching, with hikes into the deep history of camping and encounters with the great and the good - and also the mad and the bad - campers of the past, this is the only book you'll need to pack when you next head off to sleep under the stars. De Abaitua is a serious camper and a really fine writer, and the result is a revealing and consistently absorbing celebration of a passion. Fascinating, rich.' Sunday Telegraph ' An elegant ode to the joys of camping. All sorts of tips on campsite etiquette, lore, equipment, and best practice, and his advice is convincing and honest. He is a lovely writer and his history is enlivened with tremendous flashes of wit.' Daily Telegraph 'Teaming witty anecdotes with a potted history of what sleeping under the stars means sociologically, De Abaitua makes learning how to create a tented home away from home fun.' Elle 'De Abaitua will soon have you believing in this consistently engaging and enjoyable book. It's a fine writer indeed who can seem authoritative, approachable and just great fun.' Metro 'A gem of a book.' Economist 'Does for camping what Roger Deakin did for wild swimming.' Independent