Award-winning publications that flow through the landscape of peoples' lives
With the addition of the paperback edition of ‘Ivver Sen’, River Greta Writer now has four award-winning publications available: ‘Joss’, ‘Jack’s Yak’, ‘The Greta’, and, of course, ‘Ivver Sen’.
When it was first published in hardback in 2008, ‘Ivver Sen’ won the Lakeland Book of the Year award. The book sold out in its first year and was not reprinted at that time because funds were immediately invested in the publication of ‘Joss’, Keith Richardson's successful biography of Lakeland fell running legend, Joss Naylor.
‘Ivver Sen’ is the only River Greta Writer title to be published in paperback but its content, page size and pagination remains exactly the same as the original hardback edition, giving full scope to the amazing artwork and photography. The paperback of ‘Ivver Sen’ will sell for £20 as opposed to the £25 cost of the other hardback titles, ‘Joss’, ‘Jack’s Yak’, ‘The Greta’.
IVVER SEN IS BACK - BUT WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT
Ivver Sen is Cumbrian dialect for ever since.
The title is a direct reference to the many years that hill farming has existed in the Lake District, since the early Norse settlers. Ivver Sen the book is about the people who have lived and worked the land over the years and those who cling on to their fell farming heritage to this day. The book tells their amazing story through Keith Richardson's words and Keith Bowen's pastel drawings.
The book tells the fascinating stories of real Lakeland people and their lives and times, including brother and sister Johnny and Betty Richardson who spent an idyllic childhood at Watendlath in the early 1930s. It also goes on to tell the dramatic story of Blencathra huntsman Johnny who was captured at Tobruk in 1941 and escaped from German Prisoner of War camps in Italy to be pursued relentlessly by the Nazis across the Apennine mountain range. After being recaptured twice he eventually made good his escape with the help of an Italian family who gave him shelter and whom he revisited 40 years after the war.
Other characters featured in the book include the legendary fell runner and farmer Joss Naylor, Jean and Derick Wilson, Dennis Monkhouse, Ronnie Cape, Barry Todhunter, Jonny Birkett, Skelt Robinson, Glenn Tubman, Victor Brownlee, Tommy Graves, Geordie Hutton and many others.
Every chapter tells a different story and provides a moving, informative, entertaining and, at times, humorous account of the farming way of life in Lakeland. It is rich in nostalgia but also voices opinions on hill farming today.
In addition to Keith Bowen's superb pastel drawings there are also evocative, previously unpublished, images from the past set against the brilliant modern day photography by Val Corbett of the timeless fells, lakes and rivers that provide the backcloth for the stories of a very special breed of people; a people who are fast disappearing from the land on which they have lived and worked down the centuries.
ABOUT RIVER GRETA WRITER
The publishing house, River Greta Writer, was established in October 2007 by Keith Richardson.
The first book to be published under the River Greta Writer publishing banner was 'Ivver Sen' and 'Joss' is the second and 'Jack’s Yak' the third. A fourth book 'The Greta' . . . was launched in October 2012 (see above and blogs for January 25, 2012 and November 6, 2012 for further information).
ABOUT KEITH RICHARDSON
Keith Richardson is a former newspaper journalist and magazine editor who moved into books and publishing through establishing the River Greta Writer publishing house in October 2007.
Keith has previously written and published a biography ('Ike') on the West Cumbrian rugby league player, Ike Southward.
Keith lives in the lake District town of Keswick, a stone’s throw from the River Greta. For his leisure he is volunteer groundsman and publicity officer for Keswick Cricket Club and is often to be found in the summer either preparing wickets or playing flat green bowls across the road at the Fitz Park Bowling Club.