Rob Cowen – författare

Brought to you by Penguin. ONE OF BRITAIN''S FAVOURITE NATURE BOOKS AS FEATURED ON BBC''s WINTERWATCHSHORTLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2016After moving from London to a new home in Yorkshire, and about to become a father for the first time, Rob Cowen finds himself in unfamiliar territory. Disoriented, hemmed in by winter and yearning for open space, he ventures out to a nearby edge-land: a pylon-slung tangle of wood, hedge, field, meadow and river that lies unclaimed and overlooked on the outskirts of town.Digging deeper into this lost landscape, he begins to uncover its many layers and lives - beast, bird, insect, plant and people - in kaleidoscopic detail. As the seasons change and the birth of his child draws closer, his transformative journey into the blurry space where human and nature meet becomes increasingly profound. In bringing this edge-land to life, Cowen offers both a both a unique portrait of people and place through time and an unforgettable exploration of the common ground we share with the natural world, the past and each other.''Bold and beautiful.'' Robert Macfarlane''Sensitive, thoughtful and poetic ... leading us into a whole new way of looking at the world'' Michael Palin''Touched by genius'' John Lewis-Stempel''Absolutely mesmerizing, utterly beautiful and engrossing'' Joanne Harris© Rob Cowen 2015 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Brought to you by Penguin.

At the heart of this book is a highway. The A1; The Great North Road. A 400-mile multiplicity of ancient trackway, Roman road, pilgrim path, coach route and motorway that has run like a backbone through Britain for the last 2,000 years. In this genre-defying and profoundly personal book, Cowen follows this ghost road from beginning to end on a journey through history, place, people and time. Weaving his own histories and memories with the layered landscapes he moves through, this is the story of an age, of coming to terms with time past and time passing, and the roads that lead us to where we find ourselves. Written in kaleidoscopic prose, The North Road is an unforgettable exploration of Britain’s great highway.''A dazzlingly inventive work of literature.’ Robert Macfarlane''Stunning and utterly unique. The North Road sits in a genre of one. He’s a magician whose brilliance lies not in trickery, but in real talent and a wild, untamed imagination that’s capable of transcending time.'' Benjamin Myers ‘With his singular blend of research, personal exploration and intensely visceral storytelling, Rob Cowen is truly in a class of his own.’ Amy-Jane Beer ''A dazzling, dogged, layered account of one road’s passage through place, time and an ordinary family’s history, The North Road truly is a trip.'' Melissa Harrison ''Thought-provoking and beautiful.'' Matt Gaw ''A beautifully woven and mesmerising book.'' Tom Bullough ''Sweeping, sensitive and enduring.'' Tristan Gooley‘I loved the combination of memoir, history, family story, the vivid fictional interludes ... Rob has given the A1 an entirely new sense of life.’ Luke Turner© Rob Cowen 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025