Burn

''An extraordinary and powerful book, full of vitality. Every page celebrates the way traditional skills can shape who we are'' Tristan Gooley

''Lyrical, moving and never self-pitying . . . a lovely book'' The Times

Ben Short has a successful career in advertising, a flat in a trendy part of London, a flashy motorbike. But after years of suffering with anxiety, he''s a wreck. A drastic change is needed.

For a time, he finds solace working with a forester, then as an apprentice to a Gypsy woodman, setting up home in a dilapidated wagon with just a rescue dog for company. However, it is not until he feels the call of the furnace, a glowing charcoal kiln in the Dorset woods, that he can truly re-forge his thoughts, put the years of suffering behind him, and start afresh by immersing himself in the old ways of woods and fire.

Exquisitely written and deeply honest, Burn is a hopeful story of transformation, a celebration of manual work and craft, and a love letter to the English countryside.

''Beautifully written . . . reading it leaves you feeling ruffled but alive'' Mail on Sunday