Watling Street Fail

 

Books about travelling across the country I like.  They offer an insight to places I have never been or if visited a differing viewpoint.  The authors opinions are never far away and when done properly we see something of the world around us tat we do not notice for ourselves.

This book fails in that endeavour.  

Under Dover's white cliffs listening to his daughters enthusiasm for history, something the writer fails to comprehend, he decides to seek some out by wandering along 'Watling Street' an ancient roadway that runs from Dover to Anglesey in north west Wales.

To be successful the author must describe the area, the people if any and the history, especially notable stories from the past.  While the author here does some of that most of the book is a boring reference to any play, story, film or literature that crosses his mind revealing John Higgs failure to get out into the world to see what it really is like.

Canterbury, London, Milton Keynes and so on are dealt with always with reference to a book or TV show based there.  The reality of the life around him is ignored while pages are wasted on repeating such storylines. 

Even worse is his open mind on any occult event which he finds fascinating leading him to waste many pages on people who are clearly possessed by demons, and I do not say this lightly.  One believes a dead prostitute, if that is what she is, comes to him and gives him poetry and words. Another writes science fiction and clearly is considered by the writer to be a man of real wisdom although to me he comes over as one of those bores who are always right and people ought to listen to him.  A third is also admired but to be honest much of what was written I got fed up with and moved on.

If John was not meeting weirdo's and finding TV plays in every corner, he was afraid to enter an aged Barrow in Wales as it brought to mind 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and snakes falling on his head.  Any archaeologist hearing that may well be somewhat miffed.  In fact when inside the Barrow he stands beside a Piller that he decides is the centre and brings to mind '2001' the film, and ends up hugging the 'centre' in 'tree-hugging style.'
I am afraid to write what I thought by this time.
From waxing lyrical about 'England,' he called it 'Britain' but we know what he meant, he wanders around spouting his opinions almost all influenced by books, films and TV stories.  What was in front of him and the long history behind them appears to have failed to really hit home.
It is no surprise his 16 year old daughter spends a lot of time looking at her phone...