A fascinating read - from her youthful scientific drawings of fungi to her old age as a hill farmer in the Lake District, there was so much more to Beatrix Potter than the children's stories for which she was famous. A book I am really glad I read.

Taken to York Bookcrossing meetup, April 26th 2016.

Picked up at the York Bookcrossing meetup - looks great!

A comprehensive look at Potter's life, charting her artistic and heritage interests over her life. It's not the liveliest of biographies, but you do come away feeling you know everything there is to know about her!

To be released at the monthly York Bookcrossing meetup.

Unplanned visit to York and we managed to find the time to pop into Brigantes for a pint.
Left 3 books and went home with 3. Bag was heavier when we vacated the establishment!

Very informative read about the famous Beatrix Potter. She was much more than her books. If it hadn't been for her and some of her peers National Parks in particular the Lake District would not be as they are today. Thank you BP.

It took me a few months to read it and I had to keep putting it down in favour of something lighter. Well worth the effort though. Now need to plan a visit to Hilltop Farm!

Happy Christmas from your UK Secret Santa.

Thank you Deltic for your Secret Santa gifts. I had read The Tale Of Beatrix Potter by Margaret Lane years ago which I loved but it was only 174 pages long which included the Appendix and Index at the end! This book is nearly 600 pages but obviously described in more depth. It will be interesting to compare the two.

It took me a couple of weeks to read but I really enjoyed it. Admittedly I did skim through some of the scientific bits as it went way over my head (and I skipped the Notes & Bibliography at the end too) but it does emphasise how brilliant Beatrix Potter was: An amateur scientist & naturalist, author, talented water colourist and illustrator. What a woman! I visited Hill Top Farm about 10 years ago on a break in the Lake District but would love to go back there again to view it with different eyes. Her life was covered with so much depth and all credit to the biographer for the intense research she undertook. I can't say I was too impressed by her snobby, domineering mother who was very self-centred and derisive of people she deemed beneath her. Unbelievable that, because she was a spinster until her middle 30s, she had no say in her life due to the regimented strictures of the victorian age and still had to seek permission to get married. Despite that BP was an old fashioned victorian through and through but was totally dutiful and loyal to her parents although she dug her heels in when she met her beloved William Heelis (her mother initially disapproved of him because he was only a country Solicitor). Despite all the progress and initiatives BP made she still seemed very out of touch and contrary at times. She did not seem to like change and was reluctant to have electricity in her two homes, preferring candles, and the farmers' cottages had to put up with earth closets as well yet she could be exceedingly generous to friends and family.

Book handed to a non-bookcrosser who is interested in reading about Beatrix Potter as often visits the Lake District. You never know, it may one day be journaled again