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Originally Posted by Victoria
Coming back to the book, it led me to read a bit more about UNESCO’S cultural and nature conservation. That enhanced my respect for Rebanks’ efforts to preserve his heritage. A lot of our comments have been about personal aspects of his book, but he intended it to be more than a memoir. I would think that’s why it received the accolades it did - his larger purpose, and widespread esteem for the Lake District resonate with people.
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Victoria, I think you had an interesting point earlier that he is a work-in-progress. I read an interview where he said there is James the farmer and there is James the suit-wearer and that he has trouble reconciling that the two James are one and the same.
His way of thinking is that someone goes to an art museum and looks at a Picasso painting and sees culture but similarly going to the Lake District and looking at the sheep is also culture. He doesn't mention much in the book about his outside jobs that help him earn money beyond the farm (and the side of him that wears the suit and goes to business meetings). He has owned a consulting company since the early 2000s, and his particular expertise is how economics and cultural preservation meet up. This book has led me to read more about UNESCO too. The work that he has done with UNESCO for heritage preservation and sustainable tourism is very interesting, and I think that he has made a personal impact to other communities in England as well as across the globe.
His consulting company helped produce studies for the Lake District to become a World Heritage Site, and you can read the info online here.
https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/cari...s/whs/benefits
Also the Lake District World Heritage Site is worth a digital wander. It has a section on Farming Heroes and Local Voices to learn more about the people and the community.
http://lakesworldheritage.co.uk