The Art of Chopping and Burning Wood - by Paul Heiney (Paperback)

About the Book

This book looks at the history of fire, and how it has been used in the development of man, but this book's ambition is to fire the imagination and to leave its reader with a burning desire--to burn wood.

Book Synopsis

How to get sparks back in your life--and keep them burning.

The blaze of a log fire on a cold night speaks to the heart in a way no other flame can. It has character and ever-changing form; vibrant color and balletic movement. Fire transformed the way humans lived--it was the flame that fueled evolution itself--but now this primal force finds itself fading in a modern world of microwaves, induction stoves, and central heating. The flames are slowly going out: homes are built without fireplaces, bonfires are banned, and schoolchildren are no longer allowed to use Bunsen burners. Yet the sight of a flame remains as evocative as ever.

The Art of Chopping and Burning Wood seeks to rekindle that connection--to inspire and to teach--exploring the history of fire and revealing the wonder, beauty, and spirit that a simple flame can conjure.

About the Author

PAUL HEINEY is a writer, broadcaster, and journalist. Most recently, he has been the presenter of ITV's Countrywise and the BBC's Watchdog. He has also worked as an organic farmer, cultivating his land with heavy horses--an experience that inspired his long-running column in The Times.

Heiney is the author of several bestselling books, including Do Cats Have Belly Buttons? (The History Press, 2008).