Vanishing Cornwall (Virago Modern Classics) [Hardcover]

Daphne du Maurier (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2008 | Series: Virago Modern Classics

"There was a smell in the air of tar and rope and rusted chain, a smell of tidal water. Down harbour, around the point, was the open sea. Here was the freedom I desired, long sought-for, not yet known. Freedom to write, to walk, to wander, freedom to climb hills, to pull a boat, to be alone . . . I for this, and this for me." Daphne du Maurier lived in her beloved Cornwall for most of her life. Its rugged coastline, wild terrain and tumultuous weather inspired her imagination, and many of her works are set there, including Rebecca, Jamaica Inn, and Frenchman’s Creek. In Vanishing Cornwall she celebrates the land she loved, exploring its legends, its history, and its people, eloquently making a powerful plea for Cornwall’s preservation.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'An eloquent elegy on the past of a county she loved so much' THE TIMES

About the Author

Daphne du Maurier (1907–1989) is best known for her short story "The Birds" and her novel Rebecca, both of which were adopted into films by Alfred Hitchcock.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Virago UK (June 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844083942
• ISBN-13: 978-1844083947
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #402,110 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Daphne du Maurier was born in 1906 and educated at home and in Paris. She began writing in 1928, and many of her bestselling novels were set in Cornwall, where she lived for most of her life. She was made a DBE in 1969 and died in 1989.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars VANISHING CORNWALL, January 21, 2010

By 

Neil Budock (New Zealand) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vanishing Cornwall (Virago Modern Classics) (Hardcover)

I had read many Daphne De Maurier books in the past but wanted something more factual about the most beautiful part of Britian. My home for nearly forty years was Cornwall & this book highlighted all that was so historic and reminicent of an era gone by. She completes the complete essence of being Cornish and of begining to understand how culturally different Cornwall is. It's celtic beginings transend through the ages so clearly identified by De Maurier. An great book for any Cornishman or Woman to read and enjoy. Her book truly reflects what has happened in Cornwall to the prescent day particullary over the last hundred years.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars freeze frame, February 8, 2007

By 

Linda Pagliuco "katknit" (CT, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

No one knew Cornwall as well as Daphne DuMaurier, and in this nonfiction work she paints a loving portrait of the region and especially its dramatic coastline. Deftly recounting its history and folklore, describing its people and their customs, and visiting its most outstanding physical features, she laments the loss of what was and celebrates the beauty that persists. Vanishing Cornwall is not so much a travelogue as a tribute. Recommended for anyone with an interest in this beautiful land.

2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Confused, April 9, 2010

By 

V. Littin "d.littin" (colorado springs, co) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vanishing Cornwall (Virago Modern Classics) (Hardcover)

I recently checked out of the library what I thought was this book. Especially since it mentions that it is a hardcover book.
However, upon opening it to my dismay - it is and it isn't. It has none of the pictures of Daphne and her family, which is why I so wanted the book. The other book under the same name had lengthy text quoted from her books, and a detailed map of Cornwall, and the places she wrote about. Which books were from where. Very informative. I will not return this book. It is nice, it is just not as biographical as the one I got from the library.Vanishing Cornwall (Virago Modern Classics)