James Rebanks on his life’s work, the surprising path to bestselling writer, an urgency to rethink modern farming and how we can change the world.

James is an old-fashioned farmer based in England’s The Lake District where his family have lived and worked for over 600 years. He’s the author of the bestselling memoir The Shephard’s Life which won the Lake District book of the year, was shortlisted for the Wainwright and Ondaatje prizes and translated into sixteen languages. It speaks of his life’s work and his profound connection to the land. It resonated around the world, as have his photos and words on social media where he’s become a sensation.
James’ new book is called English Pastoral and as with the first, it feels like a kind of love song to his father and grandfather. It continues the conversation from The Shephard’s Life sharing personal anecdotes and observations but also looks at the big picture and the consequences of large scale industrial farming and the loss of ancient rhythms of work. It’s about what farming was like in James’ childhood and what it has become, not just in England but across the world. It’s devastating to read about this ‘total war on nature’ and while there’s a lot of grief about what has been lost, there’s also hope, showing what we can learn from the old ways to reinvigorate our natural landscapes. And James’ writing, his descriptions of the wilds, the animals and his farm is luminous – the book really is a revelation.