Vanishing Cornwall

"A parson, when he turns odd, does it thoroughly, especially if he lives in Cornwall; in fact, he may be said to go the whole hog."

King Arthur, King Mark (Marcus), Tristan & Iseault, Avalon, Tintagel, Carlyon, Warleggan, Copper Mining, Helstone, Pirates of Penzance, Manderley. It's all here and more.

If you're like me, everything has been coming up Cornwall lately. Recently discovered the 2004 BBC North & South miniseries which I have watched over and over again 3 times. Then I read the book. Then I listened to it read to me by Juliet Stevenson. I'm besotted with it all. Then Poldark started on Masterpiece, so I drooled over that for the duration of the series. In the meantime I'm listening to the Mists of Avalon most of which takes show more place in Cornwall. I'm also listening to H is for Hawk which takes a lot from T.H. White who wrote Once and Future King which is all Cornwall. Then I remember that one of my favorite books and movies of all time is Rebecca. That was in Cornwall? I had no idea! And you know Sense & Sensibility, well those Dashwoods are packed off to Cornwall. I hadn't caught that before. And I just watched the 2008 BBC Sense & Sensibility miniseries, which is far and away better than the movie, highly recommended, and the Cornwall-ness of their new abode is all too romantically apparent in the miniseries.

So, back to this book. If your life has been coming up Cornwall, this is a neat travelogue with lots of juicy stories interspersed with the history. And written by Daphne du Maurier, bonus!

If you're not curious about Cornwall, this book will NOT float your boat. show less

Daphne DuMaurier, longtime resident of Cornwall, shares her passion for the area by taking a look at how things have changed over the years. She discusses how it figures in the Arthurian legends as well as in her own books. She takes a look at industry, religion, social classes, geography, the sea, trade, and much more. She also looks at the connection the Bronte sisters had to Cornwall. It's fascinating, and the author's love for Cornwall shines in the narrative. The book includes many photographs that help readers unfamiliar with the area visualize it.

I really enjoyed reading through this. I'm so thankful to be able to read books about places I've never been. I think Daphne du Maurier was a very intelligent woman and had a way of telling a story that keeps our attention and interest, even if we don't fully understand the subject.

I'd never read anything nonfiction about Cornwall---but all the good vintage gothics are set there and I've read a whole lot of them! The book had several really interesting parts. I was especially intrigued with the idea of the miners working under the sea bed, accessed from the caves cut in the cliffs above. How treacherous! I also finally took the time to look up the word, "furze"---a term I'd wondered about since seeing a house called The Furze on an show more episode of Miss Marple.

Very enjoyable read. show less

This is a nonfiction for my 2025 Nonfiction Reading Challenge at Book's Out. and British Isles Friday

I enjoyed the book and learning so much about the history of Cornwall. It was a place du Maurier had such a passion for and influenced so many authors we have read in classic literature. The part about Yorkshire and the Bronte sisters and family was very interesting to me. Reading about their Cornish mother and aunt and how it sparked their imaginations, inspiring the plots and locale in their books.

The myths and legends about Arthur, King Mark and Tristan were page turners as well. Too many stories in here to address all but if you have an interest in the history, landscape, myths and legends about Cornwall, please check your local show more library for a copy of this book.

As a few commenters stated they didn't know Daphne du Maurier wrote any nonfiction. I thought I would include a screen shot of the book listing her books. She wrote many about Francis Bacon, I suppose her big interest, as well as memoirs.

Category for the nonfiction challenge is Myths and Legends. show less

A very atmospheric read - possibly essential if visiting Cornwall. Filled with mystic interest about Arthurian legends, the initial origins of the Cornish, smuggling, pirating, and tin mining lore, the maternal origins of the Bronte family and other Cornish folklore.

I read it while discovering Cornwall on holiday, and it was a delight, adding a third dimension to our sight-seeing. It would have helped to have a map and some visual points of reference to the stories - an online map helped me decipher the locales. I suspect that the aspect of geography would be even more confusing to the arm-chair traveller, which is possibly the reason that this book is not widely distributed.

Go visit Cornwall - it is a truly magical place.

Loved this book. What a spectular treat to read and look at as well. It is evident that du Maurier loves Cornwall. It is well-researched and well-written (as always). The photographs taken by du Maurier's son, Christian Browning, are stunning. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone!

An interesting insight into Daphne Du Maurier's Cornwall.